(a) When the board finds, based on medical advice, that a member in county service is incapacitated for the performance of the member’s duties, the board shall determine, based upon that medical advice, whether the member is capable of performing other duties. If the board determines that a member, although incapacitated for the performance of the member’s duties, is capable of performing other duties, the board shall inform the appropriate agency in county service of its findings and request that the agency immediately initiate a suitable rehabilitation program for the member pursuant to Section 139.5 of the Labor Code, whereby the member could become qualified for assignment to a position in county service consistent with the rehabilitation program.
(b) When the appropriate agency in county service receives such a request from the board, the agency shall immediately refer the member to a qualified rehabilitation representative for vocational evaluation. During the course of the evaluation, the rehabilitation representative shall consult with the appropriate agency in county service to determine what position, if any, in county service would be compatible with the member’s aptitudes, interests, and abilities and whether rehabilitation services will enable the member to become qualified to perform the duties of the position.
(c) Upon completion of the vocational evaluation of the member, the rehabilitation representative shall develop a suitable rehabilitation plan and submit the plan for concurrence by the member and the appropriate agency in county service and, thereafter, the agency shall forward the plan to the Division of Industrial Accidents for approval pursuant to Section 139.5 of the Labor Code.
(d) Upon receipt of approval of the rehabilitation plan, the appropriate agency in county service shall notify the board that the agency is either proceeding to implement an approved rehabilitation plan that will qualify the member for a position in county service specified in the plan or is unable to provide a position in county service compatible with the approved rehabilitation plan.
(e) Upon commencement of service by the member in the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan, the member shall not be paid the disability retirement allowance to which the member would otherwise be entitled during the entire period that the member remains in county service. However, if the compensation rate of the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan is less than the compensation rate of the position for which the member was incapacitated, the board shall, in lieu of the disability retirement allowance, pay to the member a supplemental disability allowance in an amount equal to the difference between the compensation rate of the position for which the member was incapacitated, applicable on the date of the commencement of service by the member in the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan, and the compensation rate of the position specified in the plan, applicable on the same date. The supplemental disability allowance shall be adjusted annually to equal the difference between the current compensation rate of the position for which the member was incapacitated and the current compensation of the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan. The supplemental disability allowance payments shall commence upon suspension of the disability retirement allowance and the amount of the payments shall not be greater than the disability retirement allowance to which the member would otherwise be entitled. Supplemental disability allowance payments made pursuant to this section shall be considered as a charge against the county advance reserve for current service, and all of these payments received by a member shall be considered as a part of the member’s compensation within the meaning of Section 31460.
(f) From the time that the member is eligible to receive a disability retirement allowance until the appropriate agency is able to provide the position in county service specified in the approved rehabilitation plan, and the member has commenced service in that position, the disability retirement allowance to which the member is entitled under this article shall be paid. Upon commencement of service by the member in the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan, the period during which the member was receiving disability retirement payments shall not be considered as breaking the continuity of the member’s service, and the rate of the member’s contributions shall continue to be based on the same age at entrance into the retirement system as the member’s rates were based on prior to the date of the member’s disability. The member’s accumulated contributions shall not be reduced as a result of the member receiving the disability retirement payments, but shall be increased by the amount of interest that would have accrued had the member not been retired.
(g) Notwithstanding Section 31560, a member whose principal duties, while serving in the position for which the member was incapacitated, consisted of activities defined in Section 31469.3 shall, upon commencement of service by the member in the position specified in the approved rehabilitation plan, continue to be considered as satisfying the requirements of Section 31560, notwithstanding the actual duties performed during the entire period that the member remains in county service.
(h) If, within one year from the date that the member has been eligible for a disability retirement allowance, the appropriate agency in county service has offered to the member, in writing, the position specified in the rehabilitation plan which had previously been concurred, in writing, by the member and approved by the Division of Industrial Accidents pursuant to Section 139.5 of the Labor Code, the member shall, within 30 days of receipt of the notice, report for duty at the location specified in the notice. If the member refuses to report for duty within the time specified, the appropriate agency in county service may apply to the board to have the member’s allowance discontinued. The board shall be authorized to discontinue the member’s disability retirement allowance if based upon substantial evidence of the refusal of the member to report to work without reasonable cause. However, the board shall not be authorized to impair any other of the rights or retirement benefits to which the member would otherwise be entitled.
(i) This section shall apply only to members who were incapacitated for the performance of the member’s duties prior to January 1, 2004, and who are eligible to retire for service-connected disability.
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 379, Sec. 1. Effective August 30, 2004.)