(a) Upon granting a medical leave, an employing unit must certify the leave to the association on a form specified by the executive director. A member of the association who is on an authorized medical leave of absence is entitled to receive allowable service credit, not to exceed five years, for the period of leave, upon making the prescribed payment to the fund under section 354.72. A member may not receive more than one year of allowable service credit during any fiscal year by making payment under this section. A member may not receive disability benefits under section 354.48 and receive allowable service credit under this section for the same period of time.
(b) The executive director shall reject an application for disability benefits under section 354.48 if the member is applying only because an employer-sponsored provider of private disability insurance benefits requires the application and the member would not have applied for disability benefits in the absence of the requirement. The member shall submit a copy of the disability insurance policy that requires an application for disability benefits from the plan if the member wishes to assert that the application is only being submitted because of the disability insurance policy requirement.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement to the contrary, employee and employer contributions may not be made to receive allowable service credit under this section if the member does not retain the right to full reinstatement both during and at the end of the medical leave.
History:1990 c 570 art 7 s 1; 1991 c 340 s 13; 1995 c 141 art 3 s 20; 2007 c 134 art 2 s 34; 2018 c 211 art 11 s 5