Section 2150.5  Policy

As defined in the above Sections, any employee of an agency offering Service Connected days suffering a compensable accident shall be allowed up to a maximum of three Service-Connected days (except as otherwise provided for in bargaining unit agreements) as long as the following criteria are met:

a)         Approval or denial of Service-Connected days shall be solely decided by the agency Director or management personnel designated by such Director and subject to DCMS (or other appropriate State claims administration units) approval of the claim for Workers' Compensation benefits.  DCMS personnel shall have no authority to approve or deny Service-Connected days apart from the determination of compensability for Workers' Compensation purposes.

b)         Medical documentation in the form of a Physician Statement verifying the need for time off from work shall be required prior to the approval of Service-Connected days.  Exceptions may be granted in the event the injury or illness is serious enough to preclude the employee from obtaining the required medical verification.  However, every effort must be made by the employee to provide the necessary documentation as soon as is practical after the incident.  Until such time as the claim for Workers' Compensation benefits has been approved by the DCMS Risk Management Division (or other appropriate State claims administration units), the employee shall be allowed to use accrued leave time (sick, vacation, compensatory, or personal days).  Once approved, timekeeping personnel shall restore the benefit time used to the employee's account.  If the employee chooses not to use accrued benefit time, he/she shall be docked for the time lost until a determination of eligibility for benefits is made.

c)         For timekeeping purpose, the first Service-Connected day shall be the first regularly scheduled work day after the date of the accident.  If, due to the nature of the injury or illness, time off is needed on the day of the accident, the employee must receive approval from his immediate supervisor.  If approved, no accrued leave time shall be charged to the employee and he/she shall remain on the regular payroll for that portion of the day absent.

d)         If an employee needs to use the Service-Connected time in noncontinuous or hourly increments, such as for doctor appointments or physical therapy, these absences shall be granted only if supported, in advance, by a Physician Statement verifying the need for the absence.

e)         A Workers' Compensation file must be created by the agency in order to authorize Service-Connected days.  Since medical verification is required, completion of the necessary Workers' Compensation forms (Illinois Industrial Commission form 45 and DCMS forms 900-1 through 900-7, as appropriate) will facilitate payment of any medical charges incurred as a result of the injury or illness.

f)         If an employee reinjures the same body part any time after the original injury, and the accident is determined to be compensable, the reinjury is considered a new accident and Service-Connected days shall be issued in accordance with the guidelines and policies outlined above.

g)         All agency timekeeping personnel shall be required to keep records of the total days and dollar amounts expended due to the use of Service-Connected days.  Agencies shall be required to submit semi-annual reports to the DCMS Risk Management Division, or other appropriate state claims administration unit, on July 1 and December 31 of each year identifying the number of days granted and the associated costs.