HB5696eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5696 Engrossed LRB098 17307 RPM 52401 b

AN ACT concerning public employee benefits.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by changing Sections 7-139, 7-175, and 7-175.1 and by adding Section 7-111.5 as follows:

(40 ILCS 5/7-111.5 new)

Sec. 7-111.5. "Omitted service": The period of service with a participating municipality or participating instrumentality during which an employee was required to participate in the Fund, but was not actually enrolled.

(40 ILCS 5/7-139) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-139)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 98-599)

Sec. 7-139. Credits and creditable service to employees.

(a) Each participating employee shall be granted credits and creditable service, for purposes of determining the amount of any annuity or benefit to which he or a beneficiary is entitled, as follows:

1. For prior service: Each participating employee who is an employee of a participating municipality or participating instrumentality on the effective date shall be granted creditable service, but no credits under paragraph 2 of this subsection (a), for periods of prior service for which credit has not been received under any other pension fund or retirement system established under this Code, as follows:

If the effective date of participation for the participating municipality or participating instrumentality is on or before January 1, 1998, creditable service shall be granted for the entire period of prior service with that employer without any employee contribution.

If the effective date of participation for the participating municipality or participating instrumentality is after January 1, 1998, creditable service shall be granted for the last 20% of the period of prior service with that employer, but no more than 5 years, without any employee contribution. A participating employee may establish creditable service for the remainder of the period of prior service with that employer by making an application in writing, accompanied by payment of an employee contribution in an amount determined by the Fund, based on the employee contribution rates in effect at the time of application for the creditable service and the employee's salary rate on the effective date of participation for that employer, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of the prior service to the date of payment. Application for this creditable service may be made at any time while the employee is still in service.

A municipality that (i) has at least 35 employees; (ii) is located in a county with at least 2,000,000 inhabitants; and (iii) maintains an independent defined benefit pension plan for the benefit of its eligible employees may restrict creditable service in whole or in part for periods of prior service with the employer if the governing body of the municipality adopts an irrevocable resolution to restrict that creditable service and files the resolution with the board before the municipality's effective date of participation.

Any person who has withdrawn from the service of a participating municipality or participating instrumentality prior to the effective date, who reenters the service of the same municipality or participating instrumentality after the effective date and becomes a participating employee is entitled to creditable service for prior service as otherwise provided in this subdivision (a)(1) only if he or she renders 2 years of service as a participating employee after the effective date. Application for such service must be made while in a participating status. The salary rate to be used in the calculation of the required employee contribution, if any, shall be the employee's salary rate at the time of first reentering service with the employer after the employer's effective date of participation.

2. For current service, each participating employee shall be credited with:

a. Additional credits of amounts equal to each payment of additional contributions received from him under Section 7-173, as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable to him.

b. Normal credits of amounts equal to each payment of normal contributions received from him, as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable to him, and normal contributions made for the purpose of establishing out-of-state service credits as permitted under the conditions set forth in paragraph 6 of this subsection (a).

c. Municipality credits in an amount equal to 1.4 times the normal credits, except those established by out-of-state service credits, as of the date of computation of any benefit if these credits would increase the benefit.

d. Survivor credits equal to each payment of survivor contributions received from the participating employee as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable, and survivor contributions made for the purpose of establishing out-of-state service credits.

3. For periods of temporary and total and permanent disability benefits, each employee receiving disability benefits shall be granted creditable service for the period during which disability benefits are payable. Normal and survivor credits, based upon the rate of earnings applied for disability benefits, shall also be granted if such credits would result in a higher benefit to any such employee or his beneficiary.

4. For authorized leave of absence without pay: A participating employee shall be granted credits and creditable service for periods of authorized leave of absence without pay under the following conditions:

a. An application for credits and creditable service is submitted to the board while the employee is in a status of active employment.

b. Not more than 12 complete months of creditable service for authorized leave of absence without pay shall be counted for purposes of determining any benefits payable under this Article.

c. Credits and creditable service shall be granted for leave of absence only if such leave is approved by the governing body of the municipality, including approval of the estimated cost thereof to the municipality as determined by the fund, and employee contributions, plus interest at the effective rate applicable for each year from the end of the period of leave to date of payment, have been paid to the fund in accordance with Section 7-173. The contributions shall be computed upon the assumption earnings continued during the period of leave at the rate in effect when the leave began.

d. Benefits under the provisions of Sections 7-141, 7-146, 7-150 and 7-163 shall become payable to employees on authorized leave of absence, or their designated beneficiary, only if such leave of absence is creditable hereunder, and if the employee has at least one year of creditable service other than the service granted for leave of absence. Any employee contributions due may be deducted from any benefits payable.

e. No credits or creditable service shall be allowed for leave of absence without pay during any period of prior service.

5. For military service: The governing body of a municipality or participating instrumentality may elect to allow creditable service to participating employees who leave their employment to serve in the armed forces of the United States for all periods of such service, provided that the person returns to active employment within 90 days after completion of full time active duty, but no creditable service shall be allowed such person for any period that can be used in the computation of a pension or any other pay or benefit, other than pay for active duty, for service in any branch of the armed forces of the United States. If necessary to the computation of any benefit, the board shall establish municipality credits for participating employees under this paragraph on the assumption that the employee received earnings at the rate received at the time he left the employment to enter the armed forces. A participating employee in the armed forces shall not be considered an employee during such period of service and no additional death and no disability benefits are payable for death or disability during such period.

Any participating employee who left his employment with a municipality or participating instrumentality to serve in the armed forces of the United States and who again became a participating employee within 90 days after completion of full time active duty by entering the service of a different municipality or participating instrumentality, which has elected to allow creditable service for periods of military service under the preceding paragraph, shall also be allowed creditable service for his period of military service on the same terms that would apply if he had been employed, before entering military service, by the municipality or instrumentality which employed him after he left the military service and the employer costs arising in relation to such grant of creditable service shall be charged to and paid by that municipality or instrumentality.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any participating employee shall be entitled to creditable service as required by any federal law relating to re-employment rights of persons who served in the United States Armed Services. Such creditable service shall be granted upon payment by the member of an amount equal to the employee contributions which would have been required had the employee continued in service at the same rate of earnings during the military leave period, plus interest at the effective rate.

5.1. In addition to any creditable service established under paragraph 5 of this subsection (a), creditable service may be granted for up to 48 months of service in the armed forces of the United States.

In order to receive creditable service for military service under this paragraph 5.1, a participating employee must (1) apply to the Fund in writing and provide evidence of the military service that is satisfactory to the Board; (2) obtain the written approval of the current employer; and (3) make contributions to the Fund equal to (i) the employee contributions that would have been required had the service been rendered as a member, plus (ii) an amount determined by the board to be equal to the employer's normal cost of the benefits accrued for that military service, plus (iii) interest on items (i) and (ii) from the date of first membership in the Fund to the date of payment. The required interest shall be calculated at the regular interest rate.

The changes made to this paragraph 5.1 by Public Acts 95-483 and 95-486 apply only to participating employees in service on or after August 28, 2007 (the effective date of those Public Acts).

6. For out-of-state service: Creditable service shall be granted for service rendered to an out-of-state local governmental body under the following conditions: The employee had participated and has irrevocably forfeited all rights to benefits in the out-of-state public employees pension system; the governing body of his participating municipality or instrumentality authorizes the employee to establish such service; the employee has 2 years current service with this municipality or participating instrumentality; the employee makes a payment of contributions, which shall be computed at 8% (normal) plus 2% (survivor) times length of service purchased times the average rate of earnings for the first 2 years of service with the municipality or participating instrumentality whose governing body authorizes the service established plus interest at the effective rate on the date such credits are established, payable from the date the employee completes the required 2 years of current service to date of payment. In no case shall more than 120 months of creditable service be granted under this provision.

7. For retroactive service: Any employee who could have but did not elect to become a participating employee, or who should have been a participant in the Municipal Public Utilities Annuity and Benefit Fund before that fund was superseded, may receive creditable service for the period of service not to exceed 50 months; however, a current or former elected or appointed official of a participating municipality may establish credit under this paragraph 7 for more than 50 months of service as an official of that municipality, if the excess over 50 months is approved by resolution of the governing body of the affected municipality filed with the Fund before January 1, 2002.

Any employee who is a participating employee on or after September 24, 1981 and who was excluded from participation by the age restrictions removed by Public Act 82-596 may receive creditable service for the period, on or after January 1, 1979, excluded by the age restriction and, in addition, if the governing body of the participating municipality or participating instrumentality elects to allow creditable service for all employees excluded by the age restriction prior to January 1, 1979, for service during the period prior to that date excluded by the age restriction. Any employee who was excluded from participation by the age restriction removed by Public Act 82-596 and who is not a participating employee on or after September 24, 1981 may receive creditable service for service after January 1, 1979. Creditable service under this paragraph shall be granted upon payment of the employee contributions which would have been required had he participated, with interest at the effective rate for each year from the end of the period of service established to date of payment.

8. For accumulated unused sick leave: A participating employee who is applying for a retirement annuity shall be entitled to creditable service for that portion of the employee's accumulated unused sick leave for which payment is not received, as follows:

a. Sick leave days shall be limited to those accumulated under a sick leave plan established by a participating municipality or participating instrumentality which is available to all employees or a class of employees.

b. Except as provided in item b-1, only sick leave days accumulated with a participating municipality or participating instrumentality with which the employee was in service within 60 days of the effective date of his retirement annuity shall be credited; If the employee was in service with more than one employer during this period only the sick leave days with the employer with which the employee has the greatest number of unpaid sick leave days shall be considered.

b-1. If the employee was in the service of more than one employer as defined in item (2) of paragraph (a) of subsection (A) of Section 7-132, then the sick leave days from all such employers shall be credited, as long as the creditable service attributed to those sick leave days does not exceed the limitation in item f of this paragraph 8. In calculating the creditable service under this item b-1, the sick leave days from the last employer shall be considered first, then the remaining sick leave days shall be considered until there are no more days or the maximum creditable sick leave threshold under item f of this paragraph 8 has been reached.

c. The creditable service granted shall be considered solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the retirement annuity and shall not be used to establish any minimum service period required by any provision of the Illinois Pension Code, the effective date of the retirement annuity, or the final rate of earnings.

d. The creditable service shall be at the rate of 1/20 of a month for each full sick day, provided that no more than 12 months may be credited under this subdivision 8.

e. Employee contributions shall not be required for creditable service under this subdivision 8.

f. Each participating municipality and participating instrumentality with which an employee has service within 60 days of the effective date of his retirement annuity shall certify to the board the number of accumulated unpaid sick leave days credited to the employee at the time of termination of service.

9. For service transferred from another system: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 4, 5, 8, 14, or 16 of this Act, to any active member of this Fund, and to any inactive member who has been a county sheriff, upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 4-108.3, 5-235, 8-226.7, 14-105.6, or 16-131.4, and payment by the member of the amount by which (1) the employer and employee contributions that would have been required if he had participated in this Fund as a sheriff's law enforcement employee during the period for which credit is being transferred, plus interest thereon at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of termination of the service for which credit is being transferred to the date of payment, exceeds (2) the amount actually transferred to the Fund. Such transferred service shall be deemed to be service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee for the purposes of Section 7-142.1.

10. (Blank). For service transferred from an Article 3 system under Section 3-110.8: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 3 of this Act as provided in Section 3-110.8, to any active member of this Fund upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 3-110.8. If the amount by which (1) the employer and employee contributions that would have been required if he had participated in this Fund during the period for which credit is being transferred, plus interest thereon at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of termination of the service for which credit is being transferred to the date of payment, exceeds (2) the amount actually transferred to the Fund, then the amount of creditable service established under this paragraph 10 shall be reduced by a corresponding amount in accordance with the rules and procedures established under this paragraph 10.

The board shall establish by rule the manner of making the calculation required under this paragraph 10, taking into account the appropriate actuarial assumptions; the member's service, age, and salary history; the level of funding of the employer; and any other factors that the board determines to be relevant.

Until January 1, 2010, members who transferred service from an Article 3 system under the provisions of Public Act 94-356 may establish additional credit in this Fund, but only up to the amount of the service credit reduction in that transfer, as calculated under the actuarial assumptions. This credit may be established upon payment by the member of an amount to be determined by the board, equal to (1) the amount that would have been contributed as employee and employer contributions had all the service been as an employee under this Article, plus interest thereon compounded annually from the date of service to the date of transfer, less (2) the total amount transferred from the Article 3 system, plus (3) interest on the difference at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of the transfer to the date of payment. The additional service credit is allowed under this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 terminating all transferred credits on the date of transfer.

11. For service transferred from an Article 3 system under Section 3-110.3: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 3 of this Act as provided in Section 3-110.3, to any active member of this Fund, upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 3-110.3. If the board determines that the amount transferred is less than the true cost to the Fund of allowing that creditable service to be established, then in order to establish that creditable service, the member must pay to the Fund an additional contribution equal to the difference, as determined by the board in accordance with the rules and procedures adopted under this paragraph. If the member does not make the full additional payment as required by this paragraph prior to termination of his participation with that employer, then his or her creditable service shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the amount transferred under Section 3-110.3, including any payments made by the member under this paragraph prior to termination, and the true cost to the Fund of allowing that creditable service to be established, as determined by the board in accordance with the rules and procedures adopted under this paragraph.

The board shall establish by rule the manner of making the calculation required under this paragraph 11, taking into account the appropriate actuarial assumptions; the member's service, age, and salary history, and any other factors that the board determines to be relevant.

12. For omitted service: Any employee who was employed by a participating employer in a position that required participation, but who was not enrolled in the Fund, may establish such credits under the following conditions:

a. Application for such credits is received by the Board while the employee is an active participant of the Fund or a reciprocal retirement system.

b. Eligibility for participation and earnings are verified by the Authorized Agent of the participating employer for which the service was rendered.

Creditable service under this paragraph shall be granted upon payment of the employee contributions that would have been required had he participated, which shall be calculated by the Fund using the member contribution rate in effect during the period that the service was rendered.

(b) Creditable service - amount:

1. One month of creditable service shall be allowed for each month for which a participating employee made contributions as required under Section 7-173, or for which creditable service is otherwise granted hereunder. Not more than 1 month of service shall be credited and counted for 1 calendar month, and not more than 1 year of service shall be credited and counted for any calendar year. A calendar month means a nominal month beginning on the first day thereof, and a calendar year means a year beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

2. A seasonal employee shall be given 12 months of creditable service if he renders the number of months of service normally required by the position in a 12-month period and he remains in service for the entire 12-month period. Otherwise a fractional year of service in the number of months of service rendered shall be credited.

3. An intermittent employee shall be given creditable service for only those months in which a contribution is made under Section 7-173.

(c) No application for correction of credits or creditable service shall be considered unless the board receives an application for correction while (1) the applicant is a participating employee and in active employment with a participating municipality or instrumentality, or (2) while the applicant is actively participating in a pension fund or retirement system which is a participating system under the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act. A participating employee or other applicant shall not be entitled to credits or creditable service unless the required employee contributions are made in a lump sum or in installments made in accordance with board rule.

(d) Upon the granting of a retirement, surviving spouse or child annuity, a death benefit or a separation benefit, on account of any employee, all individual accumulated credits shall thereupon terminate. Upon the withdrawal of additional contributions, the credits applicable thereto shall thereupon terminate. Terminated credits shall not be applied to increase the benefits any remaining employee would otherwise receive under this Article.

(Source: P.A. 97-415, eff. 8-16-11; 98-439, eff. 8-16-13.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 98-599)

Sec. 7-139. Credits and creditable service to employees.

(a) Each participating employee shall be granted credits and creditable service, for purposes of determining the amount of any annuity or benefit to which he or a beneficiary is entitled, as follows:

1. For prior service: Each participating employee who is an employee of a participating municipality or participating instrumentality on the effective date shall be granted creditable service, but no credits under paragraph 2 of this subsection (a), for periods of prior service for which credit has not been received under any other pension fund or retirement system established under this Code, as follows:

If the effective date of participation for the participating municipality or participating instrumentality is on or before January 1, 1998, creditable service shall be granted for the entire period of prior service with that employer without any employee contribution.

If the effective date of participation for the participating municipality or participating instrumentality is after January 1, 1998, creditable service shall be granted for the last 20% of the period of prior service with that employer, but no more than 5 years, without any employee contribution. A participating employee may establish creditable service for the remainder of the period of prior service with that employer by making an application in writing, accompanied by payment of an employee contribution in an amount determined by the Fund, based on the employee contribution rates in effect at the time of application for the creditable service and the employee's salary rate on the effective date of participation for that employer, plus interest at the effective rate from the date of the prior service to the date of payment. Application for this creditable service may be made at any time while the employee is still in service.

A municipality that (i) has at least 35 employees; (ii) is located in a county with at least 2,000,000 inhabitants; and (iii) maintains an independent defined benefit pension plan for the benefit of its eligible employees may restrict creditable service in whole or in part for periods of prior service with the employer if the governing body of the municipality adopts an irrevocable resolution to restrict that creditable service and files the resolution with the board before the municipality's effective date of participation.

Any person who has withdrawn from the service of a participating municipality or participating instrumentality prior to the effective date, who reenters the service of the same municipality or participating instrumentality after the effective date and becomes a participating employee is entitled to creditable service for prior service as otherwise provided in this subdivision (a)(1) only if he or she renders 2 years of service as a participating employee after the effective date. Application for such service must be made while in a participating status. The salary rate to be used in the calculation of the required employee contribution, if any, shall be the employee's salary rate at the time of first reentering service with the employer after the employer's effective date of participation.

2. For current service, each participating employee shall be credited with:

a. Additional credits of amounts equal to each payment of additional contributions received from him under Section 7-173, as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable to him.

b. Normal credits of amounts equal to each payment of normal contributions received from him, as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable to him, and normal contributions made for the purpose of establishing out-of-state service credits as permitted under the conditions set forth in paragraph 6 of this subsection (a).

c. Municipality credits in an amount equal to 1.4 times the normal credits, except those established by out-of-state service credits, as of the date of computation of any benefit if these credits would increase the benefit.

d. Survivor credits equal to each payment of survivor contributions received from the participating employee as of the date the corresponding payment of earnings is payable, and survivor contributions made for the purpose of establishing out-of-state service credits.

3. For periods of temporary and total and permanent disability benefits, each employee receiving disability benefits shall be granted creditable service for the period during which disability benefits are payable. Normal and survivor credits, based upon the rate of earnings applied for disability benefits, shall also be granted if such credits would result in a higher benefit to any such employee or his beneficiary.

4. For authorized leave of absence without pay: A participating employee shall be granted credits and creditable service for periods of authorized leave of absence without pay under the following conditions:

a. An application for credits and creditable service is submitted to the board while the employee is in a status of active employment.

b. Not more than 12 complete months of creditable service for authorized leave of absence without pay shall be counted for purposes of determining any benefits payable under this Article.

c. Credits and creditable service shall be granted for leave of absence only if such leave is approved by the governing body of the municipality, including approval of the estimated cost thereof to the municipality as determined by the fund, and employee contributions, plus interest at the effective rate applicable for each year from the end of the period of leave to date of payment, have been paid to the fund in accordance with Section 7-173. The contributions shall be computed upon the assumption earnings continued during the period of leave at the rate in effect when the leave began.

d. Benefits under the provisions of Sections 7-141, 7-146, 7-150 and 7-163 shall become payable to employees on authorized leave of absence, or their designated beneficiary, only if such leave of absence is creditable hereunder, and if the employee has at least one year of creditable service other than the service granted for leave of absence. Any employee contributions due may be deducted from any benefits payable.

e. No credits or creditable service shall be allowed for leave of absence without pay during any period of prior service.

5. For military service: The governing body of a municipality or participating instrumentality may elect to allow creditable service to participating employees who leave their employment to serve in the armed forces of the United States for all periods of such service, provided that the person returns to active employment within 90 days after completion of full time active duty, but no creditable service shall be allowed such person for any period that can be used in the computation of a pension or any other pay or benefit, other than pay for active duty, for service in any branch of the armed forces of the United States. If necessary to the computation of any benefit, the board shall establish municipality credits for participating employees under this paragraph on the assumption that the employee received earnings at the rate received at the time he left the employment to enter the armed forces. A participating employee in the armed forces shall not be considered an employee during such period of service and no additional death and no disability benefits are payable for death or disability during such period.

Any participating employee who left his employment with a municipality or participating instrumentality to serve in the armed forces of the United States and who again became a participating employee within 90 days after completion of full time active duty by entering the service of a different municipality or participating instrumentality, which has elected to allow creditable service for periods of military service under the preceding paragraph, shall also be allowed creditable service for his period of military service on the same terms that would apply if he had been employed, before entering military service, by the municipality or instrumentality which employed him after he left the military service and the employer costs arising in relation to such grant of creditable service shall be charged to and paid by that municipality or instrumentality.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any participating employee shall be entitled to creditable service as required by any federal law relating to re-employment rights of persons who served in the United States Armed Services. Such creditable service shall be granted upon payment by the member of an amount equal to the employee contributions which would have been required had the employee continued in service at the same rate of earnings during the military leave period, plus interest at the effective rate.

5.1. In addition to any creditable service established under paragraph 5 of this subsection (a), creditable service may be granted for up to 48 months of service in the armed forces of the United States.

In order to receive creditable service for military service under this paragraph 5.1, a participating employee must (1) apply to the Fund in writing and provide evidence of the military service that is satisfactory to the Board; (2) obtain the written approval of the current employer; and (3) make contributions to the Fund equal to (i) the employee contributions that would have been required had the service been rendered as a member, plus (ii) an amount determined by the board to be equal to the employer's normal cost of the benefits accrued for that military service, plus (iii) interest on items (i) and (ii) from the date of first membership in the Fund to the date of payment. The required interest shall be calculated at the regular interest rate.

The changes made to this paragraph 5.1 by Public Acts 95-483 and 95-486 apply only to participating employees in service on or after August 28, 2007 (the effective date of those Public Acts).

6. For out-of-state service: Creditable service shall be granted for service rendered to an out-of-state local governmental body under the following conditions: The employee had participated and has irrevocably forfeited all rights to benefits in the out-of-state public employees pension system; the governing body of his participating municipality or instrumentality authorizes the employee to establish such service; the employee has 2 years current service with this municipality or participating instrumentality; the employee makes a payment of contributions, which shall be computed at 8% (normal) plus 2% (survivor) times length of service purchased times the average rate of earnings for the first 2 years of service with the municipality or participating instrumentality whose governing body authorizes the service established plus interest at the effective rate on the date such credits are established, payable from the date the employee completes the required 2 years of current service to date of payment. In no case shall more than 120 months of creditable service be granted under this provision.

7. For retroactive service: Any employee who could have but did not elect to become a participating employee, or who should have been a participant in the Municipal Public Utilities Annuity and Benefit Fund before that fund was superseded, may receive creditable service for the period of service not to exceed 50 months; however, a current or former elected or appointed official of a participating municipality may establish credit under this paragraph 7 for more than 50 months of service as an official of that municipality, if the excess over 50 months is approved by resolution of the governing body of the affected municipality filed with the Fund before January 1, 2002.

Any employee who is a participating employee on or after September 24, 1981 and who was excluded from participation by the age restrictions removed by Public Act 82-596 may receive creditable service for the period, on or after January 1, 1979, excluded by the age restriction and, in addition, if the governing body of the participating municipality or participating instrumentality elects to allow creditable service for all employees excluded by the age restriction prior to January 1, 1979, for service during the period prior to that date excluded by the age restriction. Any employee who was excluded from participation by the age restriction removed by Public Act 82-596 and who is not a participating employee on or after September 24, 1981 may receive creditable service for service after January 1, 1979. Creditable service under this paragraph shall be granted upon payment of the employee contributions which would have been required had he participated, with interest at the effective rate for each year from the end of the period of service established to date of payment.

8. For accumulated unused sick leave: A participating employee who first becomes a participating employee before the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly and who is applying for a retirement annuity shall be entitled to creditable service for that portion of the employee's accumulated unused sick leave for which payment is not received, as follows:

a. Sick leave days shall be limited to those accumulated under a sick leave plan established by a participating municipality or participating instrumentality which is available to all employees or a class of employees.

b. Except as provided in item b-1, only sick leave days accumulated with a participating municipality or participating instrumentality with which the employee was in service within 60 days of the effective date of his retirement annuity shall be credited; If the employee was in service with more than one employer during this period only the sick leave days with the employer with which the employee has the greatest number of unpaid sick leave days shall be considered.

b-1. If the employee was in the service of more than one employer as defined in item (2) of paragraph (a) of subsection (A) of Section 7-132, then the sick leave days from all such employers shall be credited, as long as the creditable service attributed to those sick leave days does not exceed the limitation in item f of this paragraph 8. In calculating the creditable service under this item b-1, the sick leave days from the last employer shall be considered first, then the remaining sick leave days shall be considered until there are no more days or the maximum creditable sick leave threshold under item f of this paragraph 8 has been reached.

c. The creditable service granted shall be considered solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the retirement annuity and shall not be used to establish any minimum service period required by any provision of the Illinois Pension Code, the effective date of the retirement annuity, or the final rate of earnings.

d. The creditable service shall be at the rate of 1/20 of a month for each full sick day, provided that no more than 12 months may be credited under this subdivision 8.

e. Employee contributions shall not be required for creditable service under this subdivision 8.

f. Each participating municipality and participating instrumentality with which an employee has service within 60 days of the effective date of his retirement annuity shall certify to the board the number of accumulated unpaid sick leave days credited to the employee at the time of termination of service.

9. For service transferred from another system: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 4, 5, 8, 14, or 16 of this Act, to any active member of this Fund, and to any inactive member who has been a county sheriff, upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 4-108.3, 5-235, 8-226.7, 14-105.6, or 16-131.4, and payment by the member of the amount by which (1) the employer and employee contributions that would have been required if he had participated in this Fund as a sheriff's law enforcement employee during the period for which credit is being transferred, plus interest thereon at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of termination of the service for which credit is being transferred to the date of payment, exceeds (2) the amount actually transferred to the Fund. Such transferred service shall be deemed to be service as a sheriff's law enforcement employee for the purposes of Section 7-142.1.

10. (Blank). For service transferred from an Article 3 system under Section 3-110.8: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 3 of this Act as provided in Section 3-110.8, to any active member of this Fund upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 3-110.8. If the amount by which (1) the employer and employee contributions that would have been required if he had participated in this Fund during the period for which credit is being transferred, plus interest thereon at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of termination of the service for which credit is being transferred to the date of payment, exceeds (2) the amount actually transferred to the Fund, then the amount of creditable service established under this paragraph 10 shall be reduced by a corresponding amount in accordance with the rules and procedures established under this paragraph 10.

The board shall establish by rule the manner of making the calculation required under this paragraph 10, taking into account the appropriate actuarial assumptions; the member's service, age, and salary history; the level of funding of the employer; and any other factors that the board determines to be relevant.

Until January 1, 2010, members who transferred service from an Article 3 system under the provisions of Public Act 94-356 may establish additional credit in this Fund, but only up to the amount of the service credit reduction in that transfer, as calculated under the actuarial assumptions. This credit may be established upon payment by the member of an amount to be determined by the board, equal to (1) the amount that would have been contributed as employee and employer contributions had all the service been as an employee under this Article, plus interest thereon compounded annually from the date of service to the date of transfer, less (2) the total amount transferred from the Article 3 system, plus (3) interest on the difference at the effective rate for each year, compounded annually, from the date of the transfer to the date of payment. The additional service credit is allowed under this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3 terminating all transferred credits on the date of transfer.

11. For service transferred from an Article 3 system under Section 3-110.3: Credits and creditable service shall be granted for service under Article 3 of this Act as provided in Section 3-110.3, to any active member of this Fund, upon transfer of such credits pursuant to Section 3-110.3. If the board determines that the amount transferred is less than the true cost to the Fund of allowing that creditable service to be established, then in order to establish that creditable service, the member must pay to the Fund an additional contribution equal to the difference, as determined by the board in accordance with the rules and procedures adopted under this paragraph. If the member does not make the full additional payment as required by this paragraph prior to termination of his participation with that employer, then his or her creditable service shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the amount transferred under Section 3-110.3, including any payments made by the member under this paragraph prior to termination, and the true cost to the Fund of allowing that creditable service to be established, as determined by the board in accordance with the rules and procedures adopted under this paragraph.

The board shall establish by rule the manner of making the calculation required under this paragraph 11, taking into account the appropriate actuarial assumptions; the member's service, age, and salary history, and any other factors that the board determines to be relevant.

12. For omitted service: Any employee who was employed by a participating employer in a position that required participation, but who was not enrolled in the Fund, may establish such credits under the following conditions:

a. Application for such credits is received by the Board while the employee is an active participant of the Fund or a reciprocal retirement system.

b. Eligibility for participation and earnings are verified by the Authorized Agent of the participating employer for which the service was rendered.

Creditable service under this paragraph shall be granted upon payment of the employee contributions that would have been required had he participated, which shall be calculated by the Fund using the member contribution rate in effect during the period that the service was rendered.

(b) Creditable service - amount:

1. One month of creditable service shall be allowed for each month for which a participating employee made contributions as required under Section 7-173, or for which creditable service is otherwise granted hereunder. Not more than 1 month of service shall be credited and counted for 1 calendar month, and not more than 1 year of service shall be credited and counted for any calendar year. A calendar month means a nominal month beginning on the first day thereof, and a calendar year means a year beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

2. A seasonal employee shall be given 12 months of creditable service if he renders the number of months of service normally required by the position in a 12-month period and he remains in service for the entire 12-month period. Otherwise a fractional year of service in the number of months of service rendered shall be credited.

3. An intermittent employee shall be given creditable service for only those months in which a contribution is made under Section 7-173.

(c) No application for correction of credits or creditable service shall be considered unless the board receives an application for correction while (1) the applicant is a participating employee and in active employment with a participating municipality or instrumentality, or (2) while the applicant is actively participating in a pension fund or retirement system which is a participating system under the Retirement Systems Reciprocal Act. A participating employee or other applicant shall not be entitled to credits or creditable service unless the required employee contributions are made in a lump sum or in installments made in accordance with board rule.

(d) Upon the granting of a retirement, surviving spouse or child annuity, a death benefit or a separation benefit, on account of any employee, all individual accumulated credits shall thereupon terminate. Upon the withdrawal of additional contributions, the credits applicable thereto shall thereupon terminate. Terminated credits shall not be applied to increase the benefits any remaining employee would otherwise receive under this Article.

(Source: P.A. 97-415, eff. 8-16-11; 98-439, eff. 8-16-13; 98-599, eff. 6-1-14.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-175) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-175)

Sec. 7-175. Board elections.

(a) During the period beginning on August 1 and ending on September 15 of each year the board shall accept nominations of candidates for election to the trusteeships for terms beginning the next January 1, new trusteeships or vacancies to be filled by election.

(b) All nominations shall be by petition. Three petitions for an executive trustee shall be signed by governing bodies of contributing participating municipalities or instrumentalities.

A petition for an employee trustee shall be signed by at least 350 participating employees who were participants during July of the current year and who, if their employment status remained unchanged, would be eligible to vote for such candidate at the following election.

A petition for an annuitant trustee shall be signed by at least 100 persons who were annuitants of the Fund during July of the current year and who, if their annuitant status remains unchanged, would be eligible to vote for the candidate at the following election.

(c) A separate ballot shall be used for each class of trustee and the names of all candidates properly nominated in petitions received by the board shall be placed in alphabetical order upon the proper ballot. Where two employee trustees are elected to a full term in the same year, there shall be one election for the two trusteeships and the two candidates getting the highest number of votes shall be elected.

(d) At any election, each contributing participating municipality and participating instrumentality and each contributing participating employee employed by such participating municipality or participating instrumentality during September of any year, shall be entitled to vote as follows:

1. The governing body of each such participating municipality and participating instrumentality shall have one vote at any election in which an executive trustee is to be elected, and may cast such vote for any candidate on the executive trustee ballot.

2. Each participating employee shall have one vote at any election in which an employee trustee is to be elected, and may cast such vote for any candidate on the employee trustee ballot.

3. Each annuitant of the Fund shall have one vote at any election in which an annuitant trustee is to be elected, and may cast that vote for any candidate on the annuitant trustee ballot.

4. A vote may be cast for a person not on the ballot by writing in his or her name.

(e) The election shall be by ballot pursuant to the rules and regulations established by the board and shall be completed by December 31 of the year. The results shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting of the board following the tally of votes.

(f) In case of a tie vote, the candidate employed by or retired from the participating municipality or participating instrumentality having the greatest number of participating employees at the time shall be elected.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article, if only one candidate is properly nominated in petitions received by the Board, that candidate shall be deemed the winner. In the case of 2 employee trustees elected to a full term in the same year, if only 2 candidates are properly nominated in petitions received by the Board, those 2 candidates shall both be deemed winners. If a candidate is deemed a winner under this paragraph, no election under this Section or Section 7-175.1 shall be required.

(Source: P.A. 89-136, eff. 7-14-95.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-175.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 7-175.1)

Sec. 7-175.1. Election of employee and annuitant trustees.

(a) The board shall prepare and send ballots and ballot envelopes to the employees and annuitants eligible to vote as of September of that year. The ballots shall contain the names of all candidates in alphabetical order and an appropriate place where a name may be written in on the ballot. The ballot envelope shall have on the outside a form of certificate stating that the person voting the ballot is a participating employee or annuitant entitled to vote.

(b) Employees and annuitants, upon receipt of the ballot, shall vote the ballot and place it in the ballot envelope, seal the envelope, execute the certificate thereon and return the ballot to the Fund.

(c) The board shall set a final date for ballot return, and ballots received prior to that date in a ballot envelope with a properly executed certificate and properly voted, shall be valid ballots.

(d) The board shall set a day for counting the ballots and name judges and clerks of election to conduct the count of ballots, and shall make any rules and regulations necessary for the conduct of the count.

(e) No election under this Section shall be required if a candidate is deemed the winner under subsection (g) of Section 7-175.

(Source: P.A. 89-136, eff. 7-14-95.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-139.7 rep.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-139.9 rep.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-139.11 rep.)

(40 ILCS 5/7-139.13 rep.)

Section 10. The Illinois Pension Code is amended by repealing Sections 7-139.7, 7-139.9, 7-139.11, and 7-139.13.

Section 95. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.