Municipal Employees' Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago
Disability Benefits: By Type
A disability benefit is designed to provide compensation, in replacement of salary, for a participant injured or suffering from an illness that prevents them from working. As a participant, you are entitled to apply for and, if eligible, receive a benefit.
Please be aware that you must contact the Fund once you have become disabled due to an injury, illness or pregnancy in order to request an application for Disability. Upon your request, the Fund will instruct you which Disability application is required. Links to applications are provided below.
There are two types of disability benefits:
Duty Disability
Benefits are available ONLY to active participants who are disabled as the result of an injury or illness “incurred in the performance of an act or acts of duty.”
Duty Disability Application Packet
Ordinary Disability
Benefits [non-duty] are available to those active participants who are disabled “as the result of any cause OTHER THAN injury or illness incurred in the performance of an act or acts of duty.”
A disabled participant can only apply for one type of benefit. If the Fund receives applications for both duty and ordinary disability from a participant for the same injury or illness, both will be denied.
Ordinary Disability Application Packet
It is mandatory that you contact this Fund (1) year from the date of your disablement. This may allow you to collect a payment from the Fund while you’re off work as well as earn pension credit. Please be aware that the Disability process generally takes 6-8 weeks to complete from the date the application is received in our office.
You can return these forms via U.S. Mail, fax or email.
MEABF
321 N. Clark St. Suite 700
Chicago, Il 60654
Fax: 312-527-0192
The Fund does not consider the following as Participants:
Disability benefit shall not be paid for any time for which the employee receives any part of his salary or is employed by any public body supported in whole or in part by taxation.
Once an application is complete and all required support documentation is received, the application will be presented to the Board for consideration at a regularly scheduled meeting. Notice of the Board’s determination to a participant’s application will be communicated to the participant in writing.
Should an application be denied, the Fund will provide information regarding the reason for denial. If the participant disputes denial of benefits, a request for reconsideration may be sent in writing to the Fund’s Disability Supervisor, which shall include the reasons why the application should be reconsidered and any new documentation supporting the participant’s request.
Disability benefits will cease upon:
1. Date the disability ceases
2. Release by participant’s attending physician to return to work
3. Resignation or termination of employment
4. Death of recipient
5. Granted disability period ends
6. Workers’ Compensation ceases or suspends their benefit
7. Statutory maximum allowance is met
8. Refusal to submit for examination or participate in an IME (independent medical examination) at the request of
the Fund
9. Employment by a Public Body supported by taxation
10. Failure of participant to submit medical and leave of absence documents required by the Fund to extend
disability benefits
Ordinary Disability
Amount
Ordinary disability provides a benefit payment equal to 50% of salary at the date of actual disability for eligible participants.
The salary used to compute the disability benefit is the participant’s straight time salary and excludes overtime pay.
Calculating Your Start Date
Ordinary disability benefits are not paid for the first 30 days of disability. The benefit payment period for an approved application begins after the first 30 days of disability, provided you are in a “no pay” status with your employer. If you remain in a “pay” status beyond the first 30 days, the disability benefit period will begin on the first date following the last date salary is paid.
Example 1)
Participant’s last day physically at work is July 15, 2013 but he remains in receipt of pay through August 2, 2013.
The Fund begins paying the ordinary disability benefit for the period beginning August 15, 2013
(31st day after July 15, 2013).
Example 2)
Participant’s last day physically at work is July 15, 2013 but he remains in receipt of pay through August 31, 2013.
The Fund begins paying the ordinary disability benefit for the period beginning September 1, 2013 (day after last day salary is paid). Maximum Benefit Time Period Eligible participants are entitled to receive ordinary disability benefits for a period equal to one quarter (¼) of the length of their Fund service credit, not to exceed a period of 5 years.
Application Timing
An application must be made while the disability exists unless the Board finds reasonable cause for delay in filing. Once you submit your application, you are allowed 90 days to submit all necessary supporting documentation for your application. If documentation is not received within the requested 90 days, an additional 30 days extension may be granted. Failure to
complete an application in a timely fashion may result in the denial of the benefit application.
Application for ordinary disability benefits requires certification, under oath, that injury/illness was/is not related to a duty injury. Participants are advised that filing a false statement on an application for ordinary disability benefits may be reported to the State’s Attorney in accordance with Public Act 97-0651.
Ordinary disability benefits cannot be paid retroactively for any period of time more than one year prior to the date of application with the Fund.
Duty Disability
Amount
Duty disability provides a benefit payment for eligible participants equal to 75% of salary on date of injury or 50% if the
disability resulted from any physical defect or disease that existed at the time injury was sustained. If the disability benefits
continue for more than 5 years, on January 1 of the sixth year, such benefit will be increased by 10%.
Duty disability benefit payments are subject to an offset/reduction by any payment or settlement received from the City of
Chicago or the Chicago Board of Education under the Workers’ Compensation Act or the Workers’ Occupational Disease Act.
It is the responsibility of the participant to notify the Fund of any payment or settlement received based on his or her injury. A
complete copy of the award or settlement must be provided to the Fund. Failure to do so can lead to the reduction of award
or benefits and the collection of any prior benefits improperly received.
Maximum Benefit Time Period
For disability beginning before age 60, a benefit is payable until the participant attains age 65. If disability commences after
age 60, the benefit is payable during the disability for a period not to exceed 5 years. Disability payments shall cease when a
participant is found to no longer be disabled.
Workers’ Compensation
Before any action can be taken by the Fund on an application for duty disability, a participant must file a timely claim for Workers’ Compensation with their employer. An applicant must begin to receive payment for the claim or the claim must
otherwise be finally adjudicated before the Fund can either approve or deny the application for duty disability
The participant is required to maintain a complete application with the Fund while awaiting a decision on their Workers’
Compensation claim. A participant is not allowed to apply for ordinary disability for the same injury or illness that is the basis of the participant’s duty application.
5 (40 ILCS 5/8-163) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 8-163) Sec. 8-163. When disability benefit not payable.
(a) If an employee receiving duty or ordinary disability benefit refuses to submit to examination by a physician appointed by
the board, or fails or refuses to consent to and sign an authorization allowing the board to receive copies of or examine the
employee’s medical and hospital records, or fails or refuses to provide complete information regarding any other
employment for compensation he has received since he has become disabled, he shall have no further right to receive the
benefit.
The Fund begins paying the ordinary disability benefit for the period beginning August 15, 2013
(31st day after July 15, 2013).
Application Timing
Once you submit your application, you are afforded 90 days to submit all necessary supporting documentation for your
application. If documentation is not received within the requested 90 days, an additional 30 days extension may be granted.
Failure to complete an application in a timely fashion may result in the denial of the benefit application.
Duty disability benefits cannot be paid retroactively for any period of time more than one year prior to the date of application
with the Fund.
Child Benefit
A participant that is in receipt of a duty disability benefit is also entitled to receive an amount of $10 per month on account of
each unmarried child less than the age of 18, provided that the child’s disability benefit does not exceed 15% of such
participant’s salary at the date of injury. The total duty disability benefit and child’s duty disability benefit combined may not
exceed 90% of the of the member’s salary at the time.
Exceptions
In accordance with 40 ILCS 5/8-161.1(a), Disablement because of commonly termed heart attacks or strokes or any
disablement falling within the broad field of coronary involvement or heart disease, shall not be the result of an accidental
injury incurred in the performance of duty.
Administrative Procedures
Universal Procedures:
Ordinary Disability Procedures (Only):
Ordinary Disability Procedures (Only):
Duty Disability Procedures (Only):