(A) Upon the application of a member in service or of the member's employer that is received by the system before January 1, 2014, a member in service on or after July 1, 1970, who has the earned service required pursuant to Section 9-1-1510 for the member's class, or a contributing member who is disabled as a result of an injury arising out of and in the course of the performance of the member's duties regardless of length of membership on or after July 1, 1985, may be retired by the board not less than thirty days and not more than nine months next following the date of filing the application on a disability retirement allowance if the system, after a medical examination of the member, certifies that the member is mentally or physically incapacitated for the further performance of duty, that the incapacity is likely to be permanent, and that the member should be retired. For purposes of this section, a member is considered to be in service on the date the application is filed if the member is not retired and the last day the member was employed by a covered employer in the system occurred not more than ninety days prior to the date of filing.
The South Carolina Retirement System may contract with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to evaluate the medical evidence submitted with the disability application relative to the job being performed and make recommendations to the system. The system may approve a disability retirement subject to the member participating in vocational rehabilitation with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. Upon determination by the department that a member retired on disability is able to reenter the job market and work is available, the retirement system may adjust the benefit paid by the system in accordance with Sections 9-1-1580, 9-1-1590, 9-9-60, and 9-11-90.
(B)(1) Upon the application of a member in service or of the member's employer received by the system after December 31, 2013, a member in service who has the earned service required for the member's class pursuant to Section 9-1-1510, or who is disabled as a result of an injury arising out of and in the course of the performance of the member's duties regardless of length of membership, may be retired by the board if the member is determined to be disabled pursuant to subsection (B)(2) of this section. For purposes of this section, a member is considered to be in service on the date the application is filed if the last day the member was employed by a covered employer in the system occurred not more than one year before the date of filing and, if the member has retired on a service retirement allowance, the member's date of retirement occurred not more than one year before the date of filing.
(2) A member whose application for disability retirement benefits was received by the system after December 31, 2013, is considered disabled if the member qualifies for the payment of Social Security disability benefits and is eligible for benefits pursuant to this section upon proof of the disability, provided that the date of disability established by the Social Security Administration falls within one year after the last day the member was employed by a covered employer in the system. The member shall submit to the retirement system the Social Security Award Notice certifying the date of entitlement for disability benefits as issued by the Social Security Administration. Upon final approval by the system, disability benefits become effective on the date of entitlement as established by the Social Security Administration or the day after the member's last day on the payroll of a covered employer, whichever is later.
HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 61-104; 1952 Code Section 61-104; 1945 (44) 212; 1949 (46) 424; 1970 (56) 1939; 1979 Act No. 102 Section 1; 1982 Act No. 466 Part II Section 23A; 1985 Act No. 74 Section 1; 1986 Act No. 529, Section 6, eff June 18, 1986; 2000 Act No. 387, Part II, Section 67D, eff January 1, 2001; 2010 Act No. 162, Section 1, eff May 12, 2010; 2012 Act No. 278, Pt I, Section 10.A, eff July 1, 2012; 2018 Act No. 221 (H.4698), Section 2.A, eff May 18, 2018.
Editor's Note
2018 Act No. 221, Section 2.D, provides as follows:
"D. This SECTION takes effect upon approval by the Governor and applies to members who retire after December 31, 2016. A member whose one year deadline has expired or will expire in less than ninety days from the date of the Governor's approval has ninety days from the Governor's approval of this act to file an application for disability retirement."
Effect of Amendment
2018 Act No. 221, Section 2.A, in (B)(1), in the second sentence, substituted "one year" for "ninety days" in two places.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 1 - South Carolina Retirement System
Section 9-1-30. Property of system exempt from taxation.
Section 9-1-40. Penalties for making false statement or record.
Section 9-1-60. Implementation of "cafeteria" plan.
Section 9-1-100. Payments to beneficiaries may include payments to persons, trustees, and estates.
Section 9-1-210. Board shall administer system.
Section 9-1-230. Authority to engage actuarial and other services.
Section 9-1-240. Actuary for board.
Section 9-1-250. Investigation and valuation by actuary every five years.
Section 9-1-260. Annual valuation by actuary.
Section 9-1-270. Board shall keep actuarial data in convenient form.
Section 9-1-280. Board shall determine interest rate; base rate established.
Section 9-1-290. Rules and regulations.
Section 9-1-300. Records and reports.
Section 9-1-320. Confidentiality of member records.
Section 9-1-410. Membership generally.
Section 9-1-425. Contributing member of system.
Section 9-1-450. Members of other agency or departmental retirement plans.
Section 9-1-460. Discontinuance of certain local plans or funds.
Section 9-1-470. Political subdivisions may apply for admission to system as employers.
Section 9-1-480. Employees of political subdivisions as members.
Section 9-1-490. Firemen and peace officers.
Section 9-1-550. Option of certain public school employees.
Section 9-1-560. Option of day laborers.
Section 9-1-580. Option of certain hospital employees.
Section 9-1-610. Determination of who is teacher or employee.
Section 9-1-630. Certain persons may withdraw from system.
Section 9-1-640. Employers and members divided into two classes; change from Class One to Class Two.
Section 9-1-650. Continuation of membership in correlated systems.
Section 9-1-660. Firemen eligible for Police Officers Retirement System; benefits.
Section 9-1-670. Members eligible for membership in South Carolina State Employees Credit Union.
Section 9-1-810. Claims for prior service.
Section 9-1-830. Prior service certificates.
Section 9-1-840. What constitutes one year of service.
Section 9-1-1050. Employer annuity accumulation fund; contributions paid by employers.
Section 9-1-1060. Normal contribution rate.
Section 9-1-1070. Accrued liability contribution rate.
Section 9-1-1080. Minimum contributions to employer annuity accumulation fund.
Section 9-1-1085. Employer and employee contribution rates.
Section 9-1-1090. Discontinuance of accrued liability contribution.
Section 9-1-1110. Obligations of employer annuity accumulation fund.
Section 9-1-1120. Transfer between funds on return of retired employee to active service.
Section 9-1-1130. Earnings to be credited to employer annuity accumulation fund.
Section 9-1-1135. Interest on member accounts.
Section 9-1-1170. Collection of employers' contributions.
Section 9-1-1175. Employer contributions.
Section 9-1-1190. Board may change accounting methods and procedures of system.
Section 9-1-1210. Employer contributions shall reflect cost of Preretirement Death Benefit Program.
Section 9-1-1310. Trustee of retirement system; investment of funds.
Section 9-1-1320. Custodian of assets of the Retirement System.
Section 9-1-1330. Cash kept available with State Treasurer.
Section 9-1-1340. Conflicts of interest and use of funds by commission members or employees.
Section 9-1-1350. Transfers from general fund authorized.
Section 9-1-1510. Retirement of members at age 60 or after 28 years' service.
Section 9-1-1515. Early retirement.
Section 9-1-1540. Disability retirement.
Section 9-1-1550. Service retirement allowances.
Section 9-1-1560. Allowances upon retirement for disability.
Section 9-1-1590. Effect of restoring beneficiaries to active service.
Section 9-1-1610. Members of General Assembly may draw retirement benefits under certain conditions.
Section 9-1-1620. Optional forms of allowances.
Section 9-1-1625. Compliance with Internal Revenue Code.
Section 9-1-1630. Special benefits to teachers for service prior to July 1, 1945.
Section 9-1-1640. Manner of paying annuities.
Section 9-1-1665. Compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a)(9).
Section 9-1-1670. Change or error in records.
Section 9-1-1680. Exemption from taxation and legal process; exceptions; assignment.
Section 9-1-1760. Increase in benefits for persons who retired prior to July 1, 1972.
Section 9-1-1765. Additional increase in benefits for persons who retired prior to July 1, 1972.
Section 9-1-1770. Preretirement Death Benefit Program; post-retirement benefit payment.
Section 9-1-1775. Death Benefit Plan.
Section 9-1-1790. Amount which may be earned upon return to covered employment.
Section 9-1-1800. Recalculation of benefits for certain persons who retired prior to July 1, 1964.
Section 9-1-1812. Revision of sections upon certain conditions.
Section 9-1-1814. Revision of sections upon certain conditions.
Section 9-1-1815. Retirement allowance adjustments.
Section 9-1-1830. Payment and transfer of funds to the employer annuity accumulation fund.
Section 9-1-1920. Minimum allowance for certain persons who retired prior to July 1, 1945.
Section 9-1-1950. Minimum allowance for certain members of General Assembly.
Section 9-1-1970. Compensation used for determining benefits to be subject to federal limitations.
Section 9-1-1975. Compliance with USERRA.
Section 9-1-1980. Compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 415.