(40 ILCS 5/5-154.1) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 5-154.1)
Sec. 5-154.1.
Occupational disease disability benefit.
(a) The General Assembly finds that service in the police
department requires police officers in times of stress
and danger to perform unusual tasks; that police officers are
subject to exposure to extreme heat or extreme
cold in certain seasons while performing their duties; and that these
conditions exist and arise out of or in the course of employment.
(b) Any police officer with at least 10 years of service who suffers a
heart attack or any other disabling heart disease but is not entitled to a
benefit under Section 5-154 is entitled to receive an occupational disease
disability benefit under this Section. The occupational disease disability
benefit shall be 65% of the salary attached to the rank held by the police
officer in the police service at the time of his or her removal from the police
department payroll. However, no occupational disease disability benefit that
has been payable under this Section for at least 10 years shall be less than
50% of the current salary attached from time to time to the rank held by the
police officer at the time of his or her removal from the police department
payroll.
The police officer is also entitled to a child's disability benefit of
$100 per month for each natural or legally adopted unmarried child
less than age 18 dependent upon the police officer for support. The total
child's disability benefit shall not exceed 10% of the police officer's salary
at the time of removal from the police department payroll. The increase
in child's disability benefit provided by this amendatory Act of the 92nd
General Assembly applies beginning January 1, 2000 to all such benefits payable
on or after that date, regardless of whether the disabled policeman is in
active service on or after the effective date of this amendatory Act.
The occupational disease disability benefit is payable during the period of
disability until the police officer attains age 63 or compulsory retirement
age, whichever occurs later; thereafter the police officer shall receive the
benefits provided under the other provisions of this Article. If the police
officer ceases to be disabled, the occupational disease disability benefit
shall cease.
The child's disability benefit is payable during the period of disability
until the child attains age 18 or marries, whichever event occurs first,
except that a benefit payable on account of a child under this Section shall
not be reduced or terminated by reason of the child's attainment of age 18
if he or she is then dependent by reason of a physical or mental disability,
but shall continue to be paid as long as the child's dependency and
disability continue.
(Source: P.A. 92-52, eff. 7-12-01.)
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