19-3-1015. Medical examination of disability retiree -- cancellation and reinstatement. (1) The board may, in its discretion, require a disabled member to undergo a medical examination. The examination must be made by a board-approved physician or surgeon at a place mutually agreed on by the board, the disabled member, and the physician or surgeon and at the board's expense. Upon the basis of the examination, the board shall determine whether the disabled member is unable, by reason of physical or mental incapacity, to perform the essential elements of either the position held by the member when the member retired or the position proposed to be assigned to the member. If the board determines that the member is not incapacitated or if the member refuses to submit to a medical examination, the member's disability retirement benefit must be canceled.

(2) If the board determines that a disabled member should no longer be subject to medical review, the board may grant service retirement status to the member without recalculating the monthly benefit. The board shall notify the member in writing as to the change in status. If the disabled member disagrees with the board's determination, the member may file a written application with the board requesting that the board reconsider its action. The written application for reconsideration must be filed within 60 days after receipt of the notice of the status change.

(3) (a) Except as provided in subsections (3)(b) and (3)(c), a member whose disability retirement benefit is canceled because the board has determined that the member is no longer incapacitated must be reinstated to the position held by the member immediately before the member's retirement or to a position in a comparable pay and benefit category with duties within the member's capacity if the member was an employee of the state or of the university. If the member was an employee of a contracting employer, the board shall notify the proper official of the contracting employer that the disability retirement benefit has been canceled and that the former employee is eligible for reinstatement to duty. The fact that the former employee was retired for disability may not prejudice any right to reinstatement to duty that the former employee may have or claim to have.

(b) A member who is employed by an employer forfeits any right to reinstatement provided by this section.

(c) This section does not affect any requirement that the former employee meet or be able to meet professional certification and licensing standards unrelated to the disability and necessary for reinstatement to duty.

(4) If a member whose disability retirement benefit is canceled is not reemployed in a position subject to the retirement system, the member is considered, for the purposes of 19-2-602, to have terminated service coincident with the commencement of the member's retirement benefit.

History: En. 68-2201 by Sec. 38, Ch. 323, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 99, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 68-2201; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 138, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 77, Ch. 265, L. 1993; Sec. 19-3-1102, MCA 1991; redes. 19-3-1015 by Code Commissioner, 1993; amd. Sec. 12, Ch. 412, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 370, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 33, Ch. 562, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 36, Ch. 99, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 36, Ch. 429, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 329, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 283, L. 2009.