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H.B. 265 Enrolled

             1     

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' LONG-TERM DISABILITY ACT

             2     
AMENDMENTS

             3     
2012 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Brian S. King

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Karen Mayne

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill amends the Public Employees' Long-term Disability Act.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    clarifies the definition of long term disability.
             14      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             15          None
             16      Other Special Clauses:
             17          None
             18      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             19      AMENDS:
             20          49-21-102, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapters 366 and 439
             21     
             22      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             23          Section 1. Section 49-21-102 is amended to read:
             24           49-21-102. Definitions.
             25          As used in this chapter:
             26          (1) "Date of disability" means the date on which a period of continuous disability
             27      commences, and may not commence on or before the last day of actual work.
             28          (2) (a) "Eligible employee" means the following employee whose employer provides
             29      coverage under this chapter:


             30          (i) (A) any regular full-time employee as defined under Section 49-12-102 , 49-13-102 ,
             31      or 49-22-102 ;
             32          (B) any public safety service employee as defined under Section 49-14-102 , 49-15-102 ,
             33      or 49-23-102 ;
             34          (C) any firefighter service employee or volunteer firefighter as defined under Section
             35      49-23-102 who began firefighter service on or after July 1, 2011;
             36          (D) any judge as defined under Section 49-17-102 or 49-18-102 ; or
             37          (E) the governor of the state;
             38          (ii) an employee who is exempt from participating in a retirement system under
             39      Subsection 49-12-203 (2), 49-13-203 (2), 49-14-203 (1), or 49-15-203 (1); and
             40          (iii) an employee who is covered by a retirement program offered by the Teachers'
             41      Insurance and Annuity Association of America.
             42          (b) "Eligible employee" does not include:
             43          (i) any employee that is exempt from coverage under Section 49-21-201 ; or
             44          (ii) a retiree.
             45          (3) "Elimination period" means the three months at the beginning of each continuous
             46      period of total disability for which no benefit will be paid. The elimination period begins on
             47      the nearest first day of the month from the date of disability. The elimination period may
             48      include a one-time trial return to work period of less than 15 consecutive calendar days.
             49          (4) "Maximum benefit period" means the maximum period of time the monthly
             50      disability income benefit will be paid under Section 49-21-403 for any continuous period of
             51      total disability.
             52          (5) "Monthly disability benefit" means the monthly payments and accrual of service
             53      credit under Section 49-21-401 .
             54          (6) "Objective medical impairment" means an impairment resulting from an injury or
             55      illness which is diagnosed by a physician and which is based on accepted objective medical
             56      tests or findings rather than subjective complaints.
             57          (7) "Physician" means a licensed physician.


             58          (8) "Regular monthly salary" means the amount certified by the participating employer
             59      as the monthly salary of the eligible employee, unless there is a discrepancy between the
             60      certified amount and the amount actually paid, in which case the office shall determine the
             61      regular monthly salary.
             62          (9) "Regular occupation" means either the primary duties performed by the eligible
             63      employee for the 12 months preceding the date of disability, or a permanent assignment of duty
             64      to the eligible employee.
             65          (10) "Rehabilitative employment" means any occupation or employment for wage or
             66      profit, for which the eligible employee is reasonably qualified to perform based on education,
             67      training, or experience.
             68          (11) (a) "Total disability" means the complete inability, due to objective medical
             69      impairment, whether physical or mental, to engage in the eligible employee's regular
             70      occupation during the elimination period and the first 24 months of disability benefits.
             71          (b) (i) "Total disability" means, after the elimination period and the first 24 months of
             72      disability benefits, the complete inability, [based solely on physical objective medical
             73      impairment,] as determined under Subsection (11)(b)(ii), to engage in any gainful occupation
             74      which is reasonable, considering the eligible employee's education, training, and experience.
             75          (ii) For purposes of Subsection (11)(b)(i), inability is determined:
             76          (A) based solely on physical objective medical impairment; and
             77          (B) regardless of the existence or absence of any mental impairment.


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