40 ILCS 5/15-154 — Illinois Code / Chapter 40 / Act 5 / Section 15-154
Section 15-154
Status: in_force

(40 ILCS 5/15-154) (from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 15-154) Sec. 15-154. Refunds. (a) A participant whose status as an employee is terminated, regardless of cause, or who has been on lay off status for more than 120 days, and who is not on leave of absence, is entitled to a refund of contributions upon application; except that not more than one such refund application may be made during any academic year. Except as set forth in subsections (a-1) and (a-2), the refund shall be the sum of the accumulated normal, additional, and survivors insurance contributions, plus the entire contribution made by the participant under Section 15-113.3, less the amount of interest credited on these contributions each year in excess of 4 1/2% of the amount on which interest was calculated. (a-1) A person who elects, in accordance with the requirements of Section 15-134.5, to participate in the portable benefit package and who becomes a participating employee under that retirement program upon the conclusion of the one-year waiting period applicable to the portable benefit package election shall have his or her refund calculated in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a-2). (a-2) The refund payable to a participant described in subsection (a-1) shall be the sum of the participant's accumulated normal and additional contributions, as defined in Sections 15-116 and 15-117, plus the entire contribution made by the participant under Section 15-113.3. If the participant terminates with 5 or more years of service for employment as defined in Section 15-113.1, he or she shall also be entitled to a distribution of employer contributions in an amount equal to the sum of the accumulated normal and additional contributions, as defined in Sections 15-116 and 15-117. (b) Upon acceptance of a refund, the participant forfeits all accrued rights and credits in the System, and if subsequently reemployed, the participant shall be considered a new employee subject to all the qualifying conditions for participation and eligibility for benefits applicable to new employees. If such person again becomes a participating employee and continues as such for 2 years, or is employed by an employer and participates for at least 2 years in the Federal Civil Service Retirement System, all such rights, credits, and previous status as a participant shall be restored upon repayment of the amount of the refund, together with compound interest thereon from the date the refund was issued to the date of repayment at the rate of 6% per annum through August 31, 1982, and at the effective rates after that date. When a participant in the portable benefit package who received a refund which included a distribution of employer contributions repays a refund pursuant to this Section, one-half of the amount repaid shall be deemed the member's reinstated accumulated normal and additional contributions and the other half shall be allocated as an employer contribution to the System, except that any amount repaid for previously purchased military service credit under Section 15-113.3 shall be accounted for as such. (c) Except as otherwise provided under subsection (c-5), if a participant covered under the traditional benefit package has made survivors insurance contributions, but has no survivors insurance beneficiary upon retirement, he or she shall be entitled to elect a refund of the accumulated survivors insurance contributions, or to elect an additional annuity the value of which is equal to the accumulated survivors insurance contributions. This election must be made prior to the date the person's retirement annuity is approved by the System. (c-5) Notwithstanding subsection (c), an annuitant who retired prior to June 1, 2011 and made the election under subsection (c), and who thereafter became, and remains, either: (1) a party to a civil union or a party to a legal relationship that is recognized as a