Illinois Administrative Code › Title 80 - PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES › Part 2150 - SERVICE-CONNECTED DAYS BENEFIT ADMINISTRATION › Section 2150.5 - Policy

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
As defined in the above Sections, any employee of an agency
				offering Service Connected days suffering a compensable accident shall be
				allowed up to a maximum of three Service-Connected days (except as otherwise
				provided for in bargaining unit agreements) as long as the following criteria
				are met:
a) Approval or denial of
			 Service-Connected days shall be solely decided by the agency Director or
			 management personnel designated by such Director and subject to DCMS (or other
			 appropriate State claims administration units) approval of the claim for
			 Workers' Compensation benefits. DCMS personnel shall have no authority to
			 approve or deny Service-Connected days apart from the determination of
			 compensability for Workers' Compensation purposes.
b) Medical documentation in the form of a
			 Physician Statement verifying the need for time off from work shall be required
			 prior to the approval of Service-Connected days. Exceptions may be granted in
			 the event the injury or illness is serious enough to preclude the employee from
			 obtaining the required medical verification. However, every effort must be made
			 by the employee to provide the necessary documentation as soon as is practical
			 after the incident. Until such time as the claim for Workers' Compensation
			 benefits has been approved by the DCMS Risk Management Division (or other
			 appropriate State claims administration units), the employee shall be allowed
			 to use accrued leave time (sick, vacation, compensatory, or personal days).
			 Once approved, timekeeping personnel shall restore the benefit time used to the
			 employee's account. If the employee chooses not to use accrued benefit time,
			 he/she shall be docked for the time lost until a determination of eligibility
			 for benefits is made.
c) For
			 timekeeping purpose, the first Service-Connected day shall be the first
			 regularly scheduled work day after the date of the accident. If, due to the
			 nature of the injury or illness, time off is needed on the day of the accident,
			 the employee must receive approval from his immediate supervisor. If approved,
			 no accrued leave time shall be charged to the employee and he/she shall remain
			 on the regular payroll for that portion of the day absent.
d) If an employee needs to use the
			 Service-Connected time in noncontinuous or hourly increments, such as for
			 doctor appointments or physical therapy, these absences shall be granted only
			 if supported, in advance, by a Physician Statement verifying the need for the
			 absence.
e) A Workers' Compensation
			 file must be created by the agency in order to authorize Service-Connected
			 days. Since medical verification is required, completion of the necessary
			 Workers' Compensation forms (Illinois Industrial Commission form 45 and DCMS
			 forms 900-1 through 900-7, as appropriate) will facilitate payment of any
			 medical charges incurred as a result of the injury or illness.
f) If an employee reinjures the same body
			 part any time after the original injury, and the accident is determined to be
			 compensable, the reinjury is considered a new accident and Service-Connected
			 days shall be issued in accordance with the guidelines and policies outlined
			 above.
g) All agency timekeeping
			 personnel shall be required to keep records of the total days and dollar
			 amounts expended due to the use of Service-Connected days. Agencies shall be
			 required to submit semi-annual reports to the DCMS Risk Management Division, or
			 other appropriate state claims administration unit, on July 1 and December 31
			 of each year identifying the number of days granted and the associated
			 costs.