Opinion ID: 1779165
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: did the circuit court err in awarding howard disability benefits retroactively?

Text: ¶ 28. The circuit court awarded disability status to Howard retroactively to January of 1997. However, the statute reads in pertinent part: Any retirement allowance or other annuity or benefit provided by Articles 1 and 3 shall be paid in equal monthly installments... and no benefits shall be paid for any period prior to the first of the month following receipt of such application for such benefits, but in no event prior to termination of employment.... Miss.Code Ann. § 25-11-139 (1999). According to the index, Article 3 includes Sections 25-11-101 through XX-XX-XXX. Section 25-11-113(1)(a) reads, may be retired... on the first of the month following the date of filing such application on a disability retirement allowance, but in no event shall the disability retirement allowance commence before termination of state service. . . . Section 25-11-114(6) reads similarly. ¶ 29. The statute also clearly says, no benefits shall be paid for any period prior to the first of the month following receipt of such application. . . . Shall is mandatory and places no discretion in PERS or the circuit court to circumvent the clear mandate of the statute. If, on remand, Howard is found eligible for disability benefits, those benefits cannot be paid retroactively beyond September 1, 1997.