§ 135-107. Optional Retirement Program. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 135‑107.  OptionalRetirement Program.

Any participant of theOptional Retirement Program who becomes a beneficiary under the Plan shall beeligible to receive long‑term disability benefits so long as thebeneficiary is disabled and is in receipt of a primary Social Securitydisability benefit until the time the beneficiary would first qualify for anunreduced service retirement benefit had the beneficiary elected to be a memberof the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, and shall receive noservice accruals as otherwise provided members of the Retirement System underthe provisions of G.S. 135‑4(y). In the event a beneficiary who was aparticipant in the Optional Retirement Program has not been approved and is notin receipt of a primary Social Security disability benefit, the long‑termdisability benefit shall cease after the first 36 months of the long‑termdisability period. However, a beneficiary shall be entitled to a restoration ofthe long‑term disability benefit in the event the Social SecurityAdministration grants a retroactive approval for primary Social Securitydisability benefits with a benefit effective date within the first 36 months ofthe long‑term disability period. In such event, the long‑termdisability benefit shall be restored retroactively to the date of cessation. (1987, c. 738, s. 29(q); 2007‑325,s. 3.)