Section 47-2-125. Reexamination of persons receiving disability benefits; effect of refusal to undergo examination; effect of ability to engage in gainful employment

   (a) (1) Once each year during the first five years following the retirement of a member on a disability retirement allowance and once in every three-year period thereafter, the board of trustees may require a disability beneficiary who has not yet attained retirement age as specified in subsection (a) of Code Section 47-2-110 to undergo a medical examination by a physician or physicians designated by the medical board. The disability beneficiary may request such an examination. Should any disability beneficiary who has not yet attained retirement age refuse to submit to such medical examination, the pension of such disability beneficiary may be discontinued by the board of trustees until the withdrawal of such refusal; and should the refusal continue for one year, all rights of the disability beneficiary in and to a pension may be revoked by the board of trustees.

   (2) Should the medical board report and certify to the board of trustees that a disability beneficiary is engaged in or is able to engage in a gainful occupation paying more than the difference between the disability beneficiary's retirement allowance and the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement, the board of trustees may reduce the disability beneficiary's pension to an amount which, together with the disability beneficiary's annuity and the amount earnable by the disability beneficiary, equals the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement. Should the disability beneficiary's earning capacity be later changed, the amount of the pension may be further modified, provided that the modified pension shall not exceed an amount which, together with the disability beneficiary's annuity and the amount earnable by the disability beneficiary, equals the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement.

   (3) The provisions of this paragraph shall apply to persons who first or again become members of this retirement system on or after September 1, 2010. For purposes of paragraph (2) of this subsection, the amount earnable by the beneficiary shall include any income payment received from workers' compensation; provided, however, that in the event of a lump sum payment, the monthly disability allowance shall be reduced on an actuarial basis as determined by the actuary of this retirement system.

(b) The board of trustees may require a disability beneficiary who has not yet attained retirement age as specified in subsection (a) of Code Section 47-2-110 to provide information relevant to any provision of this chapter relating to his or her entitlement to receive a disability retirement. Should any disability beneficiary who has not yet attained retirement age refuse to submit any such information so requested, the board of trustees may suspend the retirement allowance of such disability beneficiary until such information is provided. Should the board of trustees receive information from any source that a disability beneficiary is engaged in an occupation paying more than the difference between the disability beneficiary's retirement allowance and the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement, the board of trustees may reduce the disability beneficiary's pension to an amount which, together with the disability beneficiary's annuity and the amount earnable by the disability beneficiary, equals the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement. Should the disability beneficiary's earnings later be changed, the amount of the pension may be further modified, provided that the modified pension shall not exceed an amount which, together with the disability beneficiary's annuity and the amount earnable by the disability beneficiary, equals the earnable compensation used to calculate the disability retirement allowance at the time of retirement.

Ga. L. 1949, p. 138, § 5; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1108, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 555, § 1/HB 459; Ga. L. 2010, p. 414, § 1/HB 172.