As used in this article, the term:

(1) "Public employee" means an active member of a retirement system defined in paragraph (2) of this Code section.

(2) "Retirement system" means:

(A) The Employees' Retirement System of Georgia provided for in Chapter 2 of this title;

(B) The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia provided for in Chapter 3 of this title; and

(C) The Public School Employees Retirement System provided for in Chapter 4 of this title.

(3) "Temporary disability" means a physical or mental illness, sickness, or disorder caused by job-related disease or accident which causes a public employee to cease receiving compensation as an active public employee to the extent that the employee loses all or a portion of the period of temporary disability as creditable service under the employee's respective retirement system, but the term does not include any period of disability during which the employee qualifies for a disability benefit under the respective retirement system or any period of disability for which the employee may receive creditable service under the provisions of the employee's respective retirement system.