No officer or employee under jurisdiction B, relating to merit and fitness, who has been appointed under the rules and after examination, shall be removed discharged or demoted, or be suspended for a period of more than 30 days, in any 12 month period, except for cause, upon written charges approved by the Director of Central Management Services, and after an opportunity to be heard in his own defense if he makes written request to the Commission within 15 days after the serving of the written charges upon him. Upon the filing of such a request for a hearing, the Commission shall grant a hearing within 30 days. The time and place of the hearing shall be fixed by the Commission, and due notice thereof given the appointing officer and the employee. The hearing shall be public, and the officer or employee is entitled to call witnesses in his own defense and to have the aid of counsel. The finding and decision of the Commission, or the approval by the Commission of the finding and decision of the officer or board appointed by it to conduct such investigation, shall be rendered within 60 days after the receipt of the transcript of the proceedings, unless the Commission remands the matter back to the officer or board appointed to conduct such investigation for the purpose of taking additional evidence or soliciting additional argument. After receipt of the transcript of the proceedings after remand, or receipt of additional evidence or additional argument after remand, the Commission shall have an additional 60 days in which to render a finding and decision. If the finding and decision is not rendered within 60 days after receipt of the transcript of the proceedings, or within 60 days after receipt of the transcript of the proceedings after remand or 60 days after receipt of additional evidence or additional argument after remand, the employee shall be considered to be reinstated and shall receive full compensation for the period for which he was suspended. The finding and decision of the Commission or officer or board appointed by it to conduct investigation, when approved by the Commission, shall be certified to the Director, and shall be forthwith enforced by the Director. In making its finding and decision, or in approving the finding and decision of some officer or board appointed by it to conduct such investigation, the Civil Service Commission may, for disciplinary purposes, suspend an employee for a period of time not to exceed 90 days, and in no event to exceed a period of 120 days from the date of any suspension of such employee, pending investigation of such charges. If the Commission certifies a decision that an officer or employee is to be retained in his position and if it does not order a suspension for disciplinary purposes, the officer or employee shall receive full compensation for any period during which he was suspended pending the investigation of the charges.
     Nothing in this Section shall limit the authority to suspend an employee for a reasonable period not exceeding 30 days, in any 12 month period.
     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, an arbitrator of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, appointed pursuant to Section 14 of the Workers’ Compensation Act, may be removed by the Governor upon the recommendation of the Commission Review Board pursuant to Section 14.1 of such Act.
     Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, a policy making officer of a State agency, as defined in the Employee Rights Violation Act, shall be discharged from State employment as provided in the Employee Rights Violation Act, enacted by the 85th General Assembly.