When federal employees receive some form of light duty work assignment, they often assume that they are ineligible for their Federal Disability Retirement. This is not necessarily true; your qualification for federal disability retirement is based upon a decision by a doctor that, for a period of twelve months, you are unable to do even one of the former job duties you had. The fact that you can perform other duties does not disqualify you from obtaining a federal disability retirement annuity. Most federal employees do not know that they might qualify for a disability retirement annuity and, at the same time, they need to search for a owcp lawyer. If you are incapable of performing the duties of your normal job assignment, you may qualify to leave your service position with federal disability retirement. Your disability does not have to because from a work related issue or injury. Contact us now for a free consultation to find out how we can help you! When federal employees receive some form of light duty work assignment, they often assume that they are ineligible for their disability retirement.
This is not necessarily true; your qualification for federal disability retirement is based upon a decision by a doctor that, for a period of twelve months, you are unable to do even one of the former job duties you had. The fact that you can perform other duties does not disqualify you from obtaining a federal disability retirement annuity. Most federal employees do not know that they might qualify for a Federal workers compensation and, at the same time, obtain work from some non-federal employer. I can't go back to my old job, what do I do? Sometimes while working for the Federal government, an employee loses the ability to continue working in their job. This can be due to mental or physical conditions, but it does not have to be a work related condition. An agency will generally try to accommodate them with limited or light duty, or move them into a vacant position where the employee can still provide some useful and efficient service. However, sometimes even though these efforts are made, you might not be receiving all of the benefits you are entitled to. If this happens to you and you are enrolled in CSRS or FERS retirement, you could be eligible to receive a federal disability retirement annuity that will pay you a portion of your salary for the rest of your life regardless of how the condition occurred.
Even if your condition existed before you began working for the government, as long as you were able to perform successfully for at least 18 months (FERS) or 5 years (CSRS), then you meet the minimum qualifications. Of course this is only for Federal employees that are considered to be career employees, even if part time, and your disabling condition has to be expected to last for at least a year. While the minimum you will receive regardless of retirement system is 40% of your salary (high-3) with a maximum benefit for CSRS retirees of 80%, you are allowed to get a job anywhere in the private sector to help supplement your income, no matter if you are a FERS or CSRS employee . We help injured Federal employees with there representation needs when taking their claims to the Office of Personnel Management, or OPM.
While no one is forced to hire a Federal attorney, there are obstacles that can be difficult to navigate without professional help. At Harris Federal Law Firm we have helped thousands of federal employees from all 50 states know their rights and find out if a Federal Disability Retirement is the right option for them. Don't wait on this benefit, there are deadlines on when you can file. We have the professional experience to guide you through the decision making process, help you gather your claim information and fill out of the forms necessary to make your initial claim, help you with a reconsideration appeal to the OPM or even take on the proceedings of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
