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The OPM Federal Disability Retirement Policies
Sometimes a federal employee will be hurt on the job and won’t be able to continue performing his or her duties. There are times when those agencies will just move those employees into a position with limited or light responsibilities, but sometimes an employee won’t have the ability to do those jobs either. In these cases, they must submit to the OPM a federal disability retirement claim.
The OPM, of Office of Personnel Management, has a number of policies that are not always the easiest to navigate. The OPM federal disability retirement conditions require that documents are submitted according to certain rules that must be strictly followed. Even as a federal employee, you may want to consider consulting with a layer to make sure everything is done right.
If you are enrolled in the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), you may be eligible with the OPM for federal disability retirement annuities. This program will pay a portion of your wages for the rest of your life, no matter how the actual condition occurred.
Even if your condition occurred previous to your employment, you are still eligible to receive benefits from these programs. All you have to do is show that you performed your job satisfactorily for five years for CSRS and only’ months for FERS.
The OPM federal disability retirement policy is also different from the social security disability program. Under the CSRS and FERS programs you don’t have to prove “total disability.” You simply have to show that you are disabled from performing one or more of your essential duties. That means you’ll be covered if an accident on the job causes you to lose your income.
Once a claim has been filed with the OPM, an employee can continue to work in a lighter job if they need the income to make ends meet. It can take a while for a claim to be processed, so this might be necessary. You can even receive the retirement annuity and get another job, as long as the new income does not exceed 80% of the current income.
No one likes to think about the unfortunate circumstances that could lead to a sudden loss of income because of a disabling condition. That is why federal employees can register with these programs and make sure that they will be covered no matter what happens.
You should always make sure your claims are properly filled out before you submit them to the OPM. Federal disability retirement annuities can be a lifesaver, but only if you file them correctly so they will have a higher chance of approval. If you’re really worried, you should consider hiring a lawyer to consult on the case and make sure everything is done right.
Stephanie Martin is a federal worker having worked in the Office of Personal Management. She understands thoroughly Federal Disability Retirement and OPM disability retirement.
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