Federal Disability Retirement: Knowing All the Facts of an OPM Disability Retirement

Nolo's Guide to Social Security Disability: Getting & Keeping Your Benefits (including CD)

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Things like developing a disability that will hinder us from regularly and effectively performing our work is very probable. Although this kind of thing does not happen most of the time, there are some people who get to experience this kind of misfortune. At first, the agency or employer will find ways to accommodate the disabled employee through reassignments. But if this doesn’t work, Federal Disability Retirement is the employee’s main option.

But then, it is the obligation of the employer or agency to accommodate the disabled employee for any new assignments that will still make him useful at work. But if this particular option fails, it is the right of the employee to apply for a Federal Disability Retirement.

The first eligibility requirement for a Federal Disability Retirement is for an employee to have completed at least’ months or 1 years of Federal civilian service. The disability of the person must also be expected to last for at least a year.

If you have become interested in apply for this particular type of OPM Disability Retirement, your application must be submitted before you have decided to separate from the service. But if you have come to be mentally incompetent and are unable to file the application before your separation, you will be given a time limit of one year from your separation date to submit it.

A Federal Disability Retirement also requires a person to apply for social security disability benefits. This is vital in successfully obtaining the FERS retirement. But if you happen to have withdrawn your social security benefits, the Office of Personnel Management will automatically deny you of your right for application of the retirement.

Requirements don’t end in just being an eligible applicant for an OPM Disability Retirement wherein you will still continue to come up with periodical medical proof with regards to your disability. Failure of meeting the requirement will jeopardize your monthly retirement benefits. It is also an obligation for the beneficiary to handle the payments for all his medical exams.

The benefits from a Federal Disability Retirement are expected to stop for those who are under 60 within several types of situations. The first one is when it has been medically proven that the beneficiary has already fully recovered from his disability. The second one is if you have been administratively recovered. This just basically means that you have been reinstated into a new position that is somewhat equivalent from your previous work.

This kind of OPM Disability Retirement is indeed one of the best options an employee will have once he faces some troubles in physically performing his work. However, it is extremely necessary to know all the facts in this type of retirement benefit to get the most out of it.

Hope Simmons has dealt with government agencies for decades in retirement agencies such as federal disability retirement and OPM disability.