Last Updated on March 21, 2017
A Federal Disability Retirement packet must be coherent. This may appear to be “self-evident”, but there have been many disability retirement packets which, upon a denial and a review at the Second, Reconsideration Phase of the process, lack the coherent coordination which results in a credible disability retirement packet. Coherence results from the simple review of the entirety of the information submitted to the Office of Personnel Management: The applicant’s personal statement; the medical records and reports; the position description; any additional statements or attachments.
Now, there are certain elements of a Federal Disability Retirement application which cannot be controlled — such as the Supervisor’s Statement (SF 3112B) and the Agency Certification of Reassignment and Accommodation Efforts (SF 3112D). However, while one may not be able to “control” the coherence of those elements which are the purview of the Agency, there are certain steps which can be taken to preempt such uncontrollable injections from the Agency. Regardless, it is normally not the SF 3112B or 3112D which makes for the incoherence of a Federal Disability Retirement submission; more often than not, the culprit is the Applicant him/herself.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire