Last Updated on December 27, 2021
Most things in life require a continuity of care. Yes, projects will often have an inception date, and termination point where, once completed, no further maintenance of effort is required. But other concerns require further and elaborative engagements beyond the linear horizon of attendance, including: teeth, dogs, children, marriages, and Federal Disability Retirement benefits.
When a Federal employee or U.S. Postal worker obtains that vaunted and desirable letter of Approval from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, whether the Federal or Postal worker is under FERS, CSRS or CSRS Offset, the tendency is to think that one may then fade into the proverbial sunset, ever to receive a Federal Disability Retirement annuity and focus upon one’s health, medical conditions and the medical care required.
But then there comes additional contacts from OPM — perhaps not for a few years; perhaps not for a decade. But the potentiality of the contact is there, and one must lay down the framework of preparatory care in order to respond appropriately. If not, what will happen is this: A fairly innocuous request for Federal employment information can result in a termination of the disability annuity, based upon a “finding” that you have been deemed medically recovered.
That “Final Notice” from the Office of Personnel Management does, fortunately, allow for Reconsideration rights, as well as further rights of appeal to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board. Additionally, there is a proper methodology for responding to OPM, to enhance and greatly ensure the continuation of one’s Federal OPM Disability Retirement benefits.
Wrong steps can lead to negative results; unresponsive panic without proper legal argumentation can have the unwanted consequences of an unnecessary loss of one’s Federal Disability Retirement annuity.
The best approach is always to respond with the legal armaments and arsenal one is provided with, and to maintain a continuity of care for preserving one’s Federal Disability Retirement benefits.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
Postal & Federal Employee Disability Attorney