ill federal employee

The Law of Salvage and Federal Disability Retirement Compensation

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

The concept is derived from maritime law, where recovery of ship or cargo at sea left to abandonment and forfeiture should be duly compensated of a value commensurate with the worth of the property salvaged. The ocean is a perilous expanse, fraught with dangers encompassing weather, treacherous beneath-the-surface terrain, and potential piracy; and it is within this context of the magnitude of dangers to be faced, that the equitable principles of maritime law are applied. And isn’t that what one must do in most phases and contexts of life? […] Read More …

CSRS & FERS Disability Disability Retirement: Interaction with VER, A Continuing Dialogue

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

I sincerely hope that the proposed VERs which will be issued in the next couple of weeks will be economically viable and rewarding for those who qualify. I say this because the primary […] Read More …

OPM Disability Retirement & Postal Service Voluntary Early Retirement (VER)

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

For multiple reasons, early retirement — if eligible; if offered; if … — is an option which must be considered by a Federal or Postal employee. In the coming months, Voluntary Early Retirement […] Read More …

CSRS & FERS Disability Retirement: The OWCP Danger of Complacency

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement Attorney3 Comments

I have had far too many calls by individuals who were complacent with being on OWCP/DOL temporary total disability compensation. The old adage, “Ignorance of the law is not an […] Read More …

OPM Disability Retirement: First Steps

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

Before you even think about filing for disability retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS, there is often a psychological component which must be overcome […] Read More …

Federal Disability Retirement: Further Basics

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

In tough economic times, it is often difficult to find that “silver lining”. This is even truer for my clients who obtain disability retirement benefits from the Federal Government, as well as […] Read More …

Federal Disability Retirement & the Economy

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

I have been asked, via multiple emails, of my opinion concerning the right time to file for disability retirement, given the state of the current economy. I am not an economist; I am an attorney who specializes in obtaining disability retirement benefits for Federal and Postal employees under FERS & CSRS. With that prefatory caution, Read More …

FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: What It Means to Have the “Burden of Proof”

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

Remember that the applicant who is requesting disability retirement benefits from the Office of Personnel Management always has the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that he or she is entitled and eligible for disability retirement benefits.  Even if the Agency proposes and effectuates a removal based upon one’s medical inability to Read More …

Federal OPM Disability Retirement: Preexisting Conditions

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

There is still some confusion with respect to the relevance of preexisting medical conditions, or medical conditions which were incurred while working, or outside of the workplace, and the impact of such medical disabilities upon one’s right to file for disability retirement under FERS or CSRS. This confusion is evident from some of the questions Read More …

OPM Disability Retirement: The Very First Step

Posted onAuthorFederal Disability Retirement AttorneyLeave a comment

Federal and Postal employees often get a bad rap; yet, what I find in all cases, without exception, is that Federal and Postal employees take great pride in their work. Moreover, they do not want to file for disability retirement — there is a “mental wall” — a desire at all costs not to file Read More …