CSRS & FERS Disability Retirement: The Decision
I have often spoken about the “process” of filing, but that mostly concerns the administrative ordeal of filing: of preparing, of gathering the medical documentation, of writing up the […] Read More …
OPM Disability Application
OPM Disability Retirement: Applicant’s Statement & Essential Elements
When an applicant for FERS & CSRS Federal Disability Retirement benefits begins to craft his or her Applicant’s Statement of Disability, certain foundational questions must […] Read More …
OPM Disability Retirement: The Administrative “Process”
I have previously written about how a Federal Disability Retirement application should be prepared: that it should be looked upon as an administrative “process”, and as such, it is not like taking a test for a driver’s license, or […] Read More …
Federal Disability Retirement: Further Basics
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: Back to basics
The complexities surrounding preparation of a Federal Disability Retirement application are endless: concerns about the preparation of a proper medical narrative report […] Read More …
FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: The Packet
It is often a good idea to understand the process of Federal Disability retirement, in order to effectuate the best approach in winning a case. Remember, for instance, that in all likelihood, the Applicant will not be speaking with the Benefits Specialist at the Office of Personnel Management; even if you call them (and I Read More …
Federal Disability Retirement: The Role of the Attorney
Obviously, as with all areas of law, the primary role of an attorney in representing a Federal disability retirement applicant (aside from the obvious role of obtaining the disability retirement annuity), is to render useful and effective advice in the representation of the Applicant’s submission before the Office of Personnel Management. Often, however, in the Read More …
Federal OPM Disability Retirement: Notifying the Agency
Fervent loyalty by the Federal and Postal Employee to want to work for as long as possible, and to do the best job possible, is often taken for granted; what is not as common, however, is a “bilateral loyalty” — meaning, loyalty shown by the Agency back to the Federal or Postal employee, especially when Read More …
OPM Federal Disability Retirement: The Danger of Situational Disability
The danger of falling into the trap of situational disability, which is one of a number of reasons for denying a disability retirement application, can come about quite regularly. Especially because, in the face of contending with a medical disability that is serious enough to warrant changing one’s career, of filing for medical disability retirement Read More …
FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: Don’t Rely Upon the Waiver Statute to Be Able To File
If an individual fails to file for Federal disability retirement within one (1) year of being separated from Federal Service, he/she loses the right to file forever, unless the individual is able to show mental incompetency – and that is indeed a very high standard to meet. The relevant statutory provision is found at 5 Read More …