FERS Disability Retirement

[bronxdevil]

Does anyone here on the forum have any experience with FERS disability retirement? Im well verse with SSA since that was my last job as a claims specialist but FERS is different, I know that the criteria they look for is different from SSA, for SSA you have to be completely unemployable including sedentary work, FERS on the on the other hand looks to see why the disabled individual is not able to complete their duties at the position they hold and what accommodations were made if any, would like to know if any other veteran here has had experience with FERS disability retirement

[JR Reihs]

I went out on FERS, it was rather easy in my case as the PO wanted us out so bad they initiated NRP and forced the others out, I just saw it coming and got ahead of the curve.

After speaking to OPM , I was told that I could make X on FERS or stay and make X.......the whole process too about 3 months.

[bronxdevil]

3 months is fast, My HR is telling me that on average FERS takes about 12 months or more to process, I have no prob with that though and plus the back pay will be nice, I've applied for SSDI on 06/12/18 and thats moving fast due to the Wounded Warriors expedited service SSA has for disabled veterans, already saw the contracted doctor SSA hires for their version of a C & P exam, I only need to have my doctor fill out a RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) Form, which is SSA's equivalent of a DBQ and I should be good to go, I regret not buying back my military time when I first became a GS employee but my HR is awaiting to see what the amount is I need to pay so I can buy it back before they let me go.

Edited June 24, 2018 by bronxdevil

[MPsgt]

6 hours ago, bronxdevil said:

Does anyone here on the forum have any experience with FERS disability retirement? Im well verse with SSA since that was my last job as a claims specialist but FERS is different, I know that the criteria they look for is different from SSA, for SSA you have to be completely unemployable including sedentary work, FERS on the on the other hand looks to see why the disabled individual is not able to complete their duties at the position they hold and what accommodations were made if any, would like to know if any other veteran here has had experience with FERS disability retirement

On my own experience with FERS disability retirement.  Applying for SSDI is a given but, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get approved for both.  I believe it should be for the same disability across the board.  

My Employer was adamant about not accommodating me through ADA on two separate occasions.  It was easier for them to retire me than retain me.  I got Harris Federal Law Firm to represent me for FERS disability.  I’m also a disabled Veteran and sustained a psychological trauma/disability.  This disability rendered me ineffective in deal with stress and people.  My education and occupation were rendered useless too.  This made finding any job that paid the wage of my previous employer impossible.  I receive all three retirements based solely on one disability.  

[jbasser]

The Fers and SSDi offset is disasterous for those who have been screwed over by it.  GS 11 making 77K per year,  26 years of service and goes out on disability. First year cut fers of 40 percent, After first year it is a 60 percent cut, If awarderd SSDi it is 100 percent offset first year and 60 percent again of ssdi second and sequential years until age 62.  That has bankrupted a lot of people. Pay for Insurance and you have peanuts left over. Windfall Provision offset is a disaster. 

 

[MPsgt]

7 hours ago, jbasser said:

The Fers and SSDi offset is disasterous for those who have been screwed over by it.  GS 11 making 77K per year,  26 years of service and goes out on disability. First year cut fers of 40 percent, After first year it is a 60 percent cut, If awarderd SSDi it is 100 percent offset first year and 60 percent again of ssdi second and sequential years until age 62.  That has bankrupted a lot of people. Pay for Insurance and you have peanuts left over. Windfall Provision offset is a disaster. 

 

Yes, it is.  This years new tax law incorporated the new Changed CPI, too.  

[JR Reihs]

I agree, that the windfall provision is a farce, and if it was not for the VA comp, I would be on skid row.   I have 7 more years until this FERS deal flips, and the offset stops with OPM re-calculating my retirement for 42 years of credit........I do not know how much this will change my retirement, but I expect to gain 1k to 1.3k per month.