I hear the anguish in people’s voices; an individual has worked for the Federal Government, or the Postal Service, for 20+ years; “I’m not lazy”, “I’ve worked all of my life”, “I gave my Agency the best, each day”, “I am not asking for a hand-out.” No justification is needed. No defense is needed. Disability retirement is not welfare; it is not a hand-out; it is a benefit which was part of the employment package which your employer — the Federal Government — offered to you, when you applied for the job. You could have applied for a private sector job, and received a higher offer of monetary compensation, but with lesser benefits. A Federal employee who accepts a Federal or Postal position, does so with the understanding that the monetary compensation may be lesser, but the total package of benefits makes it worthwhile. Some of those benefits are considered as “safety-net” benefits, and disability retirement is one of those. No justification is needed. No defense is needed. You worked hard; you gave it your best; it is time to take that benefit which you earned, and move on to another phase of your career, your life, and your contribution to society –which yet remains in abundance. Your best days are yet to come.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
Filed under: Clarifications of Laws or Rules, Reflections of an OPM Disability Retirement Lawyer, Resigning or Being Separated From a Federal Agency for Medical Problems or Other Reasons | Tagged: disability retirement as part of the "safety-net", federal disability is not welfare, federal employee disability, federal employee disability benefits, FERS medical retirement, light at the end of the tunnel, maintaining a positive attitude, mental wall to overcome, OPM disability doesn't have to be job-related, OPM disability retirement, OWCP benefits for federal workers, OWCP disability, the psychology of separation, the silver lining, USPS Disability, Workers Comp disability, you don’t have to resign to apply for medical disability |
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