Disability Retirement for Federal Government Employees: Different Pockets

There is often a confusion over different pockets and their intersecting relations — of SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance with the Social Security Administration); OWCP administered under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (OWCP/FECA); Federal Disability Retirement under FERS or CSRS, as approved or denied by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management; and, in addition, there are those who are eligible for VA Disability benefits, for a Scheduled Award from OWCP, and complications which can occur with private disability insurance policies.

The general rule with respect to each can be summarized as follows:  Offset between FERS & SSDI (100% the first year, 60% every year thereafter); one can get approved concurrently for OWCP/FECA, but the Federal or Postal employee must choose to receive from one or the other, and not both; the Federal or Postal employee can receive a scheduled award while at the same time receiving a FERS Disability Retirement annuity, because a Scheduled Award is considered compensation for a rated injury, as opposed to continuation of one’s pay; there is no offset between FERS or CSRS Disability Retirement benefits and VA Disability benefits; private disability policies depend upon the contractual language of the policy itself, and must be reviewed individually as to any provisions of offset or dollar-for-dollar reduction of benefits based upon receipt of any other benefit.

These are the general criteria concerning the intersecting impact of each upon the other.  In the end, reaching into different pockets will normally result in an increase, and rarely (if ever) a decrease of benefits, even with offsets.  However, overreaching, as the case may be, can result in unintended consequences of overpayment and required repayment.  Be aware and informed.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire