They have an origin and a motivation. The origin is important; the motivation, perhaps just as much; for, the former is significant if a query is made for the validation of truth, while the latter may be relevant as to the reason for its inception and contagiousness.
Rumors tend to take on a life of their own. If they are delicious and sufficiently salacious, people enjoy spreading them, some with aplomb, too many with a sense of mischievous delight. When they are false and harm the reputation of others, everyone denies having spread them when confronted, and express a false sense of amazed innocence, as if being accused of spreading rumors were beneath the dignity of one’s moral character.
Yet, delight and giddy excitement are normally the propellants of the salacious, and once triggered, the next in line believes that he or she is spreading the rumor out of a sense of “helping others” by the prefatory statement, preceded by a clearing of one’s throat, of: “I need your advice — I had heard that…”.
Of course, if the rumor turns out to be true, then the truth of the matter, no matter the motivation behind it, becomes self-validating for the spreading of such a rumor; and if false, then everyone and anyone who has engaged in its spreading immediately raises one’s hands and denies both the origin and any underlying motivation.
For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who suffer from a medical condition such that the medical condition compels and necessitates the proper and effective preparation, formulating and filing of an effective Federal Disability Retirement application under FERS to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the recognition that there will always be rumors and other things spread throughout the process of filing an OPM Disability Retirement application, is an important recognition to embrace.
Don’t let rumors (and other things) sidetrack the primary focus and goal: To obtain an approval from OPM and move beyond the rumor-mill of offices, reddened-ears and false rabbit holes that lead you astray.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill
Lawyer exclusively representing Federal and Postal employees to secure their Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
OPM Disability Retirement, Et Cetera… 