Medical Retirement Benefits for US Government Employees: Misinformation

The problem with a society which provides unlimited information is that the traditional controls and mechanisms known for verification and validation of accuracy become diluted or altogether abandoned.  Plagiarism has become a pervasive problem; as vastness of information exponentially explodes, so the chances of being identified for unauthorized copying becomes infinitely lesser, while those who “play the odds” increase in boldness and in sheer volume.

In preparing, formulating and filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, whether under FERS or CSRS, it is a procedural requirement that — sometime during the process of filing with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) — the Federal or Postal employee must show that he or she has filed for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) with the Social Security Administration.  But it is the “when” which have become enveloped within a convoluted complexity of misinformation.

Various Human Resource Offices are insisting (in error) that SSDI must be filed before an application to OPM can be submitted.  Such misinformation may preclude a Federal or Postal employee contemplating filing for Federal Disability Retirement to meet the 1-year Statute of Limitations in filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits (after separation from Federal Service), or for other Federal or Postal employees who are still employed, if only because the process of SSDI can be an equally, if not more so, of a daunting administrative process as filing for Federal Disability Retirement.  Further, in attempting to file online for SSDI, there is the question as to whether one is still employed, and if so, SSDI will not allow the online applicant to proceed any further, precisely because such an applicant would be immediately disqualified, anyway.

The fact and correct information is as follows:  At some point in the process of filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Federal or Postal employee needs to file for SSDI, and show OPM proof of such filing.  From OPM’s perspective, upon an approval of a Federal Disability Retirement application, they need to make sure that the Federal or Postal Retirement annuitant is or is not eligible for SSDI, for offset-provisions of benefits between SSDI and FERS.  Thus, it is ultimately merely a payment/compensation issue.  Filing for SSDI is not in reality a prerequisite for filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits, but merely a check upon a coordination of payment benefits if both are approved.

In this vast universe of information, one must expect a correlative dissemination of misinformation; like the black hole in the greater universe of thriving galaxies and dying planetary systems, one can be sucked into the void of ignorance and suffer irreparable consequences as a result.  That is why Captain Kirk needed to be periodically beamed up — if only to make sure that the molecular reconstitution was properly performed in order to continue on in life.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement for Federal and USPS Workers: Someone Told Me

The rumor-mill continues to thrive, is alive and well; and so long as human beings remain social animals who enjoy the congregation of a mixture of many in formulating a group to gather, interact, receive tidbits and convey barbs of subtle and not-so-subtle criticisms, information, and conveyance belts of commentaries, the mill which produces a vast array of misinformation will remain intact and full of life.

It is important before one initiates or engages in any process of life, however, to distinguish between information which is useful; that which is accurate; and that which is superfluous and perhaps misleading. The statement which begins with, “Someone told me that…” or “I heard that X is…” removes the responsibility of the information by ascribing it to a third party unknown.  But such ascription is ultimately irrelevant, precisely because the information itself, and the need to determine its accuracy, significance or harm, is what is at issue.

In preparing, formulating, and filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, whether under FERS or CSRS, it is indeed important to ascertain the accuracy of information — as to the required timeframes for administrative filings; for the substance of the information to be submitted; the required and necessary forms which must be completed; how each stage is to be responded to, etc.  Whatever the source of the information, it is ultimately the essence of the information itself which is important, and the source of such information is secondary.

Remember — as Federal Disability Retirement under FERS or CSRS, both for Federal and Postal employees, is an administrative process initiated out of necessity — it is important to satisfy that need by going to a source from which that spring of satisfaction originated.  For, it is in the origin that one meets the essence of a thing.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire