Medical Retirement for FERS Gov. Employees: A Trail of Regrets

Two images are evoked by such a phrase: One, of a traveler who leaves behind a trail of regrets; the other, a traveler who travels upon a trail that has already been traveled.  The former allows for new paths to be discovered; the latter, of a trail that has already been established, and one which regretfully cannot be altered.  It is the subtle distinction between the teacher who has only taught and the experimenter who has actually lived it; the contemplator, as opposed to the one who gets his hands dirty; the one who procrastinates forever and a day, in contradistinction to the individual of action.

Regrets are a funny animal; they haunt us like loyal dogs who never leave our side, and like collectors who cannot sell their accumulated pieces, the weight of the aggregate is what ultimately destroys.  The longer we live, the greater the chance of having gathered regrets that tether our souls; and in the end, it is the state of our souls which we need to be concerned about.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who suffer from a medical condition such that the medical condition prevents the Federal or Postal worker from performing one or more of the essential elements of his or her job, the choices are clear: remain and endure the suffering; quit and walk away; or file for Federal Disability Retirement benefits.  The First may leave a trail of regrets; the Second, a trail to be traveled upon; and it is the third — to file for FERS Disability Retirement benefits — that may allow for a new path for one’s future, where one may leave behind that trail of regrets.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

 

Federal Disability Retirement Benefits: Why We Persevere

The question itself often never comes up; for the “Why” questions the motive, when in fact there is never really any other option.  Obligations and commitments; the fact that we have to continue making a living; the alternatives considered; in the end, there is no “Why” relevant to the matter because the choices are limited.  To ask the “Why” question is to engage in an Aristotelian query — as to the “foundation” of an issue, or “first principles” that provide the underlying substratum of origins and causes.

“Why we Persevere” is, for some, a nonsensical query, for there is no alternative but to struggle and to maintain the composure of outward normalcy.  There are times, however, when the question is relevant — as when a given X is necessitated by Factor Y such that the choice of X can no longer be continued because of the condition of Y.

For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who continue to persevere in one’s Federal or Postal job, but where the medical conditions suffered have made it no longer possible to continue in the same manner or vein of one’s career, Federal Disability Retirement is the option that needs to be considered.

Perseverance is an admirable trait of human endurance, but when a medical condition no longer allows for even perseverance to maintain the status quo, it is time to consider another option such that one’s health can be focused upon, and where perseverance alone may be the factor that stands in the way and the “Why” question begins to take on greater significance where it is beginning to destroy one’s health.

Sincerely,

Robert R.McGill, Esquire

 

OPM Disability Retirement: The Task of Forgetting

Leisure activities are the tasks of forgetting; it is to engage in them precisely in order to become distracted from our work-a-day universe and replenish our “batteries” in order to go back into the fray of battle.  Battle-worn soldiers need the time away from the constant stresses of perilous missions in order to regain a sense of balance and perspective; and the lioness with her cubs sees the value of play in preparing them for the more serious ordeal of hunting for survival.

The task of forgetting is how we entertain ourselves — of reading a novel by forgetting about the reality of our lives; of watching a television show or movie and forgetting about the troubles central to our lives; of playing a video game or participating in crowd gatherings in order to watch a sport being played, or even in the direct engagement of a sport; these, and many others, require the task of forgetting in order to become a participant.

A medical condition, however, denies the task of forgetting.  That is why medical conditions are so inherently exhausting; they remain as a constant reminder of our mortality and frailty, and deny the access to needed rest and restorative peace.  For Federal employees and U.S. Postal workers who suffer from a medical condition such that the medical condition prevents the Federal or Postal employee from performing one or more of the essential elements of one’s Federal or Postal job, filing for Federal Disability Retirement should be an option to be considered, if only to attain the capacity to again engage in the task of forgetting.

The chronic nature of a medical condition is what often fatigues; and as the inability to perform all of the essential elements of one’s job begins to fester and overwhelm, it may be time to consult with an attorney who is experienced in Federal Disability Retirement Law in an effort to reacquire the capacity to engage in the task of forgetting.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire