Federal Employee Medical Retirement: The Quiet Walks of Einstein and Godel

The name of the former evokes an immediacy of recognition coupled with awe; of the giant in physics and intellectual greatness beyond ordinary excellence. The latter is lesser known, but within esoteric circles of academia, particularly in mathematics, of equal stature in accomplishment familiar in his chosen field; of the intellectually formidable Incompleteness Theorem.

The two knew each other, and enjoyed the company of one another. They took long walks together. One wonders what Einstein and Godel spoke about. Of theoretical constructs and intellectual exercises so beyond the capacity of common people, that a mere snippet of eavesdropping would explode the mundane mind’s limited ability to comprehend. But, just as likely, they may have conversed about ordinary events, of wars and rumors of wars; of cars, classics and carpeted hallways in your home and mine. It was a time of quietude; of solitude between two great minds; of ordinary walks by a pair of extraordinary men.

Such paths of convergence enlivens one’s imagination, of what was, and could have been. And for lesser minds (which includes all of us), the need for a quiet walk is a human desire. Yet, despite his brilliance, Godel suffered, and suffered greatly. Perhaps the proportionality of greatness and suffering is to be expected.

For Federal and Postal Workers who suffer from a medical condition, it does one well to pause as to the lessons which can be learned: from suffering; of the need to find a respite from such human turmoil; of finding a path; and of friendships forged. Often, when a medical condition explodes upon the horizon of one’s life, it is important to find a pathway out of one’s traumatic microcosm.  Filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits, whether one is under FERS or CSRS, allows for a rehabilitative period for the Federal and Postal Worker — if only to begin a second vocation in the private sector after a partial recovery from the medical condition which cut short one’s chosen Federal or Postal career.

All Federal Disability Retirement applications are ultimately filed with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and in order to qualify, one must prove by a preponderance of the evidence one’s eligibility for the benefit. And in attaining the benefit of Federal Disability Retirement, perhaps the focus of the Federal Disability Retirement annuitant can turn to a less troublesome walk down a path of solitary quietude. Or, if one is lucky, to find a soul mate, as Einstein and Godel surely were to each other, to enjoy the conversations which life’s moments of friendship and warmth are meant to embrace.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire

Disability Retirement for Federal Government Employees: Holiday Slowdown

The time between the 20th of December until the beginning of the following year has traditionally been a slowing down period, and Federal and Postal Workers who are preparing, formulating or filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits under FERS or CSRS, or awaiting a decision from the Office of Personnel Management so that they can make future plans, present choices, and put their past behind them in order to move on to the next phase of their lives, must accept the period of respite.  

It is always better to complete a Federal Disability Retirement packet properly, over doing it quickly; and choice of timing is important in submitting a completed Federal Disability Retirement application.  Of course, preparatory work can be done during the slow-down period, but submitting anything to the Office of Personnel Management, or to one’s Agency, during this traditionally slow time, is counterproductive.  

What often happens is that the paperwork merely sits in a pile, unattended to, and the normal rule of “first in, first out” never seems to apply.  In fact, the opposite is true:  the mail which comes in first, sits on someone’s desk, and other mail which comes in later is piled on top of the mail which came first.  When the H.R. Specialist or the OPM Representative begins to sort through the stack of mail after the new year, the “later” mail is attended to first, and the one which was first in order to finally sifted through in the last order of sequence.  

Waiting for the 2-week period to pass before aggressively pursuing one’s Federal Disability Retirement application, whether under FERS or CSRS, is a wiser application of one’s time, effort, and options.

Sincerely,

Robert R. McGill, Esquire