Disability Application Process - Employees'

The process for applying for disability retirement is complex, with many steps, so we strongly urge any member considering disability retirement to contact staff in the Retirement Systems office first. To do so:

To receive any Disability Retirement benefits available to Employees' Retirement System members, the member must apply and have their application approved by the Board of Trustees. It is a multi-step process, as summarized below. 

Staff and the Board fully understand the need for urgency in these matters and aim to complete action on disability applications as soon as possible. How long it takes is dependent upon the complexity of the individual's case, the time it takes for the member and/or their doctor to provide requested records, and whether additional medical evaluations are needed.

One of our retirement analysts works with the applicant to ensure that all needed information is provided and keeps the applicant informed regarding the status of their application.

Step 1: Contact the Retirement Systems Office

As the first step in the process, the applicant should contact our office in one of the following ways:

Please know that applicants' privacy is of utmost concern to us and only those individuals with a confirmed need to know will have access to any disability records. 


Step 2: Complete the Disability Application

After contacting our office, a Retirement Analyst discusses the disability process and provides the forms needed to be completed by the applicant and their physician.

Click here to access the Form

Step 3: Applicant's Physician Submits Medical Report

In addition to the Disability Application Form that the applicant needs to complete and return to us, their physician needs to complete a Physician's Report of Disability Form and send it to us along with any relevant medical records.

Click here to access the form

Step 4: Review by Medical Examining Board (MEB) Doctor

Once the above-referenced documents are received, the Board's Medical Examining Board (MEB) doctor reviews them and, based on their medical expertise and the records provided, makes a recommendation whether the application should be approved. Furthermore, if the disability being applied for is possibly service-connected, the MEB doctor also makes a recommendation regarding that.

The MEB doctor relies on the report and records submitted by the applicant's physician in making their recommendations. If the applicant is approved for workers compensation benefits, the MEB doctor reviews those as well in making their recommendations. They do not perform an examination of the applicant.  


Step 5: Independent Medical Examination (Optional)

In some cases, if either the MEB doctor finds it necessary or the Board requests it, the application may be referred to an independent physician to examine the applicant and make a recommendation.


Step 6: Prepare Disability Application Package for the Board

Once the previous 4 (or possibly 5) steps are completed, Retirement Systems staff prepares a recommendation for the Board of Trustees. This recommendation includes all relevant documents provided by the member, their physician, the MEB doctor, and (if requested) the results of the Independent Medical Exam. 


Step 7: Board Action

Based on the recommendation of staff (Step 6), the Board of Trustees acts to approve, deny, or postpone action on each disability application. The Board will have all relevant records available to use in their decision-making process. 

Any discussion of disability actions occurs in Closed Session because confidential personal information is involved. The Board may ask questions of staff or ask for additional information. The Board may request an Independent Medical Examination (IME) be conducted with the applicant which would delay their action on the application to a future Board meeting.

The Board of Trustees normally meets once every month except for the month of August. However, in very time-sensitive or urgent cases, they may advertise and conduct a special meeting at any time.

The Board's meeting calendar is available at this link.

ERS Board Meeting Calendar

Step 8: Notification to Applicant

Based on the action of the Board of Trustees in Step 7 above, Retirement Staff contacts the applicant to let them know whether their application was approved, denied, or deferred to a later date. In the case of applications denied by the Board, staff informs the applicant of the reason for the denial.

The letter to the applicant is generally sent out the next business day after the Board meeting.


Step 9: Appeal of Decision by Applicant

If the applicant's disability case is denied by the Board of Trustees, or if they were approved for Ordinary Disability and believe that their case qualifies for Service-Connected Disability, they may appeal the decision to the Board. In this case, the Retirement Staff member who they have been working with informs them of their next steps. 

Generally, the applicant needs to provide additional evidence supporting their appeal.

The Board considers the appeal at the earliest-possible meeting date and either approves or denies the appeal.


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