Disability Application Process - Uniformed

The process for applying for Disability Retirement is complex, with a number of steps. So we urge any member considering Disability Retirement to contact staff in the Retirement Systems office first. To do so:

To receive any of the 3 types of Disability Retirement benefits available to Unformed Retirement System members, the member must apply and have their application approved by the Board of Trustees. It is a multi-step process, as is 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 will take is dependent upon the complexity of the individual's case, how long 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 will work with the applicant to ensure that all needed information is provide and to keep 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 will discuss the disability process and provide 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 will need to complete and return to us, their physician will need 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 all of the above-referenced documents are received, the Board's Medical Examining Board (MEB) doctor will review them and make a recommendation as to whether the application should be approved, based on their medical expertise and the records provided. Furthermore, if the disability being applied for is possibly service-connected, the MEB doctor will also make a recommendation as to 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 beneffits, the MEB doctor will review 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 deems 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 all of the previous 4 (or possible 5) steps are completed, Retirement Systems staff will prepare a recommendation to be presented to the Board of Trustees. This recommendation will include 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 will act 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 will occur in Closed Session, given that they involve confidential personal information. 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 meet 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 the link below.

URS Board Meeting Calendar

Step 8: Notification to Applicant

Based on the action of the Board of Trustees in Step 7 above, Retirement staff will contact 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 will inform the applicant what the reason was for the denial.

This letter to the applicant will generally be sent out the next business day after the Board meeting.


Step 9: Appeal of Decision by Applicant

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

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

The Board will consider the appeal at the earliest-possible meeting date and will either approve or deny the appeal.


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