Disability Retirement

Eligibility

To qualify for a disability retirement, you must meet the following requirements:

Your disability must occur during your active membership.
PERS members must be vested (JRS, HPORS and SRS provide non-vested benefits for duty-related disability and there are no vesting requirements for MPORS and FURS).
Your disability must be permanent, or at least of extended and uncertain duration.
Your disability must totally prevent you from doing the essential functions of your job even with reasonable accommodation.
Your employer has defined the essential elements of your job and shown reasonable accommodation was attempted for the disabling condition(s) in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Effective Date of Disability Retirement Benefit

You should apply for the disability retirement benefit while you are still a contributing retirement system member, or within four months after termination of your employment. Applications more than four months following termination of employment will require proof that the disability occurred during active membership and has persisted continuously since termination. You will need to prove your disability occurred during employment covered by an MPERA-administered retirement plan. Approved disability benefits are effective the day following the submittal of a complete disability retirement application and termination of employment. To receive disability retirement benefits, you will need to terminate all current retirement system-covered employment.

Disability Reviews

At its discretion, the Board may review your medical condition while you are receiving a disability benefit. Periodic reviews are performed to determine if you still qualify for a disability retirement. The Board may require you to undergo a medical examination at the Board’s expense.

Disability Benefit Cancellation

The Board may cancel your disability retirement in the following cases:

You are no longer disabled; or
You accept another retirement system-covered job (PERS only); or
You refuse to submit to a current medical exam or provide updated medical records.

If you are still disabled when you reach normal retirement age, your disability retirement converts to a service retirement. Your benefit amount will not be recalculated. Converting to a service retirement ends the need for medical reviews.

For more information about Disability Retirement, see specific retirement systems' web pages.

Disability FAQs