Can a Federal Employee Apply for Social Security Disability?

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How Disability Benefits Work for U.S. Government Employees in Washington, D.C., Virginia & Elsewhere

If you’re a federal employee and you develop a work-stopping health condition, you’re absolutely allowed to apply for Social Security Disability benefits.

Disability benefits run by the federal government are also for you.

In fact, if you need to step aside from a federal job because of health problems, you’re required to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

That’s right. If you work for the government and you need to use the disability benefits provided through your job, you need to show that you’ve applied for SSDI benefits first.

But this is also more than a formality: Having both kinds of benefits can mean more disability income for you.

You don’t have to deal with this on your own. We are Alexandria disability advocates who can help you put in your application and make sure you preserve all your rights to benefits you need to support yourself in a tough time.

Mathis & Mathis Disability Advocates is a family firm that has spent more than 30 years helping people navigate this system and win benefits that they’re entitled to receive in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Baltimore and nationally.

This SSDI process is difficult. You’re worried about your health, and now you have to deal with Social Security Disability before you can get benefits through your own U.S. government job.

Let us guide you through each step and answer questions you have along the way.

Even if you’re only applying for Social Security Disability Insurance because your job requires it, we’re ready to walk you through this.

It costs nothing to talk to us about your situation, and you won’t pay an advocate’s fee unless you win Social Security Disability benefits.

Social Security Disability Is All We Do.

Why Do Federal Workers Have to Apply for Social Security Disability Benefits?

If you’re a federal worker and can no longer do your job due to a medical issue, you’re likely covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), which can provide what are often called “federal disability retirement” benefits.

This replaced the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) for new federal employees starting in 1987. Some active employees are still covered by the CSRS, but far more are now covered by FERS.

One of the biggest changes FERS made is that federal employees now have to pay the standard Social Security payroll tax, just like most other workers in the country.

This means that you can qualify for SSDI benefits. It also means that if you want to qualify for federal disability retirement benefits under FERS, you need to apply for Social Security Disability first.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will need to see that you applied for SSDI. But here’s the twist: You don’t actually need to be approved for Social Security Disability.

Social Security Disability benefits are notoriously difficult to win, with a wide majority of applicants getting denied.

But as a federal employee, you can get your disability benefits under FERS even if you don’t end up receiving Social Security Disability benefits.

You don’t even have to wait for Social Security to get back to you about your claim before you apply for benefits under FERS. You just have to confirm that you filed for SSDI.

This is a little unusual. You probably have questions. Our Virginia, Maryland and D.C. disability advocates can answer them.

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How Can a Federal Worker Qualify for Social Security Disability?

While getting approved for SSDI benefits isn’t a necessity for federal workers, it can mean maximizing the amount of economic assistance you receive to help you support yourself in the face of health disruptions.

It’s possible for some federal workers to eventually get 40% of their SSDI amount on top of what they receive under FERS. So it’s a good idea to understand how the Social Security program works and what it looks for in a disability claim.

You have to show three things to qualify for disability benefits:

You have a serious health issue that stops you from working your current or most recent job.

Due to your health and other factors, you can’t just switch to another type of job.

Your medical issue will last a long time, 12 months or more, or your doctors confirm that your condition is permanent.

Social Security doesn’t automatically believe you if you tell them you have a serious, work-stopping health problem.

You’ll need to back up your SSDI claim with hard evidence, like medical records, test results and information about treatments you’ve undergone.

It’s not easy to meet the standards set by the Social Security Administration (SSA)—even if you’re an employee of the SSA—which is why we don’t recommend applying on your own.

The team at Mathis & Mathis can help you build a more convincing disability claim.

Can I Get Both SSDI and Disability Benefits from My Federal Job?

If you successfully apply for Social Security Disability benefits, you can keep them in addition to benefits you receive from your federal job.

Maybe you’ve heard that you won’t get any SSDI in the first year. It’s true, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take your Social Security Disability claim seriously.

In later years, having SSDI can mean more in total disability income for you if you can keep up to 40% of your SSDI in addition to your federal disability retirement.

Qualifying for SSDI also gets you early access to Medicare health coverage, which is a major benefit with a value you shouldn’t underestimate.

For the disability income you receive, your SSDI benefit offsets your federal disability retirement, but how much it affects your payments changes based on how long you’ve been on disability and your age.

Here’s how it works:

In the first 12 months, 100% of your SSDI benefit is subtracted from your FERS benefit. As an example, if you were going to be paid $3,000 per month from FERS, but you win SSDI benefits totaling $2,000, then you would receive that $2,000 in SSDI along with $1,000 in federal disability retirement.

After the first 12 months, only 60% of your SSDI benefit is subtracted from your FERS benefit, which means you likely will receive more in total benefits than if you just had benefits under FERS without SSDI.

At age 62, you transition from FERS disability to retirement benefits. Your SSDI continues until you reach full Social Security retirement age, when that also converts into retirement benefits.

You’ll also receive back pay from Social Security if you get approved for SSDI benefits, meant to make up for some of the time you waited for your disability claim to make its way through the system.

This can be another economic benefit to pursuing your Social Security Disability claim fully.

But, as with so many aspects of government benefits programs, it’s complicated. The one-time lump sum of back pay can affect your other federal benefits, causing overpayment issues because it is retroactive.

Talk to disability advocates for D.C., Virginia and Baltimore who can help you navigate this.

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Should I Get a Washington, D.C., Disability Advocate When I Apply for SSDI?

Federal workers are in an odd position because they’re applying for SSDI, but they don’t necessarily need to win benefits. They only need to show they applied.

But at the same time, you can benefit from getting both Social Security Disability and federal employee disability.

It’s worth it to work with an experienced Washington, D.C., disability advocate.

This is some of what Mathis & Mathis Disability Advocates can do for you:

Take the time to listen to your story and understand your situation

Identify evidence that can help you make your SSDI claim more convincing

Help you fill out SSA forms completely and accurately

Answer any questions you have about Social Security Disability

Keep you aware of important deadlines

Support your appeal if you get denied and want to keep going

Even if you’re only applying for Social Security Disability because your government job requires it, this process is a lot of work.

If you have to do this, you might as well try your best to win each type of benefit.

It helps to have someone on your side who’s familiar with this system, how to approach it and how to avoid unnecessary delays.

Our disability advocates have helped thousands of people in Northern Virginia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and across the region with their Social Security Disability claims.

Let us help you apply for SSDI so you can receive the fullest benefits possible to get back on steadier financial ground.

Contact Us Today.

Applying or Appealing, We Can Help

Whether you’re in the initial stages of applying, appealing a denial of benefits, or wondering if you qualify, Mathis & Mathis can help.

Hear from a Mathis & Mathis Client

“I could not recommend Mathis & Mathis highly enough. They were kind, patient and thorough. No question was too small. They were timely in responding to me. While the process of applying for and obtaining disability is a long, tough road, Mr. Mathis made everything so much better. If you are thinking about applying, please do and know you will be taken very good care of . . . just like family.”

— Tracey Jones, Google Reviews