Retirement - Disability benefits

You may apply once you are within 90 days of your requested retirement date. ERS must receive all of the required information before your requested retirement date. You can find more information on the disability retirement webpage.

Please note: The retirement effective date cannot be a past date and it must be effective the last date of the month.

After ERS receives all of the completed forms and medical records, you should receive notice of the decision within 60-90 days. The process may take longer if additional medical information is requested.

If you are denied disability retirement, ERS will send you a letter detailing your right to appeal.

Your agency’s Human Resources department must complete the Departmental Statement.

For an occupational disability, you should provide medical records from the date of injury through the current date. The medical records should be from your primary care physician and your specialist.

For a nonoccupational disability, you should provide medical records from the past two years through the current date. The medical records should be from your primary care physician and your specialist.

The medical records should include progress notes or an examination report from each office visit that include your medical history, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment recommendations.

ERS does not request medical records from any doctor, medical office, or other entity on your behalf.

You must have requested and been denied a reasonable accommodation with your agency before applying for disability retirement. ERS will require a written outcome of the reasonable accommodation request.

Yes. If ERS approves your occupational or non-occupational disability retirement, you’ll have retiree health coverage. If you don’t have Texas Employees Group Benefits Program (GBP) health coverage on your disability retirement effective date, you’ll have a 60-day waiting period before you have health coverage. Tiered retiree insurance does not apply to disability retirement.

Under current guidelines, the state pays for your health insurance premium and half of the premium for your eligible dependents.

If you are approved, your health insurance will be HealthSelect currently administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

If you are enrolled in Medicare Part A and B, you are eligible to enroll in the HealthSelect Medicare Advantage plan through ERS.

If you’re eligible, you can enroll in COBRA to continue your health coverage while ERS makes a decision. If you’re approved for disability retirement, ERS will only refund the COBRA health premiums you paid after the effective date of your retirement.

You can continue your Optional Term Life Insurance coverage (up to two times your annual salary) into retirement if you had the coverage in the month that you retired.

Your Dependent Term Life Insurance coverage will be in the amount of $2,500 in retirement if you had the coverage in the month you retired.

You do not have to terminate employment but keep in mind one of the qualifications is that you are unable to continue working at your state job even with a reasonable accommodation. You will need to coordinate your employment status with your agency.

If you return to work for the State of Texas, your disability retirement benefits may likely be suspended. If you return to work outside the State of Texas, the job duties should not be similar to your previous state job and you cannot earn a salary comparable to your last state salary. If you return to work after disability retirement, you must immediately notify ERS in writing.

ERS may ask for medical information to verify you are still eligible for disability retirement and insurance at any time. If we determine you are no longer eligible for disability retirement and insurance, we may collect past monthly retirement checks and insurance benefit payments.

An ERS Attending Physician Statement is required to apply for disability retirement benefits and may be completed by either your primary care physician or your specialist. Either a Medical Doctor or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine must complete the form.

No, ERS will not contact a doctor, medical office, or other entity on your behalf.