Disability Pension

If you become injured or ill, you may be eligible for a disability pension. Your benefits depend on whether your disability resulted from a service- or nonservice connected illness or injury and your tier.

The table below provides highlights of your disability benefits. For additional information, review the Disability General Information booklet which contains the necessary forms for your tier:

Find additional useful information in HOW TO: Apply for a Disability Pension.

 

Service-Connected Disability Pension (Work-related)

Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension (Nonwork-related)
When am I eligible for disability benefits?

You are eligible on the date you graduate from Fire or Police recruit training.

However, if you are a Tier 2 member, you are eligible on your date of hire.

You are eligible after you have five years of service credit.
What are my disability benefits?    
  • Tier 2

Amounts are based on the degree of disability.

The Board determines the percentage within a range of 50% to 90% of your Normal Pension Base. In no case is your disability pension less than your accrued service pension.

The amount of your Disability Pension is equa to 40% of the Nonservice-Connected Pension Base, i.e., the highest monthly salary and length of service pay for a Police Officer III or Firefighter III when the pension becomes effective.

If you are eligible for a service pension with over 20 years of service when a nonservice-connected disability pension is awarded, you can elect to take a Service Pension instead.

  • Tier 3 & Tier 4

Amounts are based on the degree of disability.

Your benefits are the greater of:

  • 30% of your final average salary, or
  • 2% of your final average salary for each year of service, up to 90% of your final average salary.

You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefits, up to 3% per year.

Amounts are based on the degree of disability.

Your benefits are equal to a rating schedule adopted and used by the Board. Benefits typically range between 30% and 50% of your final average salary.

You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefits, up to 3% per year.

  • Tier 5

Amounts are based on the degree of disability.

Your benefits are the greater of:

  • 30% of your final average salary, or
  • 2% of your final average salary for each year of service, up to 90% of your final average salary

You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefits, up to 3% per year. Any additional COLA will be placed in a COLA bank.

Amounts are based on the degree of disability.

Your benefits are equal to a rating schedule adopted and used by the Board. Benefits typically range between 30% and 50% of your final average salary.

You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefits, up to 3% per year. Any additional COLA will

How does Workers’ Compensation affect my disability benefits?

The existence of an impairment or a Workers’ Compensation award does not guarantee a disability pension.

We are required to recapture all Workers' Compensation benefits that have been or will be paid to a member who receives a disability pension. These include:

  • All cash awards,
  • State rate disability payments,
  • Vocational rehabilitation allowances, and
  • The amount the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board deducts from awards to pay for attorney's fees.

NOTE: Injured-on-duty (IOD) payments are not recovered.

The City Charter further requires that:

  • A minimum of 25% of the monthly gross benefit be deducted to recover such awards received prior to the pension effective date, and
  • A dollar-for-dollar offset of Worker's Compensation awards that continue beyond the effective date of a disability pension be made.

Therefore, if a member with a significant amount of prior awards is granted a disability pension with retroactive benefits, a substantial portion of the lump-sum retroactive pension payment may be withheld to satisfy the Workers' Compensation recapture requirement.

Will the Board review my disability pension?
  • Disability pensions normally are paid for a member’s lifetime.
  • However, the Board has the authority to review disability status at any time. Pensioners may also request a review of their disability status by the Board.
  • As a result of the review, the percentage awarded may remain the same or may be adjusted upward, downward or terminated completely.
  • A disability retiree would be restored to active duty if the disability pension were terminated.