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 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.