Disability Pensions
If you become injured or ill, you may be eligible for a disability pension. If approved, benefits will depend on whether the disability resulted from a service- or nonservice-connected illness or injury and the tier you are in.
The Disability Pension Brochure provides highlights of the disability benefits. For additional information, review the Disability Pension Information booklet:
Find additional useful information in HOW TO: Apply for a Disability Pension.
Details
When am I eligible for disability benefits?
Service-Connected Disability Pension (work-related):
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.
Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension (nonwork-related):
You are eligible after you have five years of service credit.
What are my disability benefits?
Tier 2
Service-Connected Disability Pension (work-related):
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.
Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension (nonwork-related):
The amount of your disability pension is equal 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.
Tiers 3 & 4
Service-Connected Disability Pension (work-related):
Amounts are based on the degree of disability. Your benefits are equal to a rating schedule adopted and used by the Board.
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 benefit from 0% to 3% per year.
Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension (nonwork-related):
Amounts are based on the degree of disability.
Benefits range between 30% and 50% of your Final Average Salary.
You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefit from 0% to 3% per year.
If you are eligible for a service pension with over 20 years (10 years for Tier 3) of service when a Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension is awarded, you can elect to take a service pension instead.
Tiers 5 & 6
Service-Connected Disability Pension (work-related):
Amounts are based on the degree of disability. Your benefits are equal to a rating schedule adopted and used by the Board.
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, from 0% to 3% per year. Any additional COLA will be placed in a COLA bank.
Nonservice-Connected Disability Pension (nonwork-related):
Amounts are based on the degree of disability.
Benefits range between 30% and 50% of your Final Average Salary.
You are eligible for cost of living adjustments (COLA) on your benefit from 0% to 3% per year. Any additional COLA will be placed in a COLA bank.
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.
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.
NOTE: Surviving Spouse’s pension is exempt from Workers’ Compensation recapture for a member’s prior injuries.
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.
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.
- Disability retirees can be returned to active duty within five years if the disability no longer exists.
- After five years, members found to be no longer disabled will have their pensions reduced to 30% of Final Average Salary (except Tier 2).
Questions?
If you have any questions, you may contact the Disability Pensions Section at (213) 279-3165 or toll-free at (844) 88-LAFPP.
REFERENCED DOCUMENTS