Q: I understand that it could take six to eight months to process an application for retirement disability. With this in mind, if I took leave for that long and my application was disapproved, could (USPS) discipline me for attendance, even if I was on FMLA for the first 12 weeks of the process?
A: If you apply for disability retirement, your supervisor and personnel office will be involved throughout the process. That’s because your agency has to verify that you are incapable of useful and efficient service in your own job or any other at the same grade or pay in your local commuting area. If your application was turned down by OPM and there wasn’t any position you could effectively fill, they would have to separate you. However, that separation wouldn’t be based on attendance.
