Q. I am a former federal employee (canine enforcement officer) who was injured on the job in 1999. I was placed on COP and then on the periodic rolls of the Department of Labor. After a year of physical rehab, my doctor released me to light duty, for which the US Customs Service had no jobs available to me.
I was terminated in 2000. I am still being paid by the DOL. I was recently sent by DOL to a doctor to evaluate my condition, and the doctor determined that my status is permanent at the sedentary level. I am now working with a vocational rehabilitation counselor assigned by the DOL. Am I eligible to apply for a FERS disability retirement?
A. Any federal employee can apply for disability retirement; however, only OPM can determine if you qualify for it.
