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.

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.

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.

• 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).