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Home > Members > Active members > Disability retirement
 

Disability retirement benefits

All applications for disability retirement must be reviewed by the members of the Board at one of their monthly meetings. Only the Board may grant disability retirement benefits.

If you should find yourself permanently disabled and unable to work for an extended period of time, you may be eligible to receive one of two types of disability retirement benefits: accidental disability or ordinary disability.

How do I apply for a disability retirement allowance?

To apply, you will need to complete our fairly lengthy Disability Retirement Application (pdf, 19 pages), which contains various release forms so that we may gather documentation from doctors, medical institutions and insurers. However, because there are many issues involved in the disability retirement application process, you may want to have a conversation with our Disability Case Manager before filing the application to be sure that this is an appropriate option for your particular situation. For detailed information, please also refer to our booklet, What You Need to Know About Disability Retirement (pdf; 20 pages), which contains common questions and answers on the disability process.

What happens after I submit my application?

  • Upon receipt of your completed application, we will request the appropriate medical, hospital and insurance records and request that your school department complete our Employer’s Statement (pdf, 10 pages) regarding the circumstances of your disability. The Employer’s Statement is a moderately lengthy questionnaire regarding the nature of the event, injury or accident which led to your present state of disability as well as your capacity for employment. Additionally, we will request that the physician who has provided the primary care and treatment for your disability complete a Physician’s Statement (pdf, 3 pages).

  • Upon receipt of the documentation from your medical providers, we will review all of the materials and, in most cases, we will ask the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) to set up a three-member regional medical panel to examine you.

  • After being appointed by PERAC, the regional medical panel will meet to conduct its examination of you.

  • After completing its examination, the regional medical panel will report its findings and recommendation to PERAC, who will forward the report to the Board.

  • After receipt of the report, we will notify you of the panel’s findings and provide you with a copy of all of the documents completed by the regional medical panel. If the regional medical panel findings:

    • preclude retirement for the disability claimed, the Board can either deny your application or ask PERAC for a new regional medical panel, if the Board believes that the circumstances warrant it. If PERAC declines to schedule a new examination, the Board, in most instances, will deny your application. You may appeal PERAC’s decision.

    • permit retirement for the disability claimed, the Board shall determine whether or not to approve your application.

  • If and when a Board hearing is scheduled, we will notify you. If your application is approved by the Board, it will be transmitted to PERAC for final action; PERAC must act on your application within 30 days of its receipt. If your application is denied by the Board, we will advise you of your right to appeal the decision.

Do I have to appear at the Board hearing?

In almost all cases, accidental disability applicants must appear before the Board or a hearing officer. Ordinary disability applicants are not required to appear but are welcome to attend the hearing. Although it is not required, an applicant may choose to be represented by an attorney before the Board.

Am I required to have a medical panel examination?

Unless the Board denies your application as a matter of law prior to the convening of a medical panel, applicants must attend a medical panel examination. Pursuant to Chapter 32 of the Massachusetts General Laws, every member of a state contributory retirement system who applies for disability benefits must be examined by a regional medical panel.

Will I be re-examined on a regular basis to see if I am capable of returning to work?

PERAC may conduct a re-examination of you once per year during the first two-year period after the effective date of your retirement, and then once a year every three years after that.

Does PERAC have the authority to suspend or modify my retirement allowance?

Yes. PERAC may order the Board to suspend or modify your disability allowance as a result of:

  • a medical re-examination,
  • your completion of a rehabilitation program or
  • the submission of your yearly W-2 forms and other earnings statements.

If you are injured on the job

If you are ever injured on the job, remember to send us a written statement or the incident report regarding your injury within 90 days so that we have this record on file.


Overview of disability retirement benefits: Accidental vs. ordinary

 

Accidental disability

Ordinary disability

Who can apply?

Any teacher or administrator who is contributing a percentage of his or her salary to the MTRS.

Any teacher or administrator who is contributing a percentage of his or her salary to the MTRS and who has10 years of service.

Note: If you had a break in your service (for example, you were on an unauthorized leave of absence to pursue another career), you must have returned to service for at least two years before you will be eligible to apply for an accidental or an ordinary disability benefit.

What are the disability criteria?

A medical panel of three physicians must certify and the Board must find that:

  • you are substantially unable to perform the duties of your particular job and

  • the disability is such that it is likely to be permanent and

  • the disability is the natural and proximate result of the personal injury you sustained or the hazard undergone.

A medical panel of three physicians must certify and the Board must find that:

  • you are substantially unable to perform the duties of your particular job and

  • the disability is such that it is likely to be permanent.

How is the benefit allowance calculated?

The benefit allowance has two components:

  • your annuity, a sum based on your age and contributions to the MTRS and the interest on those contributions, plus

  • your pension, an amount equal to 72% of your yearly compensation as of the date you were injured. This portion of your benefit will not be taxed.

If you are a military veteran, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, §1, and c. 4, §7, cl.43, a veteran’s bonus will be added to your allowance. The veteran’s bonus is equal to $15 per year of creditable service, up to a maximum annual total of $300.

If you are:

  • a non-veteran, your allowance is calculated as if you had retired at age 55, if younger, under the superannuation retirement formula.

  • a veteran, your allowance is equal to a yearly annuity amount plus one-half of your salary for the last twelve months during which you were actually employed, OR the superannuation allowance to which you are entitled, whichever is greater.

Note: Because the disability benefit formulas vary by type and, for ordinary disability cases, whether you are a veteran or non-veteran and whether you are participating in RetirementPlus, they are not shown here. For more information and sample calculations, please see What You Need to Know About Disability Retirement (pdf; 20 pages).

Are there any benefits for my children?

Yes--if you have any dependent children you will receive an additional benefit of $450 per year per child, plus all of the cost-of-living adjustment increases paid since 1988. As of July 1, 2005, the additional annual pension for eligible children was $629.64.

A dependent child is a child under age 18 or a child of any age who is physically or mentally incapacitated from earning. If your child reaches age 18 and then continues his or her education on a full-time basis, the stipend will continue until he or she reaches age 22. The MTRS will verify that your child is a full-time student every semester until he or she reaches age 22.

No--there are no additional benefits for dependent children.

Can I receive my allowance under any Option—A, B or C?

As of November 7, 1996, yes. Previously, accidental disability retirees could only select either Option A or B.

Yes.