Disability While Working

If you become permanently unable to perform your job due to injury or illness—whether work-related or not—you may be eligible to retire under SCERS’ disability retirement provisions.

This page explains how disability retirement works, how to apply, and how it differs from service retirement.

Types of Disability Retirement

There are two types of disability retirement available to active SCERS members:

Service-Connected Disability

Applies when your disability is the direct result of your SCERS-covered employment.

  • No minimum service credit required
  • Approved applicants receive at least 50% of their final compensation, or their regular service retirement benefit—whichever is greater
  • Eligible for non-taxable income, up to 50% of final compensation for service-connected disability

Non-Service-Connected Disability

Applies when your disability is not caused by your SCERS Covered employment, but still permanently prevents you from performing your duties. 

  • Must have at least 5 years of SCERS service credit (Vested) 
  • Approved applicants receive a benefit based on the standard SCERS formula, with a minimum threshold. Benefit has a minimum of 20% of your final compensation at 5 years of service, and a maximum 40% of final compensation at 15 years of service. 
  • Benefit is fully taxable

Who Qualifies?

To qualify for disability retirement:

  • You must be permanently incapacitated from performing your usual duties
  • SCERS must receive 5 years of medical documentation supporting the claim, along with a medical report by a SCERS medical advisor.
  • You must file within four months of separation of service, or provide medical documentation showing the disabling condition dates back to when you were working. If your claim is approved, your disability retirement will begin on the day after your last compensated work date, or the application date–whichever is later.

Application Process

  1. Submit a Disability Retirement Application to SCERS.
  2. Provide five years of supporting medical records from your physician(s), along with a medical report. Waivers will also be requested for Worker’s Compensation records (if applicable), as well as personnel records. 
  3. SCERS will require you to attend an Independent Medical Evaluation (IME).
  4. The IME determination will be reviewed by SCERS staff.
  5. A recommendation is presented to the Board of Retirement for approval or denial.
  6. If approved by the Board of Retirement, your case will be processed by SCERS staff and you will be retired for disability.

The process may take several months depending on the complexity of your condition and medical documentation.

The disability benefit is calculated using the formula applicable to your tier (Legacy or PEPRA), but the rules for eligibility and process are the same.

Things to Know

  • Disability retirement is separate from workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability
  • You can apply while still employed, or shortly after separation (within four months) 
  • A Service-Connected Disability retirement application must include documentation showing the direct relationship between your job and your condition
  • SCERS may periodically review your status after retirement to confirm you remain disabled

Reciprocity and Disability Retirement

If you have established Reciprocity with one or more Reciprocal Systems at the time you apply for and are granted a disability retirement, each Reciprocal System will calculate your benefit based upon your service with that system and adjust its monthly allowance payments to you in accordance with the law. Your combined monthly allowance from all Reciprocal Systems cannot be greater than the monthly allowance amount you would receive had all your service been credited in one retirement system.

In some circumstances, you will not receive a disability retirement allowance from SCERS. Instead, you will receive a lifetime annuity based only on the balance of your Member Contributions on account with SCERS, which is significantly less than a full disability retirement or service retirement allowance also funded by employer contributions.

It is important to know your eligibility for and estimated amount of benefits you may receive from each Reciprocal System for service retirement, if eligible, and disability retirement, before you apply for retirement benefits from SCERS and your Reciprocal Systems.