TSERS Disability Quick Reference As a North Carolina disability benefit recipient, there are several requirements that you must follow to obtain and maintain your benefits. The following Disability Quick Reference Guide identifies the steps and materials needed throughout the process. It is important that you complete the forms in their entirety, or respond to requests from the North Carolina Retirement Systems so that your disability benefits are processed in a timely manner, and to guard against any interruption of disability benefits. Click here for a printed version of the quick reference below Short-Term/Preliminary Long-Term Extended Short-Term Long-Term State Disability Retirement Eligibility 1 year membership earned within 36 months preceding disability Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave Can be temporary or permanent disability 1 year membership earned within last 36 months prior to end of short-term disability period Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave Must be temporarily disabled Employee must go through short-term disability period years membership earned within 96 months prior to exhaustion of leave or salary continuation. Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave. Must be permanently disabled. Member cannot be eligible for unreduced service retirement. Member must be vested as of 7/1/82 or 1/1/88 Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave. Must be permanently disabled. If eligible for service retirement, member must be vested as of 7/1/82 date for state disability retirement. Time Frame to Apply Within 365 days following the first day of the 60-day waiting period NONE Within 180 days from end of short-term or 180 days from end of temporary total Workers' Compensation NONE but effective retirement date is in accordance with filing requirements Calculation of Benefit 50% of salary as of last day worked (monthly maximum benefit of $3,000), reduced by certain offsets 50% of salary (monthly maximum benefit of $3,000), reduced by certain offsets 65% of salary (monthly maximum benefit of $3,900), reduced by certain offsets; $10 monthly minimum Based on average final compensation (AFC), accrual factor, total creditable service and projected service Timeframe Benefits are Paid Maximum of 365 days after 60-day waiting period; paid by employer with proper certification from doctor (Form 703 monthly certification unless preliminary long-term determination) Maximum of 365 days as approved by Medical Board (Paid by N.C. Retirement Systems) Until member is eligible for an unreduced service retirement or otherwise no longer meets requirements for benefits1 1Limit of 36 payments if not vested prior to 8/1/07 unless receiving Social Security disability benefits. Lifetime [Refer to G.S. §135-5(c) Application Process Form 700 Form 701 A current Form 7A Form 703 (Optional for short-term and preliminary long-term) Job Description Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 700 Form 704 A current Form 7A Form 711 Job Description Copy of Form 701 Copy of Form 703 if member was not approved for short-term through the Retirement Systems Division Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 700Form 704 A current Form 7A Form 711 Copy of Form 701 Form 703 Job Description (if member was approved for short-term through the Retirement Systems Division, then the Division should already have these documents) Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 7 A current Form 7A Job Description Supporting medical documentation within six months Benefit Offsets Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Social Security benefits 36-month hypothetical Social Security offset2 Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Railroad Retirement Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) 2If vested prior to 8/1/07. Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Earnable Allowance Monthly (up to the amount of short-term) Monthly (up to the amount of extended short-term benefit) Monthly (difference between 100% salary and adjusted gross long-term before any offsets Annually Re-Exams (determined by Medical Board) NONE NONE Reviewed yearly at the discretion of the Medical Board Reviewed yearly at the discretion of the Medical Board
TSERS Disability Quick Reference As a North Carolina disability benefit recipient, there are several requirements that you must follow to obtain and maintain your benefits. The following Disability Quick Reference Guide identifies the steps and materials needed throughout the process. It is important that you complete the forms in their entirety, or respond to requests from the North Carolina Retirement Systems so that your disability benefits are processed in a timely manner, and to guard against any interruption of disability benefits. Click here for a printed version of the quick reference below Short-Term/Preliminary Long-Term Extended Short-Term Long-Term State Disability Retirement Eligibility 1 year membership earned within 36 months preceding disability Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave Can be temporary or permanent disability 1 year membership earned within last 36 months prior to end of short-term disability period Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave Must be temporarily disabled Employee must go through short-term disability period years membership earned within 96 months prior to exhaustion of leave or salary continuation. Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave. Must be permanently disabled. Member cannot be eligible for unreduced service retirement. Member must be vested as of 7/1/82 or 1/1/88 Doctor must certify disability on or prior to last day worked or exhausted leave. Must be permanently disabled. If eligible for service retirement, member must be vested as of 7/1/82 date for state disability retirement. Time Frame to Apply Within 365 days following the first day of the 60-day waiting period NONE Within 180 days from end of short-term or 180 days from end of temporary total Workers' Compensation NONE but effective retirement date is in accordance with filing requirements Calculation of Benefit 50% of salary as of last day worked (monthly maximum benefit of $3,000), reduced by certain offsets 50% of salary (monthly maximum benefit of $3,000), reduced by certain offsets 65% of salary (monthly maximum benefit of $3,900), reduced by certain offsets; $10 monthly minimum Based on average final compensation (AFC), accrual factor, total creditable service and projected service Timeframe Benefits are Paid Maximum of 365 days after 60-day waiting period; paid by employer with proper certification from doctor (Form 703 monthly certification unless preliminary long-term determination) Maximum of 365 days as approved by Medical Board (Paid by N.C. Retirement Systems) Until member is eligible for an unreduced service retirement or otherwise no longer meets requirements for benefits1 1Limit of 36 payments if not vested prior to 8/1/07 unless receiving Social Security disability benefits. Lifetime [Refer to G.S. §135-5(c) Application Process Form 700 Form 701 A current Form 7A Form 703 (Optional for short-term and preliminary long-term) Job Description Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 700 Form 704 A current Form 7A Form 711 Job Description Copy of Form 701 Copy of Form 703 if member was not approved for short-term through the Retirement Systems Division Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 700Form 704 A current Form 7A Form 711 Copy of Form 701 Form 703 Job Description (if member was approved for short-term through the Retirement Systems Division, then the Division should already have these documents) Supporting medical documentation within six months Form 7 A current Form 7A Job Description Supporting medical documentation within six months Benefit Offsets Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Social Security benefits 36-month hypothetical Social Security offset2 Temporary Total Disability Benefits through Workers' Compensation Veterans Administration (same disability) Railroad Retirement Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) 2If vested prior to 8/1/07. Excess earnings (the amount a member earns over the earnable allowance) Earnable Allowance Monthly (up to the amount of short-term) Monthly (up to the amount of extended short-term benefit) Monthly (difference between 100% salary and adjusted gross long-term before any offsets Annually Re-Exams (determined by Medical Board) NONE NONE Reviewed yearly at the discretion of the Medical Board Reviewed yearly at the discretion of the Medical Board
