Are you a federal employee with an injury or illness looking to retire from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)? If so, you’ll need to apply for Federal Disability Retirement. In this article, we’ll walk you through the application process for TSA employees. Whether you’re just starting to consider retirement or you’re ready to submit your application, this article will give you the information you need to get started!
Application Process
In order to apply for Federal Disability Retirement, you will fill out Standard Form 3112. These forms include everything the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) needs to know about your medical condition and work status. Parts A-D need to be fully completed and included in your application. Section E will be completed by the TSA upon submission.
SF 3112A asks many questions about your disability, accommodations, and any restrictions you may have; this section is critical to your disability claim. SF 3112B Is your supervisor’s statement that you must request from your supervisor by email, it discusses any deficiencies in performance, attendance, or conduct. These statements must align with one another to support your claim.
Filling out the 3112 can be an overwhelming process. The OPM is looking for very specific information regarding your condition and your employment. It is recommended to have legal representation to ensure these forms are filled out correctly prior to submission.
Assemble Your Application
Compiling your Federal Disability Retirement application requires significant effort and attention to detail. Properly assembling the 3112 is essential for qualifying for a disability retirement with the TSA. You should assemble SF 3112 A, B and C (medical statement), to submit to the TSA via email. Once submitted you will be able to request 3112 D, your certification of reasonable accommodation. It usually takes around 2 weeks for the TSA to complete these forms.
Along with the SF 3112, you will have to submit the SF 3107 Application for Immediate Retirement and any additional forms that are needed for your case, like a 2818 for life insurance or DD214 for military coverage.
Submit Your Application
You will submit your completed application with 3112 forms A-E to the TSA through email. This typically takes around 1 month to process, and you should receive a preliminary SF 50.
Your application will then be forwarded to the National Finance Center (NFC) which is an OPM certified Shared Service Center. We cannot reach NFC for follow-ups and the TSA typically cannot either. This means you should expect a waiting period without any updates on your application.
Once your application is processed at the NFC, it will be forwarded to OPM, and you will receive confirmation and a CSA# to refer to your claim.
We are currently seeing an increase in the time it takes for the OPM to make an initial decision on your case. There are no legal steps we can take to speed up the process and you should expect a long waiting period.
Receiving a Denial
If your Federal Disability Retirement application for the TSA has been denied, don’t be discouraged. Oftentimes the denial will be overturned upon OPM reconsideration, so it’s important that you pursue this option. Additionally, if OPM denies reconsideration, you may appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) where it is highly recommended to have legal representation. It can be time consuming, but with hard work and dedication to the process, a successful appeal with MSPB is possible. Remember to stay focused and remain strong in the face of adversity.
Our team of experienced professionals has been through this process thousands of times, and we know exactly how to handle each and every step. Our office has years of experience helping people just like you get the benefits they need and deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your TSA Federal Disability Retirement application.
