FERS Disability: retirement disability opm benefits

Disability Retirement for Federal Workers: Perfection in the details

March 14, 2019

Why is it that we never question the statement, “Well, this is an imperfect world; but in a perfect world…”. What is “perfection” and who defines it? Doesn’t it all depend upon the details within the definition? Is a “perfect world” the same for everyone, across all cultural lines and within every community? Or does it vary depending upon one’s background and upbringing? Would a picture of a “perfect world” be the same, say, for a pious, religious zealot as opposed to a hedonist? How about the contrast between a Libertarian and an Authoritarian? […]

FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: The Art of the Story

October 25, 2018

There is the subject itself, and then there is the art of the subject thus identified. At some point in every civilization, the academic study of a subject becomes pedantically necessary, and a “cottage” industry developed. Once upon a time, the “story” was an important […]

Medical Retirement under FERS & CSRS: This upside down world

August 22, 2018

How many whistleblowers would do it all over again? How many regrets does it take to screw in a lightbulb? The answer: Few as to the first question, and at least a dozen in response to the second. For, as to the second query, while one person engages in the mechanical act of lighting up the room, it takes all of the others to fail to assuage the regrets of a person who has tried to do the rights thing, […]

Medical Retirement under FERS: Wants and needs

August 4, 2018

One often encounters such discussions, about the difference between “wants” and “needs”. Needs are dictated by a loose definition of survival or existence — that which is required by or necessitated of the things which satisfy the criteria for continued existence or maintaining of a given modality of the status quo. The other — “wants” — are defined as those “extras” that are not required for existence, […]

FERS & CSRS Disability Retirement: The perfect person

December 12, 2017

By all accounts, he or she doesn’t exist, except perhaps in theoretical constructs of theological paradigms; and of academia, where one may argue some alternate version of Anselm’s argument by positing that, because the concept of perfection could not be thought of without the reality of a Being constituting perfection, ergo a perfect Being – God – must by necessity exist. […]

CSRS & FERS Medical Disability Retirement: Regarding dogs and books

October 26, 2017

They are the two default positions to happiness, loneliness and sorrowful days that can only be solved along with a cup of hot chocolate. What is amazing and somewhat perplexing is that, as to the former, the very fact that one species of life can have such a close and interacting relationship with another existent species is an incomprehensible truism steeped in beauty. […]

OPM Disability Retirement Benefits: Sunshine, briefly

May 30, 2017

Life is mostly dark clouds, with a ray of sunshine briefly upon a small patch of wet grass. Yes, yes – such a perspective is a mirror reflection of the conflict between the “half-full” versus “half-empty” outlook; but is it helpful for young people to posit a world view, a paradigm or, in the philosophical realm of ivory towers, that king of all royalties in linguistic sophistication that is dropped nonchalantly to impress and raise eyebrows – Weltanschauung […]

Federal Employee Disability Retirement: Ascribing wrong motives

November 30, 2016

Is it wrong to ascribe wrong motives? And, unless there emerges practical consequences, does it matter? If a non-family member forms a relationship of friendship with an older person, do we fairly ascribe an underlying intent of malicious deliberation? We may think thus: He is hoping to gain something – gifts in return; an inheritance, perhaps; or, maybe even a more blatant act of stealing or forcibly engaging in a criminal enterprise. On the other hand, there could be a purity of motives – of responding to loneliness and a desire for company; but who in this world ever believes that, anymore? […]

Early Medical Retirement for Federal Employees: The Gatekeeper

March 17, 2016

Garbage in, garbage out; leave the door wide open, and the flies come in; “we don’t live in a barn”; and other similar quips, quotes and quotidian truths abound to guide us throughout the day. In Medieval times, the Gatekeeper held a prominent position of authority and safekeeping; trust was of paramount importance, and the potential for bribery to undermine loyalty and fealty to the inhabitants of the Court or Castle meant that treatment of the assigned individual demanded respect as well as adequate renumeration. […]