Must I be totally disabled in order to file for disability retirement?
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You do not need to be totally disabled to apply for or receive OPM disability retirement. The question is whether or not you can perform the job that you were doing or an accommodated position with your employer. For instance, if you’re a welder in a federal job and you injure yourself and your requirement is to lift up to 80 or 100 pounds and you can only lift 50 pounds, you may be able to receive OPM disability. So that welder is not permanently disabled, but could very well be entitled to OPM disability retirement.
