OCERS Disability Retirement Attorneys

Disability Retirement: OCERS Responds to COVID-19

Due to the impact of COVID-19, businesses and agencies have had to find new ways to provide the essential services. And the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) – the agency that provides employees of the County of Orange with a retirement benefits – is no exception.

At Cantrell Green, our attorneys understand that many of our clients rely on their OCERS disability retirement benefits to make ends meet – especially during challenging times like these. In this article our attorneys provide some helpful information on navigating the OCERS retirement system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And, of course, if you or a loved one is having any problems applying for (or collecting) your OCERS disability retirement benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic – or at any time – our experienced OCERS attorneys are here to help.

OCERS Relies on Disaster Recovery Plan

The Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) office has been closed to for in-person services to members for the past 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, OCERS’ staff continues to provide full services to members telephone and OCERS’ website.

OCERS is one of the few agencies that had a disaster recovery plan fully in place, and it is reported on their website that the OCERS team had even practiced for a possible pandemic two years before the COVID-19 pandemic. So, while all OCERS offices are closed for staff and member protection, staff is still working off-site to continue to serve members.

Members can contact OCERS 3 ways during the pandemic:

• Call: (714) 558-6200 (regular long wait times)
• Send a message via the contact form on the OCERS website (https://www.ocers.org/)
• Use the new Lobby Drop Box, to drop of forms and documents (2223 Wellington Ave., Santa Ana)

OCERS Retirement Benefits Still on Schedule

Existing retirees -including those receiving disability retirement benefits – should continue to receive their upcoming benefit payments on schedule. OCERS benefit payment dates can be found on the OCERS website Benefit Payment Schedule page.

OCERS Retirement Applications Still on Schedule

OCERS states that members who have already submitted an application for an upcoming retirement, are still being processed in a timely manner. They are processing applications at the normal speed and members who are approved for benefits should receive their pension checks on schedule.

However, if you are considering retirement or retirement disability in the next 30-60 days and haven’t submitted an application, you need to so as soon as possible to make it through the approval process without delays due to the pandemic.

Members can find and download most application forms from the OCERS website’s FORMS page. Many of the forms can then be submitted through the myOCERS online member portal.

If you require an OCERS one-on-one retirement consultation, this must now be done by phone, as they have suspended all in-person counseling sessions.

OCERS Disability Retirement During COVID-19

In response to the challenges of stopping the spread of COVID-19, OCERS has modified its operations during these difficult times. Our experienced OCERS attorneys understand that this can make applying for disability retirement benefits even more challenging for elderly or disabled OCERS members.

If you or a family member is having any problems applying for (or collecting) your OCERS disability retirement benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic – or at any time – our experienced OCERS attorneys are here to help.

OCERS Disability Retirement Attorneys Can Help

We are one of very few Los Angeles area law firms that are highly specialized in Public Employees Disability Retirement. Our attorneys have filed hundreds of successful disability retirement applications and appeals and have obtained millions of dollars in disability retirement benefits for our clients.

Our attorneys can help disabled public employees obtain their disability retirement benefits from OCERS or any public employee retirement system in California. If you are an injured police officer, firefighter, teacher, administrator or other public employee, who is applying for or appealing disability retirement benefits, call us today.

OCERS Disability Retirement Attorney: 800-964-8047

This article applies to members of  Orange County Employees’ Retirement System (OCERS); and does not reflect the rules, laws or regulations governing how other public retirement systems are administered. If you have question about another public employee retirement system, find your system, below – or call our office at: 562-622-4800