Many people in the state of Minnesota are enrolled in the MSRS, or Minnesota State Retirement System are eligible for disability benefits through the plan. It is important for these employees, many who are employed as corrections officers in the state, to understand their options if they file for disability through the MSRS retirement plan and are denied.
In most cases, people applying for MSRS retirement have few challenges. However, there can be issues with the duration of employment needed to qualify for retirement benefits. In many cases, this is due to incorrect record keeping of transfers or changes in employment within qualifying positions, or issues with leaves of absences or other irregularities in your employment record.
Anyone in St. Paul experiencing a challenge in their application for MSRS retirement or MSRS disability should contact a law firm experienced in working with state employees and the plan. The knowledge and expertise these attorneys offer to their clients can help to streamline the appeals process and to begin to collect either retirement or disability.
First Steps
While it is not required to have an attorney review documents for retirement or disability claims during the initial application process, an attorney can be helpful in ensuring the application is completed correctly, and all supporting documentation is included.
Missing data or documentation can result in a denial, and while it may be relatively simple to correct the issue, it does delay the process. The denial letter should provide information, and your attorney can review the letter and assist in the process to gather the necessary proof required.
In some cases, the denial of disability is more complicated. This moves the appeal process to a fact-finding conference that is completed before an Administrative Law Judge. Having an experienced St. Paul attorney at this point is critical as the judge’s findings are used to either uphold or overturn the denial.
