Disability Protection

With five years of contributing service credit, you are eligible for disability protection. You may receive monthly benefits ranging from 45% to 60% of your final average salary and have access to health care coverage through STRS Ohio. If you become disabled, all contributions and earnings in your defined contribution account and the defined benefit portion of the plan are used to fund this benefit.

Members may combine the defined benefit and defined contribution portions of their account for the following benefits.

The plan provides coverage for members whose disability from regular duty is presumed to last at least 12 months from the date of receipt of the disability benefit application by STRS Ohio. It does not provide disability benefits for periods of less than one year. Disability leaves of less than one year are usually covered by sick leave earned through employment or by short-term disability insurance from private insurance companies.

To qualify for disability benefits, a Combined Plan participant must:

• Have 5.00 or more years of Ohio service credit.
• File an application with STRS Ohio within two years of the last date of earned service. This deadline does not apply if the State Teachers Retirement Board determines that the member’s medical records demonstrate conclusively that at the time the two-year period expired, the member was physically or mentally incapacitated from regular duty and unable to apply for disability.
• Have not withdrawn any portion of the account.
• Not be receiving service retirement benefits.

A monthly disability benefit is based on a percentage (limited to 60% and no less than 45%) of the member’s final average salary. The percentage is determined by multiplying the member’s total years of Ohio service credit by 2.2%.

Disability recipients who have been receiving benefits for at least 14 months must file a Statement of Employment and Earnings After Receipt of a Disability Benefit provided by STRS Ohio each March.

Disability Allowance Example
Actual years of Ohio service	22
Formula level	x 2.2%
	48.4%*
Final average salary	x $40,000
Annual disability allowance benefit	$19,360
Monthly benefit	$1,613
*Maximum 60%, minimum 45%

Disability payments terminate at age 65 if the benefit began before age 60 (or later if payments begin after age 60), or if the member is no longer disabled. When disability benefits terminate, a member has the right to apply for service retirement, if eligible.

Any applicant who is denied disability benefits may appeal the decision to the Retirement Board as provided by statute and procedures established by the board. An individual receiving service retirement benefits is ineligible to apply for disability benefits. Members may also withdraw the account.