Amendments to Disability Retirement Process and Hearing Rules

At the Board of Retirement meeting held on July 28, 2025, the Board voted to approve amendments to the Disability Retirement Process and Disability Retirement Hearing Rules. The most significant changes included:

  • Adding an Introduction section to the Disability Retirement Hearing Rules that provides historical background of the New Model process changes and helps explain references to the 1999 Disability Hearing Procedures (DHPs)
  • Removing terminology of “Old Model” vs. “New Model” from both documents
  • Adding policy review and history information to both documents
  • Adding clarification to Step #10 in the Disability Retirement Process, including the addition of language to explain that the fast-track process is only available if there is no dispute in evidence regarding service connection in service-connected disability retirement applications, and removing language describing employer removal requests during the 21 days that was duplicative of Steps 19 to 22
  • Modifying Step #19 in the Disability Retirement Process by extending the period allotted for employer and applicant review of the preliminary recommendation from 21 calendar days to 21 business days, with the opportunity to request an extension to 30 business days with good cause (to which any parties may submit objection within 2 business days)
  • Adding clarification to existing rules in the Disability Retirement Hearing Rules regarding the Hearing Officer’s jurisdiction, including:
    • the adjustment of language in Rule #5 that an extended hearing commencement deadline would be per Rule #4 (and anything beyond that would end the Hearing Officer’s jurisdiction),
    • the addition of language in Rule #8 to expressly include post-hearing and remand disputes, and
    • the addition of language in Rule #17 to not include jurisdictional limits set in Rules #4 and #5 (number of days by which a hearing must commence) within the intervals that the Hearing Officer may shorten or lengthen
  • Adding new Rule #18 to the Disability Retirement Hearing Rules to clarify the procedures (that VCERA already follows by law) regarding release of psychiatric and/or psychological records

View the final updated documents and all information related to VCERA’s disability retirement policies and procedures on our Disability Retirement webpage.