In April 1999, the Board of Retirement revised its Disability Hearing Procedures, which governs VCERA’s disability process and includes definitions, rules, roles, policies and procedures. In July 2020, the Board approved VCERA’s Disability Retirement Process Document, which sets forth a new disability model applicable to all new applications as of July 27, 2020. And in July 2023, the Board approved New Model Hearing Rules, applicable to all applications directed to hearing under the New Model. The goal of these documents is to provide a fair and impartial method under CERL for processing disability applications expeditiously.

VCERA’s new disability model seeks to accomplish this objective through a full, in-house, independent investigation of disability applications. VCERA’s inquiry will involve the applicant, department, independent medical examiner, treating physicians and others. After the investigation, VCERA will draft a recommendation to the Board, which can grant the disability application, in whole or in part; remand it to staff for further investigation; refer the matter to hearing; or take any other action it deems appropriate. Staff recommendations to deny will be directed to evidentiary hearing automatically.

Additional information about VCERA’s disability process can be obtained by clicking the links below or contacting VCERA’s Disability Retirement Division at (805) 339-4250 or disabilities.vcera@ventura.org.

Disability Retirement Process Document - New Model (Revised Sept 2023)
Disability Hearing Procedures (Revised April 1999)
New Model Disability Retirement Hearing Rules
Disability Retiree Re-examination Policy