If you are a member of the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) and you become disabled, you may be entitled to disability benefits. This publication describes these benefits and how you may apply for them.
The provisions governing your benefits are contained in the Revised Code of Washington (41.40 RCW) and the Washington Administrative Code (415-108 WAC). This page summarizes those provisions. It is not a complete description of the law. If there are any conflicts between what is written in this summary and what is contained in the law, the applicable law will govern.
DRS recommends that you contact a PERS retirement services analyst if you intend to apply for disability benefits. See contact DRS for address and contact information.
You may also be eligible for disability-related benefits from the Department of Labor and Industries (Workers' Compensation benefits), the Social Security Administration and your employer. For more information on these other benefits, please contact these organizations directly.
The type and amount of disability benefits you are eligible to receive depends on whether you belong to Plan 1, Plan 2, or Plan 3. Included are provisions that apply to all plans and instructions on applying for a disability benefit.