You may qualify for an employee occupational disability annuity if you are permanently disabled for work in your Regular Railroad Occupation and you have a Current Connection with the railroad industry. The earliest date the occupational disability can begin depends on your railroad service. You are eligible
- at any age, if you have at least 240 months of creditable railroad service; or,
- at age 60, if you have 120-239 months of creditable railroad service. Note: If you have less than 120 months of creditable railroad service, you cannot receive an annuity based on occupational disability.
You must file an application to receive a railroad retirement occupational disability annuity. Under the law, a disability annuity cannot begin earlier than the first day of the sixth full month following the month in which disability onset occurs.