Attorney Eric L. Pines introduces Courtney Bolton, a Social Security disability advocate with 23 years of experience at the Social Security Administration. The episode explores the differences between Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), eligibility requirements, benefit calculations, and common misconceptions, providing essential guidance for navigating the complex disability benefits process.

00:00 - Show Introduction and Welcome

01:30 - Introduction to Courtney Bolton

03:00 - Differences Between SSDI and SSI

07:00 - Work History and SSDI Eligibility

10:00 - Resource Limits for SSI

13:00 - Medical Standards for SSDI and SSI

16:00 - Applying for SSDI, SSI, or Both

20:00 - Benefit Calculations for SSDI and SSI

24:00 - Common Misconceptions About Disability Programs

28:00 - How Pines Federal Assists Clients

32:00 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Empowering Workers is a podcast dedicated to guiding federal employees and others through disability and employment rights issues, including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Featuring attorney Eric L. Pines, the show offers practical insights to navigate complex legal processes with clarity and confidence.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Eric L. Pines discusses the complexities of settlement negotiations for federal employees. He shares insights on evaluating settlement offers, understanding the risks of rejecting settlements, and knowing when to negotiate for more. Eric emphasizes his passion for helping federal employees reach settlements that provide both peace of mind and practical benefits.

Key Timestamps:

00:01 - Show Introduction

00:40 - Types of settlement offers and evaluating fairness

02:42 - Risks of rejecting settlements

04:19 - When to negotiate for more

06:09 - Settlement finality and contract status

06:55 - Attorney's role in settlement negotiations

08:31 - Balancing justice vs. practical outcomes

13:20 - Real-world success story: Disability accommodation case

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers: Federal Employees' Disability and Employment Rights and Social Security Disability for All" features Eric L. Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show provides valuable insights for federal employees navigating workplace challenges and disability rights.

Episode Summary:

In this informative episode, federal employment lawyer Eric Pines discusses crucial financial strategies for federal employees waiting for their OPM disability retirement claims. He covers essential topics including health insurance continuation, financial management options, and the interplay between different benefit programs like workers' compensation and unemployment.

Key Timestamps:

00:01 - Show Introduction

00:35 - Episode topic introduction: Financial strategies during OPM disability claims

00:57 - Common financial challenges during claim processing

02:21 - FMLA leave and health insurance coverage options

05:34 - Attorney's role in educating clients about available benefits

08:02 - Impact of unemployment and workers' compensation on disability claims

11:58 - Important documentation and retirement planning considerations

14:36 - How the firm provides personal support to clients

About the Show:

Empowering Workers features Eric Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show focuses on providing valuable information about federal employees' disability and employment rights, as well as Social Security disability benefits.

Episode Summary:

In this informative episode, federal employment lawyer Eric L. Pines discusses the crucial first steps and best practices for federal employees seeking workplace accommodations. He covers documentation requirements, common mistakes to avoid, important deadlines, and employee rights in the accommodation process.

Key Timestamps:

00:01 - Show Introduction

00:42 - First steps for requesting workplace accommodation

01:32 - Documentation requirements and paper trail importance

02:51 - Working with medical professionals

04:29 - Common mistakes to avoid when requesting accommodations

06:37 - Timeline requirements and deadlines

08:54 - Employee rights and recourse options

10:18 - The interactive process with agencies

12:08 - Current political climate and workplace accommodations

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers: Federal Employees' Disability and Employment Rights and Social Security Disability for All" features Eric L. Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show provides valuable insights and guidance for federal employees navigating workplace rights and accommodations.

Episode Summary:

In this informative episode, federal employment attorney Eric L. Pines discusses the implications of federal buyouts, retirement benefits, and disability rights for federal employees. He explains different types of separation programs, including VERA (Voluntary Early Retirement Authority) and VSIP (Voluntary Separation Incentive Pay), and their impacts on retirement benefits. The episode also covers important considerations for federal workers facing buyout decisions and the intersection with disability benefits.

Key Timestamps:

00:01 - Show Introduction

00:42 - Defining federal buyouts and RIF (Reduction in Force)

03:14 - Impact on OPM retirement benefits

07:15 - SSDI vs. Federal Disability Retirement

09:33 - Differences between voluntary separation and RIF

11:45 - Factors to consider when facing buyout decisions

13:07 - Disability considerations in buyout situations

14:54 - Final advice for federal workers

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers: Federal Employees' Disability and Employment Rights and Social Security Disability for All" features Eric L. Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show provides valuable insights for federal employees about their rights, benefits, and important employment decisions.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Eric Pines discusses mental disability accommodations for federal employees, covering qualification criteria, common mental disabilities, reasonable accommodations, and challenges faced when requesting accommodations. The conversation explores how mental disabilities are handled differently from physical disabilities and the importance of proper medical documentation.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Defining mental disabilities in federal employment

01:16 - Different definitions of disability in federal government

03:01 - Common mental disabilities among federal employees

03:45 - Types of reasonable accommodations

04:36 - Process for requesting accommodations for mental disabilities

05:20 - Common challenges faced by employees

06:16 - Evolution of mental health awareness in federal workforce

07:19 - Denial rates and appeal process

08:39 - Strengthening mental disability cases

10:34 - Employee rights and legal options

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers" is a podcast focused on federal employees' rights, disability, employment law, and Social Security Disability. Host Kevin Rosenquist and Eric Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, provide valuable insights for federal employees navigating workplace challenges.

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Eric L. Pines discusses OPM disability retirement and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) for federal employees. He explains the qualification requirements, application processes, and how these two disability programs interact. The episode covers common application mistakes, appeals processes, and when federal employees should consider transitioning from reasonable accommodations to disability retirement.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

00:42 - Explaining OPM disability retirement qualifications

03:34 - Why federal employees need to apply for both OPM and SSDI

05:15 - Common application mistakes to avoid

07:19 - Appeals process for denied applications

08:12 - SSDI process and differences from OPM

09:01 - Receiving both benefits simultaneously

09:34 - When to transition from accommodations to disability retirement

11:12 - Discussion on reasonable accommodation requirements

13:21 - Reality of finding alternative positions

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers" is a podcast featuring Eric L. Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show focuses on federal employees' rights, disability benefits, and employment law, providing valuable insights for federal workers navigating complex legal situations.

Episode Summary:

In this informative episode, federal employment lawyer Eric L. Pines discusses the complexities of filing for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). He provides valuable insights into the application process, common reasons for denial, and tips for improving approval chances. The episode particularly focuses on the importance of medical documentation and understanding the strict criteria for SSDI approval.

Key Timestamps:

00:09 - Introduction and episode overview

00:53 - Basic process of filing SSDI claims

01:08 - Eligibility requirements and application process

02:40 - Common reasons for SSDI claim denials

03:37 - Tips for avoiding application pitfalls

04:54 - Role of SSA's Disability Determination Services

08:26 - Compassionate Allowance process for terminal illnesses

09:07 - Tips for expediting claims

11:50 - Comparison between federal disability and social security disability

About the Show:

"Empowering Workers" is a podcast featuring Eric L. Pines, a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. The show focuses on federal employees' rights, disability claims, employment law, and Social Security Disability matters. Eric represents federal employees and serves as in-house counsel for over 50,000 federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative.