Active or vested members who participated in WTC Rescue, Recovery or Clean-up Operations may file for disability retirement under current provisions of the WTC Law. A retiree may apply to be reclassified as a WTC disability retiree.

To be eligible to apply for a disability retirement or for reclassification under the WTC Law, you must have filed a Notice of Participation in WTC Rescue, Recovery or Clean-Up Operations with NYCERS (Form #622, available on NYCERS’ website at www.nycers.org). Your agency must verify your participation in Rescue, Recovery or Clean-Up operations at a WTC site.

The current deadline to file Form #622, Notice of Participation in WTC Rescue, Recovery or Clean-Up Operations, is September 22, 2022.

Track your Notice Online
Members with a registered MyNYCERS account can log into MyNYCERS and track the status of the verification of their WTC Notice of Participation online. The tracker displays the date NYCERS received the Notice, along with status updates during the verification process (e.g., Pending with Agency, Verified, Not Verified, etc.) Sign up or log in here: www.nycers.org

WTC Filing Requirement
With the exception of vestees and retirees applying for reclassification, you, a person acting on your behalf, or your agency head must file an application for disability retirement under the WTC Law either: (1) while you are active on City payroll; (2) within 3 months after you were last paid by your employer; or (3) within 12 months after you receive notice that your employment was terminated for medical reasons if you were on an approved medical leave of absence prior to termination.

WTC Reclassification
Individuals who are already retired for service or for a non-WRC disability benefit can submit an application for reclassification under WTC Law along with all required participation and medical evidence. If an applicant’s participation is verified, the Medical Board finds that the member is disabled from a qualifying WTC condition, and the NYCERS Board of Trustees finds that the WTC Law presumption is not rebutted, then the applicant will be approved for a tax-free WTC benefit that is payable from the date the NYCERS Board of Trustees approves the application.

Additional WTC benefits and information
Individuals who have experienced WTC-related health conditions (except for psychological conditions) can apply for additional benefits through the provision of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). To determine what benefits may be available, in addition to NYCERS WTC disability retirement or death benefits, go to the VCF website at https://www.vcf.gov/index.html or call the VCF at 1-855-855-1555.

Visit www.nycers.org/wtc for more information on WTC benefits and filing requirements. You may also sign up for MyNYCERS, the secure online portal to your NYCERS account. MyNYCERS is not required for the WTC disability process, but it will enable you to log in any time to view your account information, change your address, and file certain forms online.

Remember: The current deadline to file NYCERS Form #622, Notice of Participation in WTC Rescue, Recovery or Clean-up Operations, is September 11, 2022.