The State of Louisiana currently has over 100,000 active members in its retirement system.   State employees include

  • Regular State Employees
  • Hazardous Duty Services
  • Correctional Officers
  • Wildlife Agents
  • Peace Officers
  • Bridge Police for the Crescent City Connection (DOTD)
  • Alcohol and Tobacco Agents for the Department of Revenue
  • Certain State Legislative Officers and Elected Officials
  • Judges and Court Officers

Typically, these employees do not pay into Social Security and are not eligible for Social Security benefits (retirement or disability) unless they had private work in addition to their state/local government employment. But what happens when you become sick or injured and are no longer able to work? Does the state retirement system provide any type of disability benefit?

Fortunately, the State of Louisiana Employee Retirement System (LASERs) does provide a disability retirement benefit. In order to qualify for this benefit, however, you must meet certain criteria. The two qualifying factors are:

  1. Employee must have at least 10 years of service regardless of age; and
  2. Employee must be an active member of LASERs at the time the disability application is submitted.

If you are a Louisiana State Employee who is disabled, you will need to complete Form 04-01 to apply for disability retirement.

Here are some tips for making sure your claim is as strong as possible:

  1. Make sure your own doctor has supporting evidence of your claimed disability;
  2. Make sure your own doctor’s records are submitted to the LASERs in support of your claim;
  3. Make sure the LASERs doctor is provided with your own medical record;
  4. Make sure the LASERs administrative claim file includes all of your evidence prior to closing – don’t wait or assume that you will be able to get evidence not in the file in front of a trial judge.
  5. If you are denied, you must appeal through the LASERs administrative process in order to bring a later claim in court.

If you are a Louisiana State employee who is fighting a disability denial, give me a call for help with properly preparing your administrative claim file for further litigation!

Loyd J. Bourgeois
by Loyd J. Bourgeois
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Nationally recognized attorney dedicated to fighting life's legal battles with compassion and care
3 Comments
I am a nurse with 16 years in the state retirement system. I am in end stages renal disease and on dialysis 4 hours a day 5 days a week. Would I qualify for disability under lasers.
by Steve Lanier January 4, 2021 at 09:47 PM
My nephew has cancer , works for the state and has 9.2 years in with them. Recently denied disability benefits because hasn’t met the 10 year criteria. This is outrageous ! He has been fighting the cancer for over a year now and really can’t work much because of his condition . This is unfair and they need to change their qualifying factors . Cancer is devastating enough without having to worry about losing everything you’ve worked so hard for just because you lack a few points in your years of service to the state. This is so wrong and heart wrenching for the patient and his family!! A change needs to come . Many people who are able don’t or have never worked a day in their life and they receive all kinds of state/government assistance . What is wrong with this picture?
by Gloria February 13, 2018 at 12:48 AM
Can a state employee with 27 years receive disability retirement
by Judy Norsworthy Sanders February 2, 2018 at 07:39 PM
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