There Is No Offset Between Ohio Workers’ Compensation Temporary Total Disability (TTD) and OPERS Disability Benefits
If you are an Ohio public employee receiving — or applying for — both Ohio Workers’ Compensation Temporary Total Disability (TTD) and an Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) disability benefit, you may be wondering: will one payment reduce the other? The answer is straightforward: there is no offset between Ohio Workers’ Compensation TTD and OPERS disability benefits. You are entitled to receive both simultaneously, and neither benefit reduces the other.
This is a question that comes up frequently, and the confusion is understandable. Many injured workers assume that receiving money from two sources at the same time must trigger some kind of reduction. In this case, it does not.
Who Is Covered by OPERS?
The Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) is one the largest public pension fund in Ohio, providing retirement, disability, and survivor benefits for more than one million Ohio public employees. Under Ohio law, membership in OPERS is mandatory for all employees paid in whole or in part by the State of Ohio, a county, a municipality, or any other political subdivision of state or local government — unless they are covered by another state retirement system such as STRS (teachers) or SERS (school support staff).
OPERS covers a broad range of public workers, including:
- State agency employees
- County and municipal workers
- Police officers and firefighters (unless covered by OP&F)
- Public hospital employees
- Emergency medical technicians employed with public funds
- Employees of public universities and community colleges
If you work for a public employer in Ohio, the odds are high that you are an OPERS member.
What Is Ohio Workers’ Compensation Temporary Total Disability (TTD)?
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) is a wage-replacement benefit paid through the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) when a work-related injury or illness temporarily prevents you from returning to your job. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 4123.56, TTD is calculated as follows:
- First 12 weeks: 72% of your full weekly wage (FWW)
- After 12 weeks: 66⅔% of your average weekly wage (AWW) over the 52 weeks prior to injury
For 2025, the maximum TTD rate is $1,231 per week (without Social Security retirement benefits), and the minimum is $410.33 per week. These rates are adjusted annually by the Ohio BWC.
TTD continues until one of the following occurs:
- You return to work
- Your treating physician releases you to return to your former position
- Your employer offers a valid light-duty job within your medical restrictions
- You reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) — the point at which your condition has stabilized and further functional improvement is not expected
What Is an OPERS Disability Benefit?
An OPERS disability benefit is a monthly payment available to qualifying OPERS members whose physical or psychological condition prevents them from performing their job duties. Under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 145, to qualify for an OPERS disability benefit you generally must:
- Have at least five years of contributing service credit with OPERS (law enforcement members have “day one” coverage for on-duty injuries)
- Have a disabling condition expected to last at least 12 consecutive months
- Have gone off the payroll due to the disability
- File your application within two years of your final date of compensation with your last public employer
Importantly, your disability does not have to be work-related to qualify for OPERS disability benefits. Most OPERS disability recipients became disabled due to illness or a non-work-related accident. However, when the disability is work-related — such as a workplace injury — an injured worker may find themselves eligible for both OPERS disability benefits and Ohio Workers’ Compensation benefits at the same time.
The Key Point: No Offset Between TTD and OPERS Disability
This is where many public employees get confused — and where getting the right legal advice matters.
Ohio law does not require a reduction or offset of OPERS disability benefits based on the receipt of Ohio Workers’ Compensation TTD payments. The two benefit systems are governed by entirely separate bodies of law — Ohio Workers’ Compensation is governed by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4123, while OPERS is governed by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 145 — and neither statute imposes an offset of TTD against OPERS disability benefits.
In plain terms: if you are a public employee injured at work, you may collect your full TTD workers’ compensation benefit AND your full OPERS disability benefit at the same time, without either one being reduced because of the other.
This is a significant financial distinction that many injured public employees are unaware of — and one that makes getting experienced legal representation especially important. Failing to pursue both benefits means leaving money on the table that you are legally entitled to receive.
Important Distinctions to Keep in Mind
While there is no TTD/OPERS offset, there are some related nuances worth knowing:
OPERS and Social Security: OPERS members who have also worked in the private sector may be required to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) within 90 days of OPERS disability benefit approval, as OPERS is considered subordinate to the federal program in certain circumstances. This is a separate issue from the TTD/OPERS relationship.
PTD and Federal Benefits: Ohio Permanent Total Disability (PTD) workers’ compensation benefits — which are distinct from TTD — can be subject to offset if you are receiving federal disability benefits. This does not apply to TTD.
Service Credit: Under ORC Section 145.2915, OPERS members who were out of service receiving workers’ compensation benefits may be eligible to purchase service credit for that period upon returning to public employment — another benefit many injured workers overlook.
MMI and TTD Termination: A 2024 Ohio Supreme Court ruling (State ex rel. Dillon v. Indus. Comm., 2024-Ohio-744) changed the landscape for TTD termination after a finding of Maximum Medical Improvement, giving employers and the BWC a faster mechanism to end TTD payments and seek reimbursement for overpayments. This makes it more important than ever to have legal representation monitoring your claim.
Why This Matters — and What You Should Do
If you are an Ohio public employee who has been injured at work and is also facing a disabling condition, you may be entitled to significantly more financial support than you realize. The interplay between Ohio Workers’ Compensation and OPERS is complex, and mistakes — or simply not knowing what you’re entitled to — can cost you thousands of dollars in benefits.
Mike Gruhin — OSBA Board Certified Specialist in Ohio Workers’ Compensation for over 30 years (1999–2030) — has represented thousands of Ohio’s injured public employees, helping them obtain every dollar of benefits they are legally entitled to receive.
Contact Mike Gruhin for Your Free, No-Obligation Consultation →
DISCLAIMER: By accessing any website page or website post, the reader agrees that (1) The information above is general in nature and is not legal advice; (2) No attorney-client relationship is created; (3) Each claim is unique and must be carefully evaluated on its specific facts under current Ohio law and the most recent court decisions; and, (4) Such evaluations require advice from an experienced Ohio Workers’ Compensation Attorney.