R.I. Gen. Laws
Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-21-19 (2026)

Retirement for ordinary disability

✓ current as of July 2026
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(a) Any member who has had five (5) or more years of total service, may, upon the member’s own application or upon application of the employer, or some person acting in the member’s behalf, while in active service or on leave of absence for illness, apply for ordinary disability retirement; provided, that the member is not entitled to a regular service retirement allowance and; provided, that the member has at least three (3) consecutive years of service as an employee of a participating municipality within the five (5) years needed to be eligible under this section.

(b) A statement from a physician shall accompany the application stating that the member is physically or mentally incapacitated for the performance of duty and that the member ought to be retired.

(c) A medical examination of the member shall be made by three (3) physicians engaged by the retirement board for this purpose, and should the medical examination show that the member is physically or mentally incapacitated for the performance of duty and ought to be retired, the physicians shall so report and certify to the retirement board and the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.

(d) The retirement board shall establish uniform eligibility requirement standards and criteria for ordinary disability which apply to all members who make application for retirement for ordinary disability.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3 cases, 1995–2020 · leading case: McGrath v. Rhode Island Ret. Bd. Ex Rel. Mayer, 906 F. Supp. 749 (D.R.I. 1995).
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McGrath v. Rhode Island Ret. Bd. Ex Rel. Mayer, 906 F. Supp. 749 (D.R.I. 1995). · cites it 2× “1, §§ 36-10-12 through 36-10-15 and §§ 45-21-19 through 45-21-22 of the general laws, no member shall be eligible for pension benefits under this chapter unless the member shall have been a contributing member of the employee’s retirement system for at least ten (10) years.”
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). · cites it 10× “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). · cites it 10× “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-21-19(a) — 2 cases
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
— R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-21-19(c) — 2 cases
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
The City of Cranston v. Int'l Bhd. of Police Officers, Local 301 (R.I. 2020). “To support -8- this argument, the City targets the language in G.L. 1956 § 45-21-19 that says that “the retirement board may retire the member for ordinary disability.”
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