Disability Insurance
Short Term Disability (STD) and Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance provide an income replacement benefit in the event you are unable to work because of an eligible disability.
Eligibility
To enroll, you must be:
- Employed in a benefit-eligible position with the University.
- Actively at work at least 20 hours each week. If you are not actively at work on the day before the scheduled effective date, your insurance will become effective the day after you complete 1 day of active work as an eligible employee.
- A citizen or resident of the United States or Canada.
Plan Options
You may choose to enroll in LTD only or you may choose to enroll in both STD and LTD. (To enroll in STD, you must also be enrolled in LTD.)
Benefit Amounts
| Short Term Disability | Long Term Disability | |
| Income Replacement | 60% | 60% |
| Benefits Paid | Weekly | Monthly |
| Maximum Benefit | $5,000/week | $25,000/month |
| Minimum Benefit | $15/week | $100/month |
Premiums
Premiums are based on your monthly compensation and the University-funded retirement plan in which you are enrolled. See the rate calculation sheet to estimate your monthly premiums. The University makes a contribution toward the LTD premium ($8 per month for .75 to 1.0 FTE or $4 per month for .50 to .74 FTE) for faculty and staff other than practicing physicians. If you work .75 FTE or greater and your monthly compensation is $1,400 or less, your premiums for LTD will be paid in full by the University.
Benefit Waiting Period
The benefit waiting period for STD is 90 days (180 days for LTD). This is the period of time that you must be continuously disabled before benefits become payable. Benefits will begin at the end of the benefit waiting period or once you have exhausted all sick leave accruals, whichever occurs later.
Disability
During the benefit waiting period and to the end of the maximum benefit period, you are considered disabled if, as a result of physical disease, injury, pregnancy or mental disorder:
- You are unable to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of your own occupation, during the first two years of disability and thereafter, you are unable to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of any occupation for which you are qualified by education, training, or experience.
- You suffer a loss of at least 20 percent of your indexed predisability earnings when working in your own occupation.
Practicing Physicians are enrolled in a separate class of coverage that defines disability differently.
STD pays a benefit in the event you cannot work because of a covered non-occupational illness or injury (on-the-job injuries are covered by workers compensation insurance). LTD covers on-the-job injuries. See the policy document for additional information, limitations and exclusions.
When Benefits End
If you become disabled, STD benefits continue during disability up to 180 days. LTD benefits begin on the 181st day. Benefits end automatically on the earliest of:
- The date you are no longer disabled
- The date your maximum benefit period ends
- The date you die
- The date benefits become payable under any other disability insurance plan under which you become insured through employment during a period of temporary recovery
- The date you fail to provide proof of continued disability
Group Insurance Certificate This page contains only a brief summary of some of the features of the disability insurance available to University employees. The exact details of the insurance coverage are included in the policy and certificate documents. This summary does not in any way control or modify the insurance coverage.
Enrollment
New hires may enroll during their initial enrollment period (first 90 days after hire or transfer into a benefit-eligible position with the University). Employees who do not enroll during this time period may be able to enroll by applying for STD and LTD and providing evidence of good health (applications are subject to approval by Standard). Employees may cancel coverage at any time.
HOW TO ENROLL
If you are an employee in a benefit-eligible position, you may enroll in long term and short term disability insurance by completing an enrollment form and submitting it, with proof of good health (if required), to the Benefits Department. Additional paperwork may be required by the insurance carrier. Proof of good health is not required for insurance if you enroll during your Initial Enrollment Period (first 90 days after the date you are hired into a benefit-eligible position).