Short-term Disability Insurance
Short-term Disability is an optional benefit for staff that would pay 66 2/3 of your income (up to $2,500 per week) if you become sick or injured outside of the workplace. You may apply for Short-term Disability within three months of your hire date by responding to the packet mailed to your home address from The Hartford. You may also apply for Short-term Disability during Vanderbilt's annual Open Enrollment period.
The information on this page is for 2009. For Open Enrollment for 2010, go to: http://hr.vanderbilt.edu/benefits/std.htm
2009
How to File a Short-term Disability Claim
Receiving Short-term Disability Benefits
Employment Status While on Short-term Disabilty
Returning to Work
Enrollment for New Staff
There are two options for Short-term Disability — Option 1 has a 15-day wait before benefits would be paid (and those benefits could pay up to 24 weeks) and Option 2 has a 30-day wait before benefits would be paid (and those benefits could pay up to 22 weeks).
Your monthly cost for Option 1 is 89¢ per $10 of weekly benefit. The monthly cost for Option 2 (30-day wait) is 56¢ per $10 weekly benefit. Weekly benefit rates are calculated by multiplying your pre-disability weekly salary by .6667.
To calculate your monthly cost for the two Short-term Disability options, first calculate the amount of weekly benefit:
| ÷ 52 = | × .6667 = | ÷ $10 = | ||||
Your Annual Salary |
Your Weekly Salary |
Your Weekly Benefit |
Your Weekly Factor |
Then multiply your 'weekly factor' by the rate for the cost of each option.
Option 1:
| × .89 = | ||
Your Weekly Factor |
Your Monthly Cost for Option 1 |
Option 2:
| × .56 = | ||
Your Weekly Factor |
Your Monthly Cost for Option 2 |
How to File a Short-term Disability Claim
Call The Hartford at 800.445.9057 or go to www.thehartfordatwork.com. You will need to reference the Vanderbilt contract number, GL 675024. A claim will be set up on your behalf and a questionnaire will be sent to the Office of Benefits Administration for completion, with the assistance of your immediate supervisor. You will be reuired to provide Information from your doctor’s office as well. When the Hartford is in receipt of the completed application, they will notify the Office of Benefits Administration if your claim is approved as eligible for Short-term Disability benefits.
Receiving Short-term Disability Benefits
Other income resulting from the current disability (e.g., worker's compensation) will reduce your Short-term Disability benefit amount. You will not receive payments from sick, vacation and/or personal leave and Short-term Disability at the same time. You are not required to deplete (use up) your sick time or vacation time before Short-term Disability benefits can begin. (See Policy #HR-029)
It may happen that your waiting period (15-day or 30-day) is complete and The Hartford has not yet determined claim eligibility. If this happens, there will be a gap of time while eligibility is being determined. During this 'gap of time' you will automatically be placed in an unpaid leave status, unless you request, in writing, to be paid using accrued time.
'Gap of time' examples:
If you elect to go on unpaid leave during the gap of time and The Hartford later determines that you are eligible, the benefit will be retroactive to the day the waiting period was met. For example, you have coverage under Option 1 (15-day wait) and you become disabled on November 2. Your waiting period would end November 16. However, The Hartford doesn't determine whether this disability is covered until December 8. In this example, you have chosen to go on unpaid leave during those three weeks. When the determination is made that this claim is eligible for Short-term Disability payment, The Hartford will pay you retroactively, back to the eligibility date of November 16.
If you elect be paid during the gap of time by using your accrued time (sick, vacation or personal), and The Hartford later determines that this claim is eligible for payment, the Short-term Disability income benefit will begin on December 8. You cannot 'give back' your time taken and ask that the payments be made retroactive to November 16.
Contact the Office of Benefits Administration if you want to formally request to be paid from your accrued time during the determination period.
Employment Status While on Short-term Disabilty
A Personnel Action Form will be completed, placing you on Leave of Absence due to Short-term Disability (LOA/STD).
During the time you are paid Short-term Disability benefits, you are considered to be in an 'unpaid status' with Vanderbilt. Unpaid status with Vanderbilt will result in having to pay other benefit premiums (such as health, dental, or life insurance) through direct billing, if the unpaid status is in place for longer than one pay period.
Following an initial disability, the benefit is made available to you again after you return to work as an active, full-time employee for 30 or more consecutive days.
Returning to Work
You will need to keep The Hartford updated on your status while on leave. When your doctor releases you to return to work, you will need to coordinate with your supervisor and Employee Relations to complete the necessary paperwork. Refer to the "Return from Leave of Absence" section in Policy #HR-012.
For complete details on the Short-term Disability benefit, refer to the "Short-term Disability Summary Plan Description" on the Forms and Documents page.
The Hartford administers Short-term Disability benefits.
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HR Express 2525 West End Ave Suite 218 Nashville TN 37203 Hours M-F 7:30 - 5:30 Last Updated: October 19, 2009 |
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