Short-Term Disability

Short-term disability insurance provides nearly full income replacement if you are unable to work for an extended period due to an approved medical condition. Once you have fulfilled the applicable waiting period, short-term disability insurance provides income protection up to 66.67% of your annual base benefits pay (up to $5,000 per week maximum).

Short-term disability benefits may continue for up to 24 weeks. The benefit is administered by MetLife. Learn more in the Summary Plan Description.

• STD Base Coverage
• STD Buy-up Coverage
• STD Enrollment
• STD Premium Costs
• How to file a claim
• Receiving STD benefits
• Status while on STD
• Returning to Work
• FAQs

Short-Term Disability Base Coverage

For eligible employees, Vanderbilt pays for your base portion of the short-term disability benefit that replaces up to 66.67% of your annual salary, up to a maximum benefit amount of $308 per week. This covers up to $24,000 of your annual salary.

Short-Term Disability Buy-up Coverage

In order to have the full benefit of 66.67% of your annual salary beyond the $24,000 Vanderbilt provides, eligible employees must elect the short-term disability buy up coverage.

If you enroll in buy-up coverage as a new hire, you do not need to complete a statement of health form for MetLife. However, if you wait to enroll in the buy-up coverage at a later date, medical review will be required by MetLife in prove your good health and insurability. If you do not pass medical review, MetLife could deny your application and your buy-up coverage would be denied.

You may opt out of the buy-up coverage at any time. However, if you do and you choose to re-enroll at a later date, you would be required to complete a statement of health form for MetLife and coverage may be denied.

Short-Term Disability Enrollment

Automatic enrollment in the base and buy-up short-term disability coverage occurs on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. You may waive the buy-up short-term disability coverage at any time by going to My VU Benefits.

You may make changes to your STD buy-up coverage enrollment at any time during the year, without a qualifying event. To make changes, go to My VU Benefits and log in with your VUnetID and password. Then under Change Your Current Benefits, select Change Voluntary Benefits. Enter today’s date and click Save. Please note, coverage is not guaranteed. Once you have completed enrollment, you will be prompted to complete MetLife’s statement of health form. If you do not complete the form online, one will be mailed to your address on file.

Short-Term Disability Premium Costs

Vanderbilt pays for short-term disability insurance covering the first $24,000 of your annual base salary. You pay for the coverage above $24,000. The cost is 0.336 cents per $10 weekly benefit. Your monthly cost is calculated automatically when you enroll for your benefits on the My VU Benefits website. If you prefer to calculate your buy-up premium cost, here is the process to use:

1. Subtract $24,000 from your annual salary (Vanderbilt pays for the first $24,000 coverage).
   • Example: $40,000 annual salary - $24,000 = $16,000
2. Divide this figure by 52 to get your weekly buy-up salary.
   • Example: $16,000 / 52 = $307.69
3. Multiply this figure by 0.667 to get your weekly buy-up benefit.
   • Example: $307.69 x 0.667 / 10 = $205.23.
4. Multiply this figure by 0.336 (premium rate).
   • Example: $205.23 x 0.336 / 10 = $6.90. 
5. This gives you your monthly buy-up payroll premium.
   • Example: your monthly premium = $6.90

When you receive the disability pay, you will be responsible for the income taxes on the base portion of your benefit (the first $24,000 of your annual base salary paid for by Vanderbilt). However, since your buy-up short-term disability premiums are after-tax, you will not owe income taxes on your portion of the benefit, (the coverage above $24,000 paid by you).

How to file a STD claim

To file a claim with MetLife, go to MetLink to start the claim process or call MetLife at 1-833-622-0135.  

If this is your first time logging into the MetLife system you will need to register first. Read our Registration guide. 

Receiving Short-Term Disability Benefits

When you receive income from a source other than your MetLife disability benefit, such as workers' compensation or Social Security Disability Insurance, it may be deducted from your total disability benefit. You will not receive payments from PTO, legacy sick, and short-term disability insurance at the same time.

If you are enrolled in the buy-up option for the short-term disability plan, you are not required to use up your legacy sick time or PTO before short-term disability benefits can begin.

If you are only enrolled in the base short-term disability plan (you are not in the buy-up option), you must first use all your legacy sick time before the short-term disability benefits can begin. Please refer to the Legacy Sick Time and FMLA and TMLA Leave policies regarding important information about how and when you can use legacy sick time in conjunction with short-term disability insurance.

It may happen that your 14-calendar day waiting period is complete and MetLife has not yet made a decision on your claim. If this happens, there will be a gap of time while eligibility is being determined. During this 'gap of time' you will be placed automatically 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 MetLife later determines that you are eligible, the benefit will be retroactive to the day the waiting period was met. For example, you become disabled on November 2. Your waiting period would end November 16. However, MetLife 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 insurance payment, MetLife will pay you retroactively, back to the eligibility date of November 16.

If you elect to be paid during the gap of time by using your accrued time (PTO or legacy sick), and MetLife 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.

Status While on Short-Term Disability

Once disability benefits are approved, your status in Oracle will be changed to Leave of Absence due to Short-Term Disability.

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. For information about direct billing contact the Direct Billing Administrator, Empyrean Billing Services, by calling 833.874.1600.

If you are not able to return to work and have been in a Leave of Absence for six months, you may be eligible for long-term disability. If you are approved for long-term disability, your employment relationship with Vanderbilt and benefits, including health care coverage if you have been receiving it, will end effective the last day of the month after your long-term disability is approved by MetLife.

Returning to Work

You will need to keep MetLife and your supervisor 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 your FMLA Consultant to complete the necessary paperwork.

Refer to the FMLA and TMLA Leave policy for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How does short-term disability insurance work with PTO?
All PTO-eligible staff that have been employed at Vanderbilt are enrolled in short-term disability with the base coverage (paid by Vanderbilt) and/or the buy-up coverage (paid by you). There is a waiting period of 14 calendar days before short-term disability begins. You can use time in your PTO bank or legacy sick time during this waiting period. Note that PTO or legacy sick time and short-term disability cannot be used at the same time.

How many weeks of short-term disability will I receive if I have a baby and have a normal delivery?
Mothers will receive 6 weeks of short-term disability payments, after the 14 calendar day waiting period, for a delivery without complications (both normal and c-section).

Is there a pre-existing condition clause in the enhanced short-term disability insurance program?
There is not a pre-existing condition clause if you enroll in the plan as a new employee. Please review the Summary Plan Description for full details.

I am a new staff member, and I didn't choose the buy-up coverage when I enrolled for benefits. Can I add it now?
Yes, you can go to My VU Benefits  to elect buy-up coverage. You will need to complete an statement of health form and be approved by MetLife to be qualified for coverage.

Do I have to wait a certain amount of time before the short-term disability benefit begins? How does that work?
Yes, there is a two-week waiting period (14 calendar days). You can use PTO or legacy sick time until the short-term disability benefit begins. If you waived buy-up coverage and enrolled in only the base option, you must use any accrued legacy sick time you have before short-term disability begins. Short-term disability can last for up to 24 weeks. You will need to a file a claim to receive the benefit and have your physician complete paperwork before you return to work.

Can I use short-term disability for my spouse's or child's illness?
No, short-term disability is only for your own covered medical condition.

If I stop employment with Vanderbilt, will my short-term disability end?
If you are on leave and receiving short-term disability income, it will continue after your employment ends as long as you are eligible. Please review the Summary Plan Description for full details.

Will I accrue PTO while I'm on short-term disability?
No, you will not accrue PTO while on short-term disability because you will be in an unpaid status with Vanderbilt. You will be paid by MetLife (Vanderbilt's disability insurance provider) during your leave.