How Disability Benefits Can Protect Your Pay

Life happens when we least expect it. That's why Carilion offers you options for disability and extended leave from your position. As an employee, you can enroll in short- and long-term disability benefits to replace a portion of your earnings if you are not able to work due to an accident, illness or injury. Knowing you will continue to get paid for a period, even if you're not working, can ease your concerns for the future. It's an affordable choice for peace of mind!

Short-Term Disability (There are Two Options)

Plan 1: Short-Term Disability

• Replaces 60% of your eligible earnings; paid to you weekly. 
• Has a 30-day benefit waiting period, which means this benefit takes effect after you have been out of work for 30 days.
• Uses PTO during the waiting period before the benefit starts paying you.

Examples of How It Works:

• Mark had knee surgery and was out of work for two and half months. He enrolled in the short-term disability plan when he was first eligible. He started to receive 60% of his weekly earnings 30 days after his surgery date, until he was able to return to work. 
• Lewis had elective surgery and was out of work for three months. Lewis did not elect short-term disability when he was first eligible and enrolled in this benefit for the first time during this past open enrollment. Since he elected short-term disability during open enrollment instead of when he was first eligible, he had a 60-day benefit waiting period (see Tips for Enrolling below). This means that his short-term disability benefit began paying him 60% of his weekly salary after he was out of work for 60 days. His disability benefit continued to pay him until he was able to return to work.

Plan 2: Short-Term Disability Buy-Up

• Replaces 60% of your eligible earnings; paid to you weekly.
• Has a 14-day benefit waiting period, which means this benefit takes effect after you have been out of work for 14 days instead of 30 days. 
• Uses less PTO before the disability benefit starts paying you. 

Examples of How It Works:

• Suzy became ill and was out of work for two months. She enrolled in the short-term disability buy-up plan when she was first eligible. After being out of work for 14 days, she started to receive 60% of her weekly earnings through her short-term disability benefit until she was able to recover and return to work. 
• Melinda just delivered her first baby by caesarean section and will be on maternity leave for 12 weeks. She enrolled in the short-term disability buy-up plan when she was first eligible. Melinda’s short-term disability buy-up plan paid her 60% of her weekly salary for six weeks starting on day 15 post-delivery. Because Melinda had a c-section, her short-term disability buy-up plan paid her for six weeks.

Long-Term Disability

• Replaces 60% of your eligible earnings; paid to you monthly.
• Takes effect after you have been out of work for at least 150 days.

Example of How It Works:

• Jerome was involved in a car accident and will be out of work indefinitely. So far, he’s been out of work for five months and it’s unknown when he will be able to return to work. Jerome enrolled in long-term disability when he was first eligible so he will be eligible to receive disability benefits under long-term disability until he can recover.

Tips for Enrolling

• Enroll in disability benefits when you are first eligible so you are not surprised by late-enrollment penalties and the need to get approval for coverage.
• If you enroll in either short-term disability plan benefit during open enrollment, your benefit waiting period will be 60 days for the first 12 months instead of 30 days or 14 days. 
• Enrolling in long-term disability when you’re first eligible will guarantee you coverage for this benefit. If you enroll in this benefit during open enrollment, you will need to be approved for this benefit before it becomes active.

Your Carilion Rewards has more information. For questions, contact the HR Service Center at hrservicecenter@carilionclinic.org.