Office of Human Resources

Long-Term Disability Insurance for Staff

The university provides group long-term total disability insurance to full-time staff (both non-exempt and exempt) and faculty. Summaries of the insurance coverages are listed below.

The group long-term disability insurance certificate describes the insurance in detail. The provisions of the formal plan document — not these summaries — shall govern entitlement to benefits, benefit levels and all other matters pertaining to the long-term total disability insurance.

Eligibility

Regular full-time staff scheduled to work full time during the academic year (not less than 39 weeks per year) are automatically enrolled on the first day of the month that coincides with or immediately follows the date of employment. The university pays the entire cost of the plan.

Definition of Total Disability

Total disability under this program is defined as the inability of the employee, by reason of physical disease, injury, pregnancy or mental disorder to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of his or her own occupation for two years, and thereafter, any occupation for which the employee is reasonably fit according to education, training and experience.

Benefits Coverage

The plan provides the following benefits, which begin on the first day of the month following six consecutive months of total disability and continue during the disability, except as stated under Duration of Benefits.

Monthly Income Benefit

The monthly income benefit is the amount equal to 60% of the first $16,667 of monthly base salary of predisability earnings, reduced by deductible income, to a $10,000 monthly maximum. This includes any income benefits payable from Social Security, retirement income and workers' compensation (refer to your insurance certificate for more information regarding deductible income). In no event will the disability insurance monthly income benefit be less than $100, even if this amount plus Social Security and workers' compensation benefits brings your total income to more than 60% of salary.

Monthly Basic Retirement Plan Contribution Benefit

For staff members who are participating in the basic retirement plan and are under age 50, or for those who have attained age 50 but have not yet qualified for the additional 2% university contribution toward the basic retirement plan, the amount of the monthly annuity premium benefit cannot exceed 9% of your eligible predisability earnings. For employees who are age 50 and over and are receiving the additional 2% university contribution toward the basic retirement plan, the monthly annuity premium benefit will be 11% of your eligible predisability earnings. The maximum amount cannot exceed the limits established by the applicable Internal Revenue Code section.

Duration of Benefits

For those receiving benefits from the university's insurance carrier, disability benefits cease in either or both of the following cases:

• On the first day of the month in which the period of continuous total disability ends.
• You fail to provide documentation to the university's insurance carrier, or if earlier, in accordance with the following schedule:

Maximum Benefit Period

Termination of Group Long-Term Disability Coverage

Membership in the group plan terminates if any of the following occurs:

• You cease to be in a class of eligible staff.
• Your work schedule is reduced to part-time status.
• The group insurance policy terminates.