Short-term Disability

Short-term disability coverage, provided by Unum, provides Faculty, Staff, and Technical Service employees paid leave for illnesses and injuries lasting more than 14 or 30 days, up to 22 or 24 weeks, depending on which option you choose.

You must exhaust all of your sick time prior to the short-term disability benefit providing income replacement. See the STD plan document for more information. To enroll in Short-term Disability benefits, please visit Workday. You may enroll at any time as a late enrollee. For enrollment questions, please contact HR Services at (814) 865-1473.

  • Benefits are based on a per $10 of weekly benefit calculation
  • Benefit amount is 60% to a maximum benefit of $1,500 per week.
  • Maximum weekly covered salary is $2,500 ($130,000 of annual income)

Example: Employee earning $80,000 per year

Calculation: Annual base salary divided by 52 to determine weekly income

Weekly income ($1,538) x 60% = Weekly benefit ($923)

14-day elimination period option rate = .356

Monthly cost: .356 X $923 = $329 divided by $10 = $32.90 per month (Rate x weekly benefit divided by $10 = monthly contribution)

30-day elimination period option rate = .234 

Monthly cost: .234 x $923 = $216 divided by $10 = $21.60 (Rate x weekly benefit divided by $10 = monthly contribution)

Short-term disability Premiums for 2024 - Faculty & Staff
Coverage Monthly
Option 1: (14-day elimination period) $0.356
Option 2: (30-day elimination period) $0.234

What is not covered

Benefits would not be paid for disabilities caused by, contributed to by, or resulting from:

  • War, declared or undeclared or any act of war;
  • Active participation in a riot;
  • Intentionally self-inflicted injuries;
  • Loss of professional license, occupational license or certification;
  • Commission of a crime for which you have been convicted;
  • Any period of disability during which you are incarcerated;
  • Any occupational injury or sickness (this will not apply to a partner or sole proprietor who cannot be covered by law under workers’ compensation or any similar law);
  • Pre-existing conditions (see below definition)
    • You received medical treatment, consultation, care or services including diagnostic measures, or took prescribed drugs or medicines in the 3 months just prior to your effective date of coverage; and
    • The disability begins in the first 12 months after your effective date of coverage.

If you are already pregnant when you first enroll in the short term disability benefit, the pre-existing exclusion will apply and benefits will not be payable for that particular pregnancy condition.

Claims

To file a disability claim, contact Unum. There are two methods to initiate your claim:

Phone: 1-866-860-2066

Online: www.unum.com/claims

Please see the short-term disability claim instructions. During your disability, you will be required to communicate your status with Unum and provide them with updates from your physician. Unum has a mobile app you can use to communicate and upload your supporting documents. During your leave of absence, you will work with Absence Management for all of your information and status updates. Please contact them at [email protected] or (814) 865-1782.