Your Disability Benefits

If you are eligible for UC’s full benefits package, you are automatically enrolled in the Basic Short-Term Disability Insurance Plan (PDF) at no cost to you. The maximum benefit period for Short-Term Disability insurance benefits is 24 weeks.

The period for which a benefit is payable will begin on the later of the following:

• The 15th day of continuous Total Disability resulting from Injury or Sickness;
• Exhaustion of accumulated sick leave up to 22 working days/176 hours (prorated for part-time employees);
• The day your earnings cease.

The amount of insurance benefits paid will be the lesser of:

• 55% of your Eligible Earnings; or
• 60% of your Eligible Earnings less benefits from other income sources
• The maximum monthly benefit of $800.

Lincoln Financial ("Lincoln") determines whether you are disabled and eligible for benefits based on information from your treating physician. Therefore, you must be under a physician’s care to apply for Disability benefits.

If you have elected the Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance Plan (PDF) the cost of the plan will depend on factors including your age and your annual salary. The insurance premium calculator can determine your cost.

The period for which a benefit is payable will begin on the later of the following:

• The 15th day of Continuous Total Disability resulting from Injury or Sickness; 
• Exhaustion of accrued sick leave up to 22 working days/176 hours (prorated for part-time employees);
• The day earnings cease.

The amount of insurance benefits paid will be the lesser of:

• 60% of eligible earnings, or
• 60% of your eligible earnings less benefits from other income sources; or
• The maximum monthly benefit of $15,000.

The maximum benefit period for Voluntary Short-Term Disability benefits for any one Total Disability will end on the earliest of:

• The end of your Total Disability; or
• The end of your 24th week of Total Disability for which a benefit is payable.

Lincoln Financial ("Lincoln") determines whether you are disabled and eligible for benefits based on information from your treating physician. Therefore, you must be under a physician's care to apply for Disability benefits.

Work-Related Injuries/ Illness Only

If you have a Workers' Compensation claim due to a work-related injury or illness and have elected a Voluntary Disability plan, you may be eligible to apply for benefits under certain circumstances.

If your Workers' Compensation claim is approved, the third-party administrator, Sedgwick, will work directly with Lincoln to offset the temporary disability payments.

If you have a disabling illness, injury, or pregnancy and will be unable to work, you are eligible to apply for Basic (PDF) and Voluntary Short-Term Disability (PDF). It is important to apply promptly to ensure that your disability payments begin as soon as possible.

Step 1: Contact your supervisor and department HR contact

Contact your supervisor and department HR contact about the length of your expected disability leave. Complete the Leave of Absence Request Form (PDF) and forward it to your department supervisor and HR contact.

Note: If, after exhausting all paid leave time — (sick, vacation, and compensation time ) — and you have not satisfied your Lincoln disability waiting period, you may be eligible to apply for the Catastrophic Leave Program.

Resources

• UCnet - Applying for Disability 
• Family and Medical Leave Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Absence From Work (PDF)

Step 2: Report your claim

Download and refer to the following forms:

• Lincoln Disability Claim Form (PDF)
• Reporting Your Disability Claim (PDF) or Cómo reportar su reclamo de incapacidad (PDF) — follow the instruction listed on "How do I report a Claim"
• Your Guide to Filing for Disability Fact Sheet (PDF) or Su Guia de Beneficios por Discapacidad en la UC (PDF)

Provide your physician with the following forms:

• Reporting Your Disability Claim (PDF)
• Authorization to Release Medical Records (PDF)
• Authorization to Release Medical Records (Mental Health) (PDF)
• Reimbursement Agreement (PDF)
• Attending Physician’s Statement (PDF)

Note: The Lincoln Basic Short-Term Disability benefits are taxable and must be reported as taxable income. Voluntary Disability benefits are nontaxable. Notify Lincoln if you would prefer to have Federal and State taxes withheld from your disability payments. Social Security and Medicare will be withheld from your disability payments. Liberty will provide a W-2 form on the taxable portion you receive.

Step 3: If you have 18 months or less of service, or a second employer

If you have 18 months or less of University service, or have a second employer, you are required to apply for State Disability Insurance (SDI) benefits in addition to your Lincoln claim. SDI forms can be obtained by contacting the Employment Development Department (EDD) at (800) 480-3287 or online at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/.

Lincoln requires a copy of the SDI award letter from EDD before full benefits are payable. If you are awarded SDI benefits, Lincoln disability benefits will be adjusted accordingly.

Resources

• CA EDD: How to File a Claim

Step 4: Arrange for benefits and payroll deductions

While on leave without pay, your payroll deductions do not automatically continue. If your leave will extend beyond the end of the pay period, do the following:

• Insurance Continuation: Contact UCPath (855) 982-7284 for assistance. If you do not intend to continue any of your benefit plans, complete the Benefits Billing Election form (Under your UCPath Dashboard > Health & Welfare > Benefits Summary > Print Summary or Election Form). Submit your completed form to UCPath for processing (instructions are on the form). You may re-enroll within 31 days of your return-to-work date.
• Parking Permit: Contact Transportation and Parking Services regarding temporarily canceling your parking deduction. If not canceled, all missed permit payments will accrue while on leave and be deducted from your paycheck upon returning to work.
• Health Flexible Spending Account: If you are enrolled in the Health Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) (PDF), elect to continue, or cancel coverage during Family Medical Leave (FML) by completing a Benefits Billing Election form (Under your UCPath Dashboard > Health & Welfare > Benefits Summary > Print Summary or Election Form). Submit your completed form to UCPath for processing (instructions are on the form).
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending: Contributions stop when you go off pay status. For leaves under 120 days, UCPath will automatically reinstate your annual Dep Care FSA contribution amount upon returning to work. If your leave exceeded 120 days or you experienced a qualifying life event you can make changes to your Dep Care FSA (PDF) annual contribution amount, upon your return to work, complete a Life Status Event Form (FR 0.65). Submit your completed form to UCPath for processing (instructions are on the form).
• 403(b) Loan: If you have an outstanding 403(b) loan, contact Fidelity Investments at (866) 682-7787 to schedule monthly payments. Failure to do so may result in a default of your loan which will be reported to the IRS as income.
• Other deductions: Contact any local organizations such as a credit union, California Casualty, or United Way to schedule any payments that are normally withheld from your paycheck.

Resources

• UCNet: Taking a Leave of Absence
• Family and Medical Leave Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Payroll calendars

Step 5: If you need to extend your disability

• Provide your supervisor and department HR contact with an extended off work notice from your treating physician.
• Provide the same off work notice along with the treatment notes from your last physician office visit to your Lincoln Financial Case Manager to update your disability claim.

Additional information for pregnancy disability

• Enroll your child. You have 31 days after the birth to add your child to your benefits through your online UCPath account. You also may enroll in the Health and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. If you’re already enrolled, you can increase your contributions.
• When your pregnancy disability benefits end: Provide your supervisor/ department HR contact with the FML Return to Work Certification or a written release from your treating physician in order to return to work or begin your California Family Rights Act (CFRA) entitlement for parental/baby bonding.
• CFRA (parental/baby bonding) provisions: Review your sick and vacation accruals to determine your pay status during this leave.

Resources

• UCnet: Having a Baby
• UCnet: Pay for Family Care and Bonding Program
• UCnet: Leave Options
• UCnet: Adopting a Child
• Family Changes Checklist (PDF)
• Pregnancy, Newborn and Adopted Child Factsheet (PDF)
• Lincoln Birth Report Instructions (PDF)

When you’re ready to return to work communicate with your Department Supervisor/HR Contact and provide the required documentation. In addition, the Lincoln Financial Short-Term or Partial Disability plans may allow you to stay at work or return to work on a part-time basis while still receiving partial disability benefits. The Stay at Work/Return to Work (SAW/RTW) Program (PDF) requires the approval of your treating physician, Lincoln Financial, your supervisor and the Disability Management Coordinator.

Before you return

When you are released to return to work

• Provide your department with the FML Return to Work Certification or a written release or from your treating physician.

When you are released to return to work with restrictions

• Contact Disability Counseling and Consulting at 858-534-6744 if you have work restrictions or limitations prior to returning to work.
• Notify your Department Supervisor/HR Contact, Lincoln Financial Case Manager, Disability Management Coordinator, and your benefits representative if you are returning on partial disability.

If you are returning on a modified work schedule

• Discuss your work restriction(s) or limitation(s) with your Department Supervisor/HR Contact to determine if you are eligible for a reasonable accommodation. If approved, you will be eligible for the Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work (SAW/RTW) program (PDF) through Lincoln Financial.
• Work with your Lincoln Financial Case Manager on the SAW/RTW process to ensure partial disability payments are processed.
• If approved for the SAW/RTW program, it is your responsibility to temporarily suspend your Disability premiums by emailing your SAW/RTW start and end date to your UCSD Payroll representative. Failure to do so will result in an overpayment of supplemental disability premiums and may not be refunded.

After you return

• Within 31 days of your return to work, you’ll need to restart benefits you chose not to continue during your leave through your online UCPath account. If your leave was less than 120 days, you may re-enroll yourself (and your eligible family members) in the same plans, with the same coverage levels as before. After a longer leave, you may enroll in any UC-sponsored plans for which you’re eligible.
• Consider buying back retirement service credit (PDF) equal to the length of your leave period.
• Contact Transportation and Parking Services and other organizations to reactivate deductions suspended during your disability leave.
• Review every paycheck to ensure that you are re-enrolled in the benefits that may have lapsed (especially your disability benefits). Contact your Department Supervisor and HR Contact if there are any issues.

If you are receiving Liberty Short-Term benefits, your Lincoln Financial Case Manager will work with you to seamlessly transition to, Long-Term Disability, if you have elected the benefit.  

Consider discussing your Long-Term Disability options with your Lincoln Financial Case Manager, including UCRP Disability Income and Social Security Disability benefits.

To be eligible for Voluntary Long-Term Disability benefits, you must have elected the benefit during the respective enrollment period. Lincoln also requires that you be disabled and completely unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your own occupation, for which you are reasonably fitted by your education, training, or experience, for 2 years. After that time, you must be precluded from any occupation to continue eligibility.

Long-Term Disability benefits are transitioned from bi-weekly to monthly.

• The amount of insurance benefits paid will be the lesser of:
  • 60% of eligible earnings, or
  • 60% of your eligible earnings less benefits from other income sources; or
  • The maximum monthly benefit of $15,000.

If not receiving any income from other sources Lincoln Long-Term Disability benefits are reduced to 60%.

UCRP disability income

• UC provides UCRP Disability Income (PDF, see page 6) when an eligible member has a disability that is permanent or expected to last 12 consecutive months or longer from the UCRP disability date.
• You may apply for UCRP disability income at any age if you have at least five years of UCRP service credit.  Contact your UC San Diego benefits representative for more information about UCRP Disability.

UC retirement income

• UC provides UCRP Disability income when an eligible member has a disability that is permanent or expected to last 12 consecutive months or longer from the UCRP disability date.
• You may apply for UCRP disability income at any age if you have at least five years of UCRP service credit.

Social Security disability benefits

• Contact the Social Security Administration Office at (800) 772-1213 to file for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) benefits under that plan when it is determined that the Total Disability will extend beyond a 12-month period.
• Contact your Lincoln Financial Case Manager for additional information about the Advocator Group for assistance with filing for SSDI at (800) 838-4461.

Waiver of Premium

• If you are enrolled in the Supplemental Life plan, become totally disabled before age 65, and your disability continues for at least six consecutive months, you may qualify for continuance of life insurance protection without payment of premiums.
• Contact Prudential Life at (800) 524-0542 for assistance.