Sometimes you may need to be out of work to care for your own serious illness or injury. We provide you with both a short and long-term disability program that helps support you through that time.

Short-term Disability (commonly referred to as STD)  begins when you are out of the office for 5 consecutive days. The first four days are typically used as sick days, and disability begins on your fifth day out of the office. If you are hospitalized overnight however, STD begins on day 1.  You should contact The Benefits Center at 1-800-220-1716 and select the prompt for Absence Management as soon as you know you are going to be out and open a claim for STD.  The process can be done over the phone and takes approximately 8-10 minutes.  You will need to give information about your doctor, your expected time out of the office, and your work schedule. If you are unable to call, your manager or your HR Business Partner can call on your behalf to open the claim.

STD can be available to you for up to 26 weeks. While you are out, you and your provider will be expected to provide MetLife (our absence provider) with updates on your conditions by completing the necessary paperwork that will be mailed (or emailed) to you.  If you work or reside in New Jersey or California, you will need to complete the state disability forms, in addition to the MetLife provided forms. You also need to keep your manager informed on when he/she can expect you to return to the office.

Before returning to the office, you should touch base with your claims manager at MetLife to ensure a return to work notice has been provided by your doctor. You cannot return to the office if this notice has not been provided to MetLife.

In the event that you cannot return to work within 26 weeks, MetLife will work with you and your doctor to review your case for Long-term Disability (known as LTD). If you are approved for LTD, your paychecks from the Company will cease and you will receive a monthly payment from MetLife.  Payment while on LTD is at 60% of your base salary and bonus and can continue up to age 65-assuming you remain medically disabled.  This process will begin automatically around 90 days out of the office, you will not have to request or initiate on your own.

For more information, talk with your Human Resources Generalist or call Met Life at 1-800-220-1716.