Disability Programs
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Short Term Disability (STD) and Long Term Disability (LTD)
Your most valuable asset isn’t your house, car or retirement account. It’s the ability to make a living. Disability insurance pays a portion of your income if you can’t work for an extended period because of an illness or injury. Let's look at an unpleasant job scenario: You become disabled and can't work for two or three months. Would you have enough tucked into your savings to cover all your living expenses during that time?
Short-term disability insurance pays a percentage of your salary if you become temporarily disabled, meaning that you are not able to work for a short period of time due to sickness or injury (excluding on-the-job injuries, which are covered by workers compensation insurance).
**If you are contracted to work at least 20 hours per week or are a member of VRS you will be auto enrolled in this plan. If you are a VRS member, your coverage is based on the Virginia Retirement System plan you participate in (Plan 1, Plan 2, or Hybrid). If you do not know what plan you are participating in, please refer to the “Retirement” section.
If you are a MCPS employee, please log into MyMCPS and visit the benefits page for additional information and resources!
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STD and LTD for employees contracted to work 20+ hours per week, VRS Plan 1 member and VRS Plan 2 Members
Upon employment, MCPS auto enrolls you in our employee paid, short term disability (STD) program through a company called The Standard. As an employer we are able to get group coverage rates which are generally less expensive than purchasing the coverage on your own. If you are a VRS Plan 1 member, Plan 2 member, or are contracted to work at least 20 hours per week you will maintain this plan throughout your employment.
Here is how it works. You pay a monthly premium to be covered. When illness or injury prevents you from working, you apply for the benefit by speaking to Laura Yankoviak from the HR Department. She can provide you with detailed information on how to start a claim, the approval process, and returning to work. This plan has a 14 day waiting period and requires you to exhaust all of your leave before benefits can be paid out. After the waiting period is over and you have exhausted your leave, you will receive 60% of your income. Benefit payments end when the disability ends, if that happens sooner than the 166 day maximum benefit period. If you're still unable to work when your short-term disability benefits end, you may be eligible to receive long-term disability benefits.
As a new employee, you are also automatically enrolled in the employer paid, long term disability (LTD) program through The Standard. The division pays the monthly premium and if you are unable to return to work after your STD benefits end, you can submit the forms to start a long term disability claim. This plan pays 60% of your income and has a maximum benefit period up to your social security normal retirement age.
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STD and LTD for VRS Hybrid Members
Upon employment, MCPS auto enrolls you in our employee paid, short term disability (STD) program through a company called The Standard. As an employer, we are able to get group coverage rates which are generally less expensive than purchasing the coverage on your own. If you are a VRS Hybrid plan member, you will be enrolled in this plan for 1 year. After you have been employed with MCPS for 1 year, you will move to our employer-paid short-term disability plan.
Here is how it works. For the first year, you will pay a monthly premium to be covered. When illness or injury prevents you from working, you apply for the benefit by speaking to Laura Yankoviak from the HR Department. She can provide you with detailed information on how to start a claim, the approval process, and returning to work. This plan has a 14 day waiting period and requires you to exhaust all of your leave before benefits can be paid out. After the waiting period is over and you have exhausted your leave, you will receive 60% of your income. Benefit payments end when the disability ends, if that happens sooner than the 166 day maximum benefit period. If you're still unable to work when your short-term disability benefits end, you may be eligible to receive long-term disability benefits.
After your first year with MCPS, you will automatically be moved to the employer-paid STD plan administered by Anthem Life. With this new plan, the benefit plan waiting period moves to only 7 days, the maximum benefit period is 125 days, and the payout amount changes based on your years of service.
As a new employee, you are also automatically enrolled in the employer-paid, long term disability (LTD) program through Anthem Life. The division pays the monthly premium and if you are unable to return to work after your STD benefits end, you can submit the forms to start a long-term disability claim. This plan pays 60% of your income and if you become disabled before age 60, the LTD benefits may continue until your social security normal retirement age. If you become disabled at age 60 or older, the benefit duration is determined by the age when your disability began.
Short Term Disability - STD
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Short Term Disability - STD
Short-term disability (STD) insurance pays a percentage of your salary if you become temporarily disabled. If you are not able to work for a short period of time due to sickness or injury (excluding on-the-job injuries, which are covered by workers compensation insurance) and have used all of your paid leave, you could still receive a portion of your salary. All claims will be reviewed and approved by our third party administrators.
You are auto enrolled in the STD programs based on your Virginia Retirement System membership.
The short-term disability benefit offered through The Standard Insurance Company helps provide financial protection for covered members by providing a weekly benefit of 60% of your weekly income in the event of a covered disability. Employees should report their disability as soon as they believe they will be absent from work beyond seven (7) calendar days. Please be advised that STD benefits will not be paid while an employee is receiving sick pay or worker's compensation. To file a claim, please contact Laura Yankoviak in the Benefits Office at 571-377-6031 or lyankoviak@mcpsva.org.
Summary of Short-Term Disability Benefits:
- Legacy (Non-Hybrid) Members
- Hybrid Members
- VaCorp Hybrid Members Short Term Disability FAQ
- Hybrid Short Term Disability Benefits at a Glance
- VaCorp Hybrid Members Short Term Disability Handbook
- VaCorp Hybrid Short Term Disability Certificate of Coverage
Summary of Long-Term Disability Benefits:
- Hybrid Long Term Disability Benefits at a Glance
- Hybrid Long Term Disability Certificate of Coverage
Contact The Standard with questions regarding your claim at 800-368-2859.