Short Term Disability
The College provides eligible employees with short-term disability insurance. Benefits are available for eligible employees when an employee is unable to work due to a non-work related injury, illness or condition. Please note that this policy is intended to serve as a brief summary and introduction to the short-term disability insurance benefits offered by the College. A more thorough explanation of the plan and benefits is contained in the Summary Plan Description and plan documents available from The Office of Human Resources. In the event of a discrepancy between the terms of this policy and the official plan documents, the official plan documents will control.
Covered Staff – Covered staff (those in non-teaching or professional capacities) are covered under the New York State short-term disability insurance program. The College pays the cost of coverage. Employees who are unable to work due to a non-job related illness, injury, or condition, may submit a claim for short-term disability benefits through the College’s insurance provider. Eligibility and qualification for benefits are governed by New York State Disability Benefits Law.
The benefits for covered support staff employees begin on the eighth calendar day of the disability and may continue for up to 26 weeks. Disability benefits are 50 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage (based on the last eight weeks of employment) up to a maximum weekly benefit of $170.00. Non-exempt staff may use sick time during the unpaid seven calendar day waiting period. Employees may also choose to supplement their short-term disability insurance benefits with available, accrued, vacation, personal, or floating holiday time.
After six (6) months of employment, an employee is eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of pay equal to the difference between employee’s average weekly wage and the amount of weekly wage covered by New York State short-term disability insurance.
Excepted Employees – Employees engaged in a professional or teaching capacity are not entitled to NYS short-term disability insurance. These employees are generally Regular Full-time, Regular Part-time, and Ten-month, Eleven-month and Twelve-month employees and are covered by the College’s self-funded short-term disability plan. After six (6) months of employment, the employee is eligible to receive up to 12 weeks of full pay. After 12 weeks’ long-term disability insurance may kick in, subject to eligibility and claim approval. Administrative and Professional Staff employees must use accrued sick time during the first seven calendar days.
Employees must still apply and be approved for a leave of absence (Medical Unpaid Leave of Absence or FMLA) which will run concurrently with receipt of any short-term disability insurance benefits provided under this policy.
All employee benefits remain active while an employee is on short-term disability leave.
In the event that an employee collects both short-term disability benefits and benefits under the New York State Paid Family Leave Benefits Law (“PFL”) at different times during the same 52-week rolling backward period, the maximum amount of time that can be taken for both short-term disability and PFL combined is 26 weeks. Short-term disability claims are processed, approved/denied, and administered by the College’s insurance carrier. Employees are responsible for paying all their payroll deductions while out of work on disability leave. Contact The Office of Human Resources for more information about short-term disability benefits.