Disability Leave

Short-Term Disability Coverage

Exempt and Non-exempt Staff (Salary Grade 17 and below)

Short-term disability coverage provides you and your family with financial protection if you are temporarily unable to work as the result of a sickness or non-work related injury. The university pays for this coverage—there is no cost to you!

After an eligible employee has been on medical leave for fourteen (14) consecutive days, they may qualify for short-term disability. Employee must first exhaust all accrued sick and vacation time before beginning short-term disability. Short-term disability pays 50 percent of salary, up to a maximum of $400 per week. The benefit covers up to 26 weeks of disability. Staff are eligible after 90 days of service.  

Long-Term Disability Coverage

All Benefits Eligible Employees

Long-term disability coverage provides you and your family with important financial protection if you are ever disabled. The university pays for this coverage there is no cost to you.

You receive 60 percent of your pay, minus any primary Social Security payments, workers' compensation and other group long-term disability benefits you receive while you are disabled for longer than 180 days. The maximum monthly benefit is $6,000; the minimum monthly benefit is $100.

Long-term disability payments continue until:

  • your disability ends,
  • you begin working,
  • your retirement or
  • your death

If you became disabled at age 60 or later, your benefit period changes based on the following table.

Age at Disability Maximum Benefit Period
Less than age 60 To age 65 (but not less than 60 months)
60 60 months
61 48 months
62 42 months
63 36 months
64 30 months
65 24 months
66 21 months
67 18 months
68 15 months
69 12 months

Long-term disability coverage is in addition to the university's income protection plan, which allows staff members to draw from their balance up to a maximum of 26 weeks within any twelve month time period for personal medical leave, depending on your accrued balance. Long-term disability benefits are subject to other sources of income and are taxable when paid to you.