Short-term disability issues

Hrhodes78

Here's the run down...I'm due July 15th, we got married December 16th, I switched to my husbands insurance within the 30 days after our marriage but failed to sign up for short-term disability because I wasn't aware it could be used for pregnancy.

Once I found out short-term disability could be used I emailed my HR rep. She sais that even if I did ask her about signing up I could not until August during the enrollment period. She said that even if I did sign up in August there is a 3 month waiting period and other rules. Basicly she's telling me I'm screwed.

 Please tell me there is some way around this!

ks3pink

Unfortunately if you don't sign up when you are eligible you have to wait until the company has open enrollment which appears to be August from what you are saying.  Sorry!

sassafras007

If you did not sign up in the window there is probably nothing you can do about it now...

kjg5445

i dont really think theres a way around it. You are only allowed to enroll into benefits during open enrollment or if there is something allowing you to enroll like the birth of a child or marriage ect. But if theres a 3 month waiting period even after you enroll i guess theres really nothing you can do =/ you unfortunately cant get benefits when you "need" them only otherwise everyone would be a lot happier with the health system!!!

pugznploons

yeah you are SOL.  Do you qualify for FMLA?  (company larger than 50 employees, been there for over a year).  That will at least give you 12 weeks unpaid leave and will hold a job for you with the company.  

doodlescaboodles

This happened with me as well. HOWEVER...the only way to get around it is if you are given a mandatory bed rest order from the doctor due to a medical complication (i.e. early dialation, unstoppable contractions, etc). Your will want to call your STD company to get the paperwork for the claim (I got mine early so I will be prepared if/when it does happen).

Hope this helps a little bit.

ks3pink

doodlescaboodles:

This happened with me as well. HOWEVER...the only way to get around it is if you are given a mandatory bed rest order from the doctor due to a medical complication (i.e. early dialation, unstoppable contractions, etc). Your will want to call your STD company to get the paperwork for the claim (I got mine early so I will be prepared if/when it does happen).

Hope this helps a little bit.

How will this help if she doesn't have short term already?   

kjg5445

ks3pink:

doodlescaboodles:

This happened with me as well. HOWEVER...the only way to get around it is if you are given a mandatory bed rest order from the doctor due to a medical complication (i.e. early dialation, unstoppable contractions, etc). Your will want to call your STD company to get the paperwork for the claim (I got mine early so I will be prepared if/when it does happen).

Hope this helps a little bit.

How will this help if she doesn't have short term already?   

this. she doesn't automatically qualify for it if something happens to her - she has to have it already 

Nikko Blue

Can you find out what insurance company your company uses for STD and call them? I have Prudential, and I called them up and spoke with someone to verify exactly what date I would be covered for pregnancy.

mhubbar5

I had a similar experience. The month I found out I was pregnant, I lost my full time benefits. As a full time employee STD is an automatic thing. For a part time employee ( which i now was ) its not automatic and has to be picked up within thirty days of moving from full time to part time benefits. Well, no one told me that until well after my thirty days. So I qualified for FMLA but I had to take my maternity leave unpaid. The next year, I made sure to sign up for STD as a part time employee. I figured once i signed up, that was it. I would always have it. So, when we got our BFP in jan. I looked to make sure i still had it, and NO, I did not. It is something that, for part time employees, has to be picked up every year during open enrollment. I swear they couldn't make it anymore confusing!!! So, when i was full time, i had it for years without even knowing it, and now i am going to have to take a second unpaid maternity leave! I have learned my lession, you really have to understand exactly how your benefits work and ask a million questions!! otherwise you get screwed!!

moni0451

Lurking here...even if you found a way around it, most STD companies do not cover maternity leave within the first 9months of your policy.  That happened to me with my first!

cwm11985

Unfortunately, like everyone has said you are probably out of luck.  You can check to see if you qualify for FMLA, but, you won't be given any money for that like you would with STD.  Best bet is to start saving up as much as you can!

deniseM81

Stay away from group life insurance policies; they are unreliable and can be lost if you leave the job (even if you choose to quit yourself). Or worse, the employer can stop offering it and your family will be left without coverage. You will find some very affordable term life insurance rates for yourself online; take a look at this when you can pay for the premiums on a policy on yourself. You could look up quotes for DS as well. As for DS, if you need a life insurance policy to help pay for final expenses and you're having a hard time finding some for him, look at final expenses policies, or try opening a high yield savings account. I think right now, the priority is ensuring you are covered under a policy, so take care of yourself so your children have something to fall back on should, god forbid, something happen to you.

Denise Mancini
Disclaimer: I work for AccuQuote and this is my personal opinion.