Short Term Disability

Re: Short Term Disability

• LoveIsOwlYouNeed member

  November 2015

  TaraGoldenCO said:

  I am understanding that if an employer offers short term disability, you can get paid time off for maternity leave, where as if you purchase it privately it will only cover medical emergencies, not leave.  My employer might be interested in sponsoring an employer offered/employee paid plan.

  
  

  
  

  We are a very small firm. Three employees/two owners.  Does anyone know how to look an employer sponsored maternity plan for a very small firm? 

  
  

  Thanks! 

  
  

  First you should know that short term disability will not cover the full 12 weeks of maternity leave.  It will only cover 6 weeks for a vaginal birth and 8 for a C-section, and it's usually at about two-thirds of your salary.  Other details of coverage can really vary based on the plan your employer goes with.

  
  

  You really just need to research companies that offer disability and contact them as an employer, not an employee or consumer.  There are also companies that coordinate benefits and can do that legwork for you, does your firm currently use someone to assist with other benefits? If so, contact them about wanting to explore disability offerings.Otherwise, it's just hitting google, your network and cold-calling, I'd imagine.

        

  
  
  

  
            
  
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• MRSCORKER member

  November 2015

  I would suggest looking into a company like Aflac. From my research, I've found what you stated to be true. There is no out of pocket individual plan that will cover maternity leave, only medical expenses. Keep in mind that pregnancy is not considered to be a "pre-existing condition" meaning that you cannot be pregnant prior to purchasing a plan or it will not cover you. This whole issue has been the biggest thorn in my side and is one of the main reasons I'm leaving my job for a new one!

  
  Me: 32 & DH: 37
  

  Married: November 2014

  TTC #1 Since: October 2015

  BFP #1: 11/18/15 - CP
  BFP #2: 2/8/16 - EDD 10/20/16
  IT'S A BOY!!!!
  DS Born 10/16/16

  
  

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• charmedlifex3 member

  November 2015 edited November 2015

  AFLAC. You can now only buy it through work, but the agent will work with the business to offer it to the employees at no cost to the company - only cost is to the employee in payroll deductions to pay for the plan.

  My company pays short term at 6 weeks at 60%, which is pretty standard, unless the employee buys it out of pocket.

  I bought my long term disability plan through metlife. They cover any pregnancy related complications,(but not anything for normal mat. leave) which would kick in after 90 days. So if I ended up on bed rest because of something CAUSED by pregnancy, it'd cover my salary. But a normal, happy, healthy pregnancy? It won't pay out. It was like $500 for the year, pretty affordable.

  My biggest fear was I would be out of work for like 6 months because *insert terrible ridiculous thing here* so I feel better having it.

  
  
  

  
  

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• TaraGoldenCO member

  November 2015

  I'll check into AFLAC. Thanks!

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• MissAmeliaPond member

  November 2015

  It really depends on what state you live in. Some states, like CA, have State Disability plans, and having an employer-sponsored plan could potentially close a gap in the payments made by state SDI, but we generally don't recommend our clients set up employer-sponsored plans if you have the state insurance. (My job is employee benefits, and our clients are all different group sizes.)

  
  

  If you're in a state without SDI, you should probably set up coverage through an insurance broker. Many insurance carriers won't allow companies to set up insurance directly, and actually require you go through a broker. Maybe try searching "short term disability group insurance broker in [YOUR STATE]". That would be a great place to start. They can talk to your employer about costs and different products you can offer to employees. 

  
  
  

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