How to Apply for Short Term Disability?

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Short-term disability is a brief time of disability that makes a person eligible for benefits to replace lost income. Depending on the particular plan, the incapacity period may be anywhere from 17 and 52 weeks. It would help if you could not perform the essential functions of your own work to be eligible for short-term disability.

This blog describes how to apply for short-term disability in Canada with benefits.

What is short term disability?

Short-term disability refers to a medical condition, such as an illness or injury, that makes it impossible for you to carry out your regular job responsibilities.

While you are absent from work, there are various ways to make up for lost income:

  • Paid sick leave from your employer: Your employer might provide paid sick days that you might spend before applying for other benefits.
  • Short-term disability insurance: This benefit, which will replace 50 to 100 percent of your income while you are on short-term disability leave, may be provided by your employer.
  • Sickness insurance through the workplace: The government of Canada may offer coverage through its unemployment insurance program.
  • Insurance for long-term disability: This insurance, as the name implies, is for people who are out of work for an extended period of time.

All of these advantages, as well as the guidelines for application, will be covered in this article. You can look into these possibilities and see whether you qualify if you cannot work because of a short-term disability.

Short-term Disability Benefits in Canada:

It is a specific benefit given to qualified workers to replace lost income. This program makes biweekly payments as part of short-term disability benefits under a group insurance plan.

You must meet both the work and disability requirements to be eligible. While you’re ill or injured, short-term disability insurance normally pays benefits for up to 6 months.

However, your claim must be submitted through your disability plan if your company has a short-term disability policy. Again, paid sick leave is not included in it.

For further information on your plan, including any potential ill time or vacation time policies, get in touch with your employer’s human resources department.

If neither your employer nor you have short-term disability insurance, you may be qualified for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

What is covered by short-term disability?

You can qualify for short-term disability benefits if you have various medical issues. Some examples are back injuries, continuous discomfort, heart conditions, and migraines. You may be unable to work if you have mental health problems like depression and anxiety.

You must have medical documentation demonstrating how your illness or injury affects your work capacity to be eligible for disability compensation. Check your policy carefully because the criteria for short-term disability are frequently complex.

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How to Apply for Short-term Disability in Canada?

There are numerous kinds of disability benefit plans and programs in Canada. You don’t automatically qualify for any of these perks; each has its requirements.

Take stock of any potential disability benefits you could be eligible for before filing a disability claim. You can qualify for more than one disability benefit.

The most typical sources of disability income are as follows:

Employer-paid sick leave

Employers frequently pay sick days as a perk of employment. You may be able to save up several weeks or months’ worth of sick pay. When you take disability leave, you must first use any available sick pay if you have access to it.

Benefits under Employment Insurance (EI) for Illness

The EI Sickness program offers qualified workers up to 15 weeks of temporary income replacement payments. You must have at least a 40% income reduction, work for a qualifying employer, and accrue 600 hours of insurable employment to be eligible.

You must ask your employer or insurer for the application forms if you want to apply for short-term disability. The papers are frequently made available online on the benefits provider’s website.

The application will need to be filed in three parts:

  • The Employee Statement
  • The Attending Physician’s Statement; and
  • The Employer Statement.

Your doctor must complete the attending physician’s statement, and you must fill out the employee’s statement. Your employer must complete the employer’s statement. After receiving your application, the insurer will choose a case manager to decide on your claim.

The case manager will frequently call you to inquire about your symptoms, any information they need to clarify in your application, your treatment strategy, and any drugs you might be taking.

After gathering data, they will decide whether to accept or reject your claim for short-term disability. You can anticipate receiving written notice of their choice.

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You make an application by sending a form to the benefits administrator or the insurance provider. They will consider your claim and decide whether to accept it or reject it. If you are accepted, you will get payments every two weeks for 17 to 52 months. Your plan determines the duration of your benefits.

How to Apply for Short-term Disability in Ontario

You must ask your employer or insurer for the application forms if you want to apply for short-term disability. The forms are frequently made available online on the benefits provider’s website.

There are 3 parts to the application that must be submitted:

  • Employee Statement,
  • Attending Physician Statement, and
  • Employer Statement

What is the Short-term Disability Period?

Generally speaking, a short-term impairment lasts no longer than a year. It would be considered a long-term handicap if you were still unable to work after that.

Your insurance plan will, however, specify your benefits. Some may simply restore your income for 15 weeks, while others would do it for a full year. So, if you have a policy, make sure to review it.

Employment Insurance will pay you for up to 15 weeks of benefits if you cannot work. You will receive up to $638 weekly or 55% of your typical earnings.

Try to utilize any sick leave or short-term disability benefits your company provides first. EI short-term disability benefits cannot be received concurrently.

How Much Money is Paid for Short-term Disability?

It depends on the policies of your employer. For a brief time, between 15 weeks and a year, typical short-term disability rates in Ontario will replace 60 and 100 percent of your income. The benefit of some initiatives decreases over time.

You might get paid 100% of your regular salary for the first six weeks, then 75% for the next six, and finally 55% for the remaining 40 weeks (for a total of 52 weeks).

Once more, review the specifics of your employer’s short-term disability insurance to determine the benefits you are eligible for.

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What If You Lost Your Job While I Was on a Temporary Disability?

The termination of an employee owing to their condition is prohibited by human rights laws, even though it is permissible to do so while on sick or disability leave as long as you receive termination or severance money.

An employer must make accommodations for an employee up to undue hardship under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Suppose your employment is terminated while you are on a leave of absence for a disability. In that case, you should speak with a Short Term Disability Lawyer to discuss your claims and determine whether the termination might have been discriminatory.

FAQ

What is the procedure for short-term disability?

You need to provide an application and go on step by step along with the instruction. The application will need to be filed in three parts: • The Employee Statement • The Attending Physician's Statement; and • The Employer Statement.

What qualifies as a disability?

Disability is the term used to describe a medical condition, such as an illness or accident that makes it impossible for you to carry out your regular job responsibilities.

How long is the short-term disability?

The duration of short-term disability is three to six months. If your diablity exceeds the length, it will no longer be considered a short-term disability. Instead, it will fall under long-term disability.

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