Disability Benefits Program
The Northeastern Disability Program offers short- and long-term financial protection to benefits-eligible faculty and staff should they become disabled due to a nonwork-related illness or accident.
Eligibility
All benefits-eligible employees are eligible for the disability program effective on the first day of the month following completion of one year of service. The one-year waiting period will be waived for employees who were enrolled in long-term disability insurance with a prior employer within four months of joining Northeastern.
To apply for a waiver, your previous employer must complete a waiver form (pdf) and return to HRM/Benefits at 250 Columbus Place within 30 days of your date of employment.
Interim Disability/Salary Continuation
After being absent from work for 30 days and exhausting accrued sick time, interim disability coverage will begin paying 60 percent of salary for up to six months. Should an employee need to be out of work for medical reasons for more than five days, the employee and/or their supervisor must contact HRM Benefits to complete the necessary documentation for medical certification.
When the need for leave is foreseeable, the faculty or staff member must apply for and be approved in advance of the leave begin date. In this case, thirty days notice, or as much notice as is practical, must be given.
Long-term Disability
Long-term disability (LTD) may provide financial protection after interim disability benefits have ended. Upon approval, the LTD benefits provide monthly income protection equal to 60 percent of salary up to a maximum of $20,000 per month, but not less than $50 per month. In addition, this benefit will protect basic life insurance and basic retirement benefits by continuing to make these contributions. The benefits are effective on the 181st day of disability. Benefits will continue until you are no longer disabled or reach retirement age.
This long-term disability plan is integrated with other benefit plans to equal 60 percent of your monthly salary. If you are approved to receive benefits under other disability plans, Worker's Compensation, Social Security disability or Social Security retirement benefits, the other benefit amount(s) will be subtracted from your monthly disability income benefit. The maximum monthly benefit you may receive, including all of the above sources, is 60 percent of your monthly salary up to $20,000 maximum.
For further details, please refer to the more detailed Disability Programs description (pdf).