Disability Insurance

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We are please to be able to offer you, as and employee of Lewis & Clark College, the opportunity to participate in a quality disability insurance program at no additional cost to you.

A serious illness or accident can strike any one of us at any time causing financial hardship. Having disability insurance helps protect what many employees consider to be their most valuable asset, their ability to earn a living. Disability insurance can provide you and your family with much need income to help pay your bills and maintain your lifestyle during an extended period of disability.

Consider these facts:

• According to the Social Security Administration, 3 out of every 10 workers between the ages 25 and 65 will experience an accident or illness that keeps them out of work for three months or longer.
• One in 7 workers can expect to be disabled for five years or more before retirement.
• Over 90% of disabling accidents and illnesses are not work related, which means they are not covered by worker’s compensation.
• Nearly 50% of all mortgage foreclosures are due to disability; only 2% are caused by death.
• Studies reveal that the top concern among most full-time employees is having enough money to pay bills during a period of sudden income loss.

Given the potential for suffering a long term disability, we encourage you to carefully review our disability program materials. You may also want to visit the Council for Disability Awareness Website, www.disabilitycanhappen.org, a good planning resource to help you make the best decision for your personal situation.

Short Term Disability Coverage:

Exempt (salaried) employees only: Short-term disability coverage is available in the form of salary continuation if you are unable to work as the result of extended injury or illness. This benefit is provided by the College at no cost to eligible employees.

Administrative staff who work at least 30 hours per week for 9 or more months per year are eligible for this benefit. The benefit waiting period is 22 workdays from the date disability begins, during which time vacation and sick pay may be used. Benefits are payable beginning the later of 23 working days or when all available sick and vacation time have been exhausted. Benefits will cease upon the date the disability ends, the return to work date, or at 180 days (including the 22 day waiting period), whichever comes first.

Faculty with at least .75 FTE are eligible for this benefit. Benefits are payable the first day following the onset of the disability and continue for up to 180 calendar days. Benefits will cease upon the date the disability ends, the return to work date, or at 180 days, whichever comes first.

All requests for short-term disability must be made in writing and submitted to Human Resources for approval. Employees requesting short-term disability must comply with College policy and regulations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA).

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Long Term Disability Insurance:

Long-term disability provides income replacement for eligible employees who are unable to work due to a disability. Benefits for approved claims are payable after a 180-day waiting period and replace 60% of pre-disability earnings to a maximum of $5,000 per month, plus an additional 10% retirement supplement if normally eligible for the College’s Group Retirement Annuity.

This benefit, provided by the College at no cost, is available to staff who work at least 30 hours per week for 9 or more months per year, and faculty with at least .75 FTE.

Long Term Disability Buy-Up:

Nonexempt (hourly) staff only: You have the option to purchase supplemental insurance to reduce the benefit payment waiting period from 180 days to 90 days.

The cost for this additional coverage is 0.26% (around a quarter of a percent) of your monthly gross pay, and would be beneficial in reducing the strain on your savings to cover living expenses during the waiting period.

Enrollment Form- Long Term Disability Buy-Up

Summary Description- Long Term Disability Basic and Long Term Disability Buy-Up

Supplemental Disability Insurance:

Exempt (salaried) staff only: You have the option to purchase supplemental insurance to increase the maximum monthly benefit to $12,000 (although never more than 60% of pre-disability earnings). The cost for this additional coverage is 0.26% of your monthly gross pay, and would be beneficial if 60% of current monthly pay is over $5,000.

Enrollment Form- Supplemental Disability Insurance

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