Prepare for the Unexpected

Disability Benefits

Disability coverage helps protect your income when you can’t work - whether from illness, injury, pregnancy, surgery, or another condition.

Disability insurance coverage is available if:

  • You are enrolled in a UVA retirement plan (VRS, ORP, or MCRP)
  • Your employee type is Housestaff

Disability for VRS

VRS members are enrolled in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) for short- and long-term disability. VSDP benefits include the following:

  • Sick leave
  • Short- and long-term disability coverage for total and partial disabilities
  • Long-term care coverage
  • Transitional and medical rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation plans to help get you back to work
  • Free advocacy services to assist you in applying for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits

How do I file a claim for short-term disability?

Notify your supervisor, the Reed Group, and UVA HR.  Here's how:

  • Notify your supervisor, and call Reed Group

    Notify your supervisor, and call Reed Group, the third-party administrator for the VSDP program, at 1.877.928.7021 (toll-free) as soon as possible. They will need to know: 

    • Your job title and agency name
    • Date of birth
    • Current mailing address
    • Brief description of your disability
    • Whether you have filed a workers’ compensation claim
    • Last day you were - or will be - able to work
    • Contact information for your doctor / licensed healthcare professional (Name, address, phone, and fax)

  • Receive the forms you need to file your claim

    You will receive an information packet with forms that must be submitted before Reed Group can complete its review of your claim. Refer to the VSDP Handbook for more details about the forms below.

  • Submit to Reed Group
    • Attending Physician Statement
    • Authorization for Release of Medical Information

  • Submit to UVA HR
    • Short-Term Disability Repayment Agreement
    • VSDP Outside Earned Income Reporting for Short-Term Disability
    • Notification

How do I get the most from my VSDP membership?

  • Visit myVRS and login to your account
    The VRS website provides additional information about the Virginia Sickness & Disability Program, including a VSDP Handbook and VSDP Long-Term Care Plan.
  • Contact Reed Group
    You must call Reed Group at 1-877-928-7021 (toll-free) as soon as possible to submit disability claims. You can also visit their website: https://reedgroup.com/.
  • Consult the VSDP Handbook

When does my disability coverage start?

In most cases, your disability coverage begins upon employment. If you were hired on or after July 1, 2009, your non-work-related disability coverage begins after one year of continuous employment.

Short-Term Disability

VSDP Income Replacement: Non-Work Related Disabilities
Date of Hire on or after July 1, 2009

Months of State Service Workdays of Income Replacement at 100% Workdays of Income Replacement at 80% Workdays of Income Replacement at 60%
Fewer than 12 0 0 0
13-59 0 0 125
60-119 25 25 75
120-179 25 50 50
180 months or more 25 75 25

 

VSDP Income Replacement: Non-Work Related Disabilities
Date of Hire before July 1, 2009

Months of State Service Workdays of Income Replacement at 100% Workdays of Income Replacement at 80% Workdays of Income Replacement at 60%
Fewer than 60 5 20 100
60-119 25 25 75
120-179 25 50 50
180 months or more 25 75 25

How does short-term disability work?

Short-term disability is an illness, injury, or other condition (ex.: surgery, pregnancy, complications from pregnancy, catastrophic or major chronic condition) that prevents you from performing the full duties of your job. The maximum short-term disability period is 125 workdays, including paid holidays. If you are still disabled after that, you may be placed on long-term disability as determined by The Reed Group.

Income replacement begins at 100% of your pre-disability income, reduced to 80%, and then 60%, depending on length of employment at the University. Check the VSDP Handbook for exact figures.

How does long-term disability work?

Long-term disability is a condition that prevents you from performing the full duties of your job for an extended period of time. VSDP's long-term benefit begins after 125 workdays of short-term disability as determined by The Reed Group.

You will receive 60% of your pre-disability income. If you are approved for work-related long-term disability, your VSDP benefit will be offset by your workers’ compensation benefit.

Cost-of-Living Adjustment: After you have been on long-term disability for a full calendar year (i.e., January 1 to December 31), you may be eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) on July 1 of the following year.

Long-Term Disability – Working: If you can work at least 20 hours / week, but cannot perform full duties, you may be eligible for long-term disability - even while you are working. Check the member handbook for more details.

How does catastrophic disability work?

If your disability becomes catastrophic, your income will be replaced at 80% for the duration of the catastrophic event.

To qualify, you must be unable to perform at least two of these six daily activities:

  1. Bathing
  2. Dressing
  3. Eating
  4. Maintaining continence
  5. Using the toilet
  6. Getting in and out of bed and chairs

Your condition may also be considered catastrophic if you have a severe cognitive impairment (ex.: Alzheimer’s disease), and you require substantial supervision or are placed under guardianship.

How does long-term care work?

Basic VSDP Long-Term Care

  • If you are enrolled in a Virginia Retirement System plan and participate in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP), you are covered under the Basic VSDP Long-Term Care Plan at no cost to you
  • The maximum daily benefit amount is $96, with a lifetime maximum of $70,080
  • Members with VSDP LTC may call 800.761.4057 to start a claim

Genworth Long Term Care

Genworth Long Term Care is not accepting any new enrollments, but it is honoring the terms of all current policies. Contact Genworth Long Term Care at 866.859.6060 for additional information.

Resources

Disability for ORP Members

ORP members have short- and long-term disability coverage through The Standard Insurance Company. You can contact customer service at 1.844.433.7973.

  • How do I file a claim for short-term disability?

    If you are disabled for more than 5 working days, call The Standard M-F between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM at 1-844-433-7973.

    You will need to provide the following information:

    • Employer
    • Plan number (647264)
    • Name
    • Social Security number
    • Nature of claim
    • Last day at work
    • Physician contact information

  • How does short-term disability work?

    For the benefit waiting period, and while short-term disability benefits are payable, disability is defined as being unable to perform your job because of physical disease, injury, pregnancy, or mental disorder, resulting in a loss of at least 20% of weekly earnings. You are not considered disabled when earning 80% or more of pre-disability earnings.

    Coverage for short-term disability begins as soon as you are enrolled in ORP. Your benefit on short-term disability is based on a percentage of weekly pre-disability earnings (as of the date of disability) reduced by deductible income (e.g. work earnings, workers’ compensation, state disability, etc.).

    If you are unable to return to work before short-term disability benefits run out, your position will no longer be held open for your return. If you are able to return to work after short-term disability benefits run out, it must be through the competitive hiring process.

    Short-Term Disability for Staff

    • Immediate eligibility
    • Five-day waiting period
    • 100% of salary for up to 25 workdays (i.e., 200 hours)
    • 80% of salary through the 180th calendar day of disability

    Your salary in the ORP Short-Term Disability Plan will continue on a graded schedule, phasing benefits over time. The intention is to ease the transition to long-term disability where the end income of the short-term disability is nearer to the income replacement level of the Long-Term Disability Plan. ORP Disability Plan benefit coverage takes 5 business days before it begins. Incidental eave for short-term absences of fewer than five days (ex.: 2 sick days, or one day to care for a sick child), will be charged to the University Staff Leave Program balance.

    Short-Term Disability for Faculty

    • Immediate eligibility
    • 100% of salary for up to 180 calendar days

    This includes faculty who converted to University Staff. Short-term disability is generally described as a type of sick leave for absences of more than 5 days - including maternity leave - for up to 180 calendar days. Current and future faculty employees will receive 100% salary continuation for the approved leave period - with no waiting period.

    Nine-month faculty will receive 180 calendar days of disability leave. Short-term disability will be paid on days which you would normally be paid. Short-term disability days without pay still count toward the 180 calendar day short-term disability leave period.

  • How does long-term disability work?
    • If you become totally disabled, you are eligible for income replacement benefits. You are considered totally disabled if you are unable to work in any occupation for which you are “reasonably fitted by education, training, or experience” due to sickness or bodily injury.
    • Begins at the end of the Standard Disability period and continues for the duration of disability, or until normal Social Security retirement age
    • Pays a monthly income benefit equal to 66.66% of monthly salary, offset by Social Security or workers’ compensation benefits
    • Benefit cannot exceed $20,000 / month
    • Plan includes annual 3% cost-of-living increment and continued contributions to ORP

  • Resources

    The Standard Disability Claims Customer Service: 1.844.433.7973

Disability for MCRP Members

MCRP members have short- and long-term disability coverage through the UNUM insurance company. UVA pays the entire base plan amount. Members are eligible for disability after 180 day of employment.

To file a claim, or ask questions, contact UNUM at 800.858.6843.

Disability Plan for Housestaff

Housestaff are automatically enrolled in long-term disability coverage through the UNUM insurance company. UVA pays the entire base plan amount.

  • Pays 70% income replacement up to $8,000 / month.
  • Income replacement continues as long as you cannot perform the material duties of your job ( i.e., medical specialty) to age 65.
  • Benefits begin when full-time active employment begins and ends when full-time active employment ends.
  • There is an elimination period of 90 days and an exclusion period of 5 days for pre-existing conditions.     
  • There are limited conversion rights as long as an application is made within 31 days of termination.
Disability Conversion Rights