Short-Term Disability Details

Essential Information

Short-term disability (STD) is available at no cost to the benefit-eligible employee. Short-term disability pays a percentage of the employee’s salary, depending on years of service. Employees who have been disabled because of sickness or accidental bodily injury may be granted short-term disability leave up to the first 12 months of the disability. Once all accumulated sick leave is used, a percentage of the employee’s salary will be continued according to the following chart. To be eligible, an employee must complete six (6) months of continuous service.

• How to File a Claim (PDF, ) with The Hartford, our disability claims management company. 
  
  
• You must use all your accrued sick leave before disability pay begins.
  
  
• Staff Member: You may request up to 96 hours of advanced sick leave if you are eligible prior to being placed on STD.
  
  
• Faculty Member: You may apply for STD if you worked for at least two (2) semesters at MC and can't work because of a non-work-related illness or injury and have used up all your allowed time off. This extra time off starts right after your regular time off ends and continues until the first anniversary of when you first couldn't work. You must request 80 hours of advanced sick leave from your supervisor prior to being placed on STD.
  
  
• If approved, STD will pay a percentage of your pay depending on your years of service.
  
  
• You may stay on short-term disability for a maximum of 365 days (one year), beginning on the last day you were physically at work.
  
  
• If you return to work after a period of STD, you will be required to provide the HRSTM designee with a Certification of Fitness for Duty (PDF, ) - a written release from your physician releasing you to return to full duty.
  
  
• While you are out of work on STD, you must cooperate with The Hartford to provide updated documentation to enable them to approve your disability status. You must also cooperate with the HRSTM designee as needed to facilitate the ongoing management of your disability claim.
  
  Employees with 6 months but less than 3 years 
  
  50% of pay

  Employees with more than 3 years but less than 10 years
  
  60% of pay

  Employees with 10 or more years
  
  80% of pay

If You Will Not Be Returning to Work After 365 Days

• If you have elected long-term disability (LTD) as a benefit, you must begin the application process three months prior to the one-year date. Failure to do so could result in a delay in receiving LTD benefits.
  
  
• If you are in the Maryland State Pension Plan, you must apply for disability retirement three (3) months prior to the one-year date. Failure to submit the forms to the Maryland State Retirement Agency in a timely manner could make you ineligible to participate in the College group insurance program as a retiree. 
  
  
• If you have been on STD for six (6) months and think you might be out of work for a longer period of time, please contact Suzanne Redding at (240) 567-5354 to discuss your options.
  
  
• If you are in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) and have been away from work for six (6) months, please contact Suzanne Redding, Benefits Manager, to discuss the retirement process. She can be reached at (240) 567-5354.
  
  
• If you have been on STD for 365 days to continue disability benefits, you must apply for LTD benefits, if applicable.