Disability, Sick Leave, and GA Paid Parental Leave

You accumulate “sick leave” days, for which you will receive full pay if you are injured or ill and cannot work. Disability coverage provides an income replacement benefit once your sick days are exhausted.

Disability coverage provides an income replacement benefit if you are ill or injured and unable to work. It is important to consider how long you would be able to pay your bills if you were unable to work. Short Term Disability replaces your income for a short period of time, and the benefit is payable on day 8 or 31 of your disability, depending on the option selected. Should you remain disabled beyond that time, the Long Term Disability plan pays from your 181st day of disability until Normal Social Security Retirement age.

Rate Information

Important Documents

Disability Insurance is protection for one of your most important assets: your ability to earn an income. Disabling illnesses and injuries are more common than most of us realize. If you're out of work for weeks or months without an income, how would you pay your regular expenses? Disability Insurance could provide the security you need and pays in addition to any accrued sick leave.

Short Term Disability Summary of Benefits

Short Term Disability coverage pays a benefit for disabilities that are shorter in duration. Your sick leave must be exhausted prior to the Short Term Disability plan paying a benefit. The STD plan will coordinate with your other deductible income to replace 60% of your annual earnings. Other deductible income, includes but is not limited to, worker’s compensation, other disability benefits, and retirement.

Below is a summary of the Short Term Disability plan options:

You may elect Short Term Disability at this time with no health questions. The STD plan includes a late applicant provision with a 60 day elimination period for disability claims during the first 12 months of coverage. This applies for sickness and pregnancy. No restriction applies once you have been insured for 12 months (including 2022 coverage).

Long Term Disability Summary of Benefits

Long Term Disability coverage provides an income replacement benefit to age 65 or Social Security Normal Retirement Age if you continue to remain disabled and satisfy the definition of disability. The LTD plan will coordinate with your other deductible income to replace 60% of your annual earnings. Other deductible income includes but is not limited to Social Security, worker’s compensation, other disability benefits, and retirement.

Below is a summary of the Long Term Disability plan:

The Long Term Disability plan pays no benefit for disabilities caused by pre-existing conditions during the first 12 months of coverage. A pre-existing condition is a sickness or injury for which you have been diagnosed, treated, or prescribed medications during the immediate 3 months prior to your coverage effective date. Once you’ve been insured for 12 months (including 2022 coverage), no restriction applies.

Things to Consider

Benefits are payable up to Social Security Normal Retirement Age.
If you are newly electing Long Term Disability coverage, an Evidence of Insurability for medical underwriting is required. STD does not require medical underwriting.
Disability plans are not portable.

Need to file a Disability Claim?

Contact the Baldwin County Benefit Service Center at (877) 395-4741.

Georgia Paid Parental Leave

Eligible employees are able to take up to 240 hours of paid parental leave within a year of the birth of their child, or within a year after adoption or taking in a minor through foster care. This is an increase from the current three weeks (120 hours) of Paid Parental Leave.

Overview:

Leave Allowance: Up to 240 hours of paid parental leave in a rolling 12-month period.
Multiple Events: The 240 hours are available regardless of the number of qualifying life events within the 12-month period.
Accrued Leave: This leave is not deducted from your accrued leave balances.
Concurrent Leave: Paid Parental Leave runs concurrently with any applicable federal leave, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Leave Increments: The smallest increment of parental leave that may be taken is half of a workday.

Eligibility:

Full-Time Salaried Employees: Must have completed six continuous months of employment with the district.
Hourly Employees: Must have worked at least 700 hours in the six months immediately before the first requested paid parental leave date.

Qualifying Events:

The birth of the employee’s child.
The placement of a minor child with the employee for adoption.
The placement of a minor child with the employee for foster care.

For more detailed information or to apply for paid parental leave, please contact the HR department.