Short-Term Disability – Human Resources

Short-Term Disability (STD) is an income continuation benefit that provides a percentage of pre-disability earnings when employees are out of work due to illness or injury lasting longer than three days. Frequently Asked Questions are available for your review and/or contact HR.Benefits@kzoo.edu.

More information specific to the arrival of a new child should consult the relevant provisions in the Faculty Handbook or Parental Leave for Staff.

Eligibility

Eligible employees are faculty and staff who have worked at the College for at least six months, work at least 1,040 hours per year (0.50 FTE), and have applied and been approved for employee FMLA or non-FMLA employee medical leave.

Benefit Provided

After a three (3) working day waiting period, the College provides an income continuation benefit of 60% of pre-disability base pay to eligible employees.

Employees may use available sick/emergency and vacation time to make up the difference between STD benefits and their regular compensation, up to 100% of normal earnings.

Notices and Uses

Medical certification disability onset and continuation is required. FMLA/medical leave forms are used as documentation of the need for STD. No STD benefits are payable for employees not approved for FMLA/medical leave, however, employees may use available sick/emergency time and vacation time.

Payments and Deductions

Benefits are paid through payroll on regular pay dates.

All regular payroll deductions apply to STD pay. This includes federal and state taxes, and garnishments, if any. If enrolled, premium deductions for health, vision, dental, flexible spending arrangement, optional life, voluntary accident & dismemberment, and the 403(b) retirement plan contributions will continue. Contributions to the retirement plan are based on actual earnings.

STD Conclusion and Conversion

Short-term disability pay ends the day your physician releases you to return to work, or after 26 weeks (182 days) whichever occurs first. After 26 weeks of STD, permanently and totally disabled employees may qualify for the Long Term Disability (LTD) plan. Application for LTD should begin approximately 30 days before STD benefits are expected to conclude.

Frequently Asked Questions

I am using short-term disability before 7/1/25, or have a medical/FMLA leave already approved. How am I affected?

Employees who are on a medical leave, including FMLA, or who have an approved medical leave pending are grandfathered into 100% STD salary continuation for the remainder of their leave or one month, whichever occurs first.

What is the difference between FMLA and short-term disability?

STD and FMLA run concurrently for any leave that extends beyond three consecutive workdays due to illness or injury. This coordination ensures both job protection (via FMLA) and salary and benefits continuation (via STD).

How do I calculate how much I will be paid when I am on short-term disability?

Coming soon: Calculator

Can I use sick/emergency and/or vacation time for the three-day waiting period before STD begins?

Absolutely! You’ll report the use of those days just like you would any other time that you use sick/emergency time.

Can I use sick/emergency and/or vacation time to cover the difference between my regular earnings and short-term disability income replacement?

Yes. Stay tuned for more details on how this will work.

What would happen to my pay if I end up returning to work earlier than expected?

Return to work would mean that the person’s pay would return to the pre-STD rate.

Example: Alex’s medical certification indicated that they will be out of work for four weeks. Alex’s recovery goes better than expected and Alex’s doctor says that Alex can return in three weeks. Alex could present updated medical information that allows them to return to work in three weeks instead of four weeks. Alex would be paid for three weeks of STD salary continuation.

I am allowed to utilize all other available time to get us to our full day’s pay, what is the point in using the short-term disability?

Policy Compliance: Our policy requires that STD be initiated when the absence meets the criteria (i.e., 4+ consecutive days). This triggers the appropriate protections under FMLA and engages HR to manage the leave appropriately.
Preservation of Leave Balances: In some cases, employees may prefer to reserve their accrued sick time for shorter absences that don’t meet the STD threshold or for future needs. Using STD helps conserve those banks.
Longer-Term Security: STD lays the foundation for a transition to long-term disability (LTD) if the condition extends past the 180-day mark. Without STD, that continuity would be disrupted.