Supplemental Disability Income Plans
NC State University works closely with three vendors to provide supplemental short and long-term disability benefits through convenient payroll deductions. Short- term disability benefits are available through Colonial Life and Accident. Long-term disability benefits are provided through either Liberty Mutual or Standard Insurance Company (depending on participation in the Teachers and State Employees Retirement System (TSERS), Law Enforcement Officers Retirement System (LEORS), or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP).
Why Should I Participate?
During the first year of employment while Retirement System creditable service is being earned, a disabled employee may experience a gap in income, causing financial difficulty. Supplemental disability programs are designed to help fill in the gaps and provide a portion of the employee's salary while unable to work. An employee may wish to consider enrollment in NC State's supplemental disability programs as a means of ensuring a source of income so that financial obligations can be met. Short-term disability also helps by providing income during the 60-day waiting period for DIP-NC (Disability Insurance Plan for North Carolina) benefits. Participation is easy and flexible, and can be adjusted as the accumulation of Retirement System service credit increases and eligibility for DIP-NC benefits changes.
Who's Eligible?
Employees assigned to .50 FTE (full-time equivalency, 20 or more hours per week) on a permanent basis for at least 9 months per year are eligible for Colonial Short Term Disability.
Employees participating in the Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System, Optional Retirement Program, or Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System are eligible for both Colonial Short Term Disability and Liberty Mutual supplemental long-term disability plans. Optional Retirement Program participants are also eligible for the Standard long-term disability plan.
What Are The Benefits?
Colonial Short-Term Disability
Benefits are payable on the 8th day following an illness or accidental injury, for up to 2 months. Payment mounts vary depending on income and plan level chosen, and may not exceed 60% in income, up to $5000 per month. Medical underwriting questions may be required for approval of benefits. Benefits are not coordinated with other sources of disability income.
Liberty Mutual Long-Term Disability
Benefits are payable following a 60 day waiting period. During the first year when ineligible for DIP-NC (Disability Income Plan for North Carolina), the benefit amount is 66 2/3 % of the base monthly salary (maximum $10,000 per month).
Once eligible for DIP-NC (Disability Income Plan for North Carolina) short-term disability benefits, Liberty Mutual provides 16 2/3 % in supplemental pay to bring the total salary replacement to 66 2/3 %. If approved for DIP-NC long-term disability benefits, Liberty Mutual provides an additional 1 2/3 % salary replacement. Benefits are payable until the employee reaches age 65 or Social Security Normal Retirement Age and are off-set by amounts received from Social Security Disability, DIP-NC, FERS (Federal Employees and CSRS (Civil Service Retirement System) disability benefit plans and Workers' Compensation.
Standard Long-Term Disability
Benefits are payable after a 3-month waiting period. During the first year, when you are ineligible for DIP-NC (Disability Income Plan for North Carolina), the benefit amount is 66 2/3 % of the base monthly salary (maximum $10,000 per month).
Once eligible for DIP-NC short-term disability benefits, Standard provides 16 2/3 % in supplemental pay to bring the total salary replacement to 66 2/3 %. If approved for DIP-NC long-term disability benefits, Standard provides an additional 1 2/3 % salary replacement. Benefits are payable until the employee reaches age 65 and may be subject to off-sets per plan rules. The Standard plan also contains a retirement income protection component whereby the plan continues contributions to an employee's TIAA-CREF retirement annuity equal to 12.84 % of the monthly salary.
How Do I Apply?
Colonial Short-Term Disability
New hires are eligible to apply for a guaranteed issue amount of $2,000 during the first 30 days of eligibility (usually the hire date). Late enrollees and those applying for amounts exceeding $2,000 must receive evidence of insurability from Colonial.
Liberty Mutual and Standard Long-Term Disability
Newly eligible employees (generally new-hires) are eligible to enroll within 60 days without evidence of insurability approval. Those wishing to enroll in Liberty Mutual Disability at a later time may only do so during annual enrollment, and must receive evidence of insurability approval. Enrollment in the Standard plan is only permitted within the first 60 days of eligibility.
Enrollment applications and applicable evidence of insurability documents are available through the Benefits Office or by clicking the links that follow.
How Much Does It Cost?
Colonial Short Term Disability
Rates are determined by the employee's annual income and monthly benefit amount. refer to plan materials for details.
Liberty Mutual
Premium amounts are determined by the employee's monthly salary multiplied by an age-based rate factor. Once an employee attains five years of creditable service with a Retirement System, the employee moves into a different rate table which becomes effective January 1 of each year and monthly premiums decrease due to eligibility for DIP-NC Long Term Disability benefits. Refer to plan materials for details.
Standard Insurance
Premium amounts are determined by the employee's monthly salary multiplied by pre-determined rate factors for both the disability income and retirement income protection components of the plan.
Plan materials and rates are available through the Benefits Office, or by clicking on the links that follow.
Additional Policies and Other Resources
Colonial Short-Term Disability Insurance
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Standard Insurance Company
Questions?
If you need more information, or have additional questions, contact HR Benefits
