What Supervisors Need to Know about the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP)
The VSDP provides income protection for absences due to sickness or disability, and encourages rehabilitation resulting in return to work. Classified staff and University staff employees hired or rehired on or after 1/1/99 are automatically enrolled in the program.
Sick and Family Personal Leave
On January 10th current eligible employees are credited between 8-10 days of sick leave and 4-5 days of family and personal leave, depending on their months of state service. New and rehired employees, during their first year of employment, are credited with leave based on their employment date.
- Sick leave may be used for absences due to personal illness, injury, or doctor visits.
- Up to 33% of sick leave may be used for family purposes as provided under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
- Family and Personal Leave may be used for any reason provided that the employee gives reasonable notice and the supervisor approves the leave.
- Leave may not be carried over to the next year; nor can an employee be paid for unused leave upon termination of employment.
Short-Term Disability (STD)
STD provides eligible employees with disability benefits of up to six months when they are unable to work due to an illness or injury. Employees must first satisfy the waiting period requirements.
Waiting Period
- STD provides disability benefits normally beginning after an employee is absent from work for more than 20 hours in a 7-calendar day period, and cannot continue to work. Leave (annual, sick, compensatory, family personal) used during the waiting period must be in accordance with each respective leave policy. Otherwise leave will be classified LWOP.
- The waiting period is waived if the VSDP determines that the employee's condition is catastrophic or major chronic.
Contact UnumProvident
- Employees must contact UnumProvident at 1-800-652-5602 to apply for disability benefits. If the employee is unable to make the call, a family member or the supervisor may call for the employee.
- Employees absent due to a work related injury that is covered under workers' compensation and have satisfied the 7-calendar day waiting period, must contact both UnumProvident and the workers' compensation coordinator.
- Employees disabled due to pregnancy or surgery, must contact UnumProvident when they are given a delivery date or date of surgery.
- The Human Resources Department will notify the supervisor of the employee's disability status.
Disability Income Replacement
- STD payments provide income replacement of 60% to 100%, based on months of state service, for up to a maximum of 125 workdays.
- Employees may use applicable leave and/or disability credits to supplement income during periods of disability when benefits are less than 100% of pay.
- Sick leave may not be used when the employee is receiving STD payments.
Job Modifications
- Some employees may be able to return to work with job restrictions. Requests for job modifications detailing limitations will be faxed to the supervisor for completion. If job modifications are accepted it is imperative that the supervisor ensures the employee does not work outside the restrictions. If job modifications cannot be accepted, then supervisors must list job modifications, if any, that can be accommodated.
- Supervisors must fax completed job modification forms to the Human Resources Department at (540) 231-2352.
- For employees whose job modifications require them to work a reduced schedule, their hours worked must be reported to the Human Resources Department weekly to ensure correct payment of disability benefits. The final, signed leave and hours worked report must be faxed to Human Resources.
Family Medical Leave (FML)
- Employees who are on STD and meet FML eligibility requirements, time off for STD will be counted against their 12-week entitlement. Human Resources will determine eligibility, notify employees and their supervisors, and track FML hours used.
Leave Reporting
- Employees' leave reports must be submitted monthly during periods of STD. VSDP is the leave abbreviation recorded for time off due to STD. If the employee has not returned to work in time to submit the leave report, then the supervisor or leave representative must submit the leave report for the employee.
- Employees will continue to accrue annual leave through 90 consecutive calendar days of STD absence. Accrual of annual leave will stop on the 91st calendar day.
- During periods of STD, employees do not earn holiday pay. The holiday must be recorded as VSDP in the leave system. Pay is based on their percent of disability benefit.
- Human Resources reconciles leave reports with the VSDP Action Reports. If there is a discrepancy, the department will be contacted.
Return to Work
- Employees can return to work when released by their doctor through UnumProvident.
- Employees who return to work and who have not been released through UnumProvident must present a doctor's release indicating full-time/full-duty to their supervisor. The supervisor must immediately notify Human Resources and FAX a copy of the doctor's note.
Employment Status During Periods of STD
- Employees receiving STD benefits are considered to be active employees of the Commonwealth; their jobs are protected and may not be filled during periods of STD.
- When an employee transitions from STD to LTD, Human Resources will send the supervisor an email notifying him or her that the employee has been approved for LTD and the department may fill the position.
Long-Term Disability
Long-term disability benefits begin at the conclusion of short-term disability benefits and provide income replacement of 60% (80% for catastrophic conditions). Return to pre-disability position is not guaranteed.
Questions
If you have questions concerning the VSDP, contact Lynett Cruise at (540) 231-1237 (lcruise@vt.edu), Pam Hutchens (540) 231-8913 (phutchen@vt.edu) or Pam Lucas (540) 231-5304 (lucasp@vt.edu).