Long Term Disability (LTD) is an employee-paid benefit program designed to provide income replacement in the event you become disabled due to an illness or injury and cannot perform the duties of your normal job, or maybe any job, for a long period of time (6 months or longer).

Long Term Disability (LTD) is income protection insurance for excluded employees who can't work due to a serious injury or illness. The Long-Term Care (LTC) Program, offered by CalPERS, provides coverage for employees who need extended care due to a chronic disease, frailty of old age, or serious accident. It covers help with activities of daily living such as bathing, eating and dressing. For information about the CalPERS LTC Program, please visit their website at www.calpers.ca.gov.

No. However, rank and file employees should contact their unions to determine if there are any union-sponsored disability benefits available to them.

If you are a newly eligible excluded employee, you have 60 days to enroll, once your appointment is keyed by your personnel office into the State Controller's Office system or you can enroll during the open enrollment period that is conducted every 18-24 months.

Enrollment forms and plan information are available through your department's personnel office.

Once you have completed Sections A, B, and C, submit the enrollment form to your department's personnel office for further processing.

No, your deduction will automatically continue unless you cancel coverage.

Your premium will increase over time. When you move from one age category to the next higher age category (i.e. from 39 to 40, or from 49 to 50) or when you receive a change in salary, your premium will change. An annual premium update is conducted on January 1 of each year to implement any premium changes warranted.

The LTD program offers a monthly benefit of either 55 percent of the first $10,910 or 65 percent of the first $9,231 of the employee's pre-disability earnings (monthly base salary), reduced by other deductible income benefits. These percentages are based on the plan option the employee has selected.

The minimum payment for a claim is 10 percent of the monthly benefit before being reduced by "other deductible income" or $100 per month, whichever is greater. The maximum payment is $6,000 per month. Claims are offset by certain "other deductible income" available to the employee. Other deductible income includes but is not limited to: work earnings; sick leave; workers' compensation; state disability income; Social Security; disability and retirement benefits under the State's retirement plan (such as CalPERS and STRS); other group insurance benefits; third party settlements and any amounts received by compromise, settlement or other methods as a result of a claim for the above.

No, the plan only covers the enrolled employee.

You should file a claim if you are disabled and know that you will not be able to work for a long period of time (6 months or longer). You should not wait until the 6-month elimination period has passed before you initiate an LTD claim as this will delay the payment of your LTD benefits and/or may prevent you from receiving LTD benefits.

You should contact Susan Wong in the Benefits Division, DPA, 916-324-0533.

All claimants must complete a 6-month elimination period (and continue paying monthly LTD premiums during this period) before becoming eligible to receive benefits.

The maximum benefit duration will be the greater of the duration shown below or the employee's Social Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA).*

Age on Date Disability Starts	Maximum Benefit Duration
Age 61 or younger	To Age 65, or to SSNRA, or 42 months, whichever is longer
Age 62	42 Months, or to SSNRA, whichever is longer
Age 63	36 Months, or to SSNRA, whichever is longer
Age 64	30 Months, or to SSNRA, whichever is longer
Age 65	24 Months
Age 66	21 Months
Age 67	18 Months
Age 68	15 Months
Age 69 or Older	12 Months

*SSNRA means an employee's normal retirement age under the Federal Social Security Act, as amended.

Limitation for Disability due to Mental Disorders or other Limited Conditions

Monthly benefits are limited in duration to 24 months in the employees lifetime if their disability is caused or contributed to by (or medical or surgical treatment of) mental disorders or other limited conditions, including but not limited to chronic fatigue conditions, allergy or sensitivity to chemicals or the environment, chronic pain conditions, carpal tunnel or repetitive motion syndrome, temporomandibular joint disorder or craniomandibular joint disorder, arthritis, diseases or disorders of the cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral back and its surrounding soft tissue and sprains of joints or muscles. If the claimant is confined in a hospital or institution solely because of a mental disorder at the end of the 24 months, monthly benefits will continue until the confinement ends. In no event will benefits be paid beyond the maximum benefit duration shown above.

LTD is a non-taxable benefit, as the monthly premiums are paid from post-tax dollars.

If you cease to be eligible due to a classification change, you can continue coverage for up to 24 months by making payments directly to Standard Insurance Company. You must request this continuance in writing within 60 days of the date you lose eligibility to by completing the online Request for Long Term Disability 24 month Direct Pay Coverage card (SI 13898-643146) at www.standard.com/mybenefits/california. The card should be returned to Standard Insurance Company, 920 SW Sixth Avenue (PSB7C), Portland, OR 97204.

If you separate from State service or take a leave of absence you may convert your group LTD coverage to an individual disability plan providing you have been enrolled in the group plan for at least 12 months and you are not disabled from performing the duties of your occupation at the time you separate or take a leave. The request for the conversion application must be made in writing to Standard Insurance Company within 31 days of termination of the group insurance. The employee should complete the online Request for Group LTD Conversion Materials (SI 4781-643146) at www.standard.com/mybenefits/california and return it to Standard Insurance Company, 920 SW Sixth Avenue (PSB7C), Portland, OR 97204. Upon return to active pay status after a leave of absence or separation, the LTD payroll deduction should start automatically. However, you should verify the deduction when you receive your first pay warrant, and if no deduction is noted contact your personnel office.

As a retiree you will be receiving a monthly income in the form of your retirement check. It is not necessary for you to carry your LTD coverage into retirement and, therefore, no continuation of coverage is provided.

You can cancel at any time by completing a new application form and checking the cancellation box or by writing a letter directly to the State Controller's Office requesting cancellation of the premium deduction.