Disability coverage

As a participant of the NYSNA Benefits Fund, you have short-term and long-term disability benefits coverage.

Short-term disability

A short-term disability benefit is available if you:

• Become totally disabled due to a nonoccupational, accidental injury, sickness, or pregnancy while in covered employment,

• Are under the care of a licensed medical professional,

• Satisfy the seven-day waiting period for sickness or disability (no waiting period for accidental injury disability),

• Have worked for your employer for at least four weeks, and

• File a claim form within 30 days of the date your doctor disables you.

Short-term disability benefits are paid at up to $215 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks.

Short-term disability claim forms are available from the Fund office, your employer, or the Forms page of this Web site. To fill out the Disability Benefits Claim Form:

• Complete Part A (Claimant's Statement) after your seventh calendar day of sickness, pregnancy, or disability, or your first day of accidental injury disability.

• Ask your attending physician to fill out Part B (Doctor's Statement) as soon as possible. Follow up if it's not returned within a few days.

• Ask your employer's human resources, personnel, or payroll department to fill out Part C (Employer's Statement). Check back after a few days.

• Double-check the entire form to ensure that everything is completed.

• Make sure the completed, original form is mailed to the Fund office at PO Box 12430, Albany, NY 12212-2430 well before the 30-day time limit during which claims must be filed. Photocopies are not accepted.

• Ask your attending physician to complete any subsequent medical update forms sent to you by The Hartford (the Fund's disability carrier) as quickly as possible and return them to the Fund office.

If you follow the six steps outlined above, you'll receive your disability benefit within 14 days of the time the Fund office receives the completed claim form and regularly thereafter.

The disability benefit you receive from the Fund office already will have Social Security and Medicare taxes withdrawn. It must be reported as income on federal, state, and local income tax returns, but is not taxable. Click here for more information.

You may have the option of supplementing your disability benefit with any accumulated sick or vacation time. Check your NYSNA contract or ask your employer to find out how your sick and vacation time can be coordinated with the Fund's disability benefit so you can receive up to your usual, weekly compensation while you're disabled.

Your short-term disability benefits meet the requirements of the New York State Disability Benefits Law and the provisions and limitations of the law generally apply.

Long-term disability

A long-term disability benefit is available if you:

• Become totally disabled by an accidental injury, sickness, or pregnancy while covered by the Fund,

• Are under the regular care of a licensed medical professional,

• Complete a qualifying period of six consecutive months, 

• File for and receive a determination of benefits from the Social Security Administration, and

• File a claim form

You're considered totally disabled if you're completely and continuously unable to perform each and every duty required in your employment for the first two years. Thereafter, you must be unable to perform any work for compensation or profit for which you are, or may become, reasonably fitted by training, education, or experience.

Long-term disability benefits are paid at up to a maximum of $350 per month, less what you receive that month from other mandated or group disability policies, including dependent, disability, or retirement benefits from Social Security. Payments under a private life insurance or disability policy don't reduce your monthly long-term benefit.

Benefits are payable until the date you attain age 65, unless you become disabled after age 60, in which case the limit is extended to age 70.

Long-term disability claim forms are available from the Fund office, your employer, or the Forms page of this Web site.

Long-term disability recipients receive a W2 form, as the benefit is subject to state and federal taxes.