Disability Benefits

Employees who need to file a claim for disability benefits as part of their own medical leave of absence must do so directly with the applicable disability insurance carrier.

California Employees:  Have you worked for Berkeley Lab less than 18 months? If so, and if your previous employer was in California, you will also need to file a claim directly with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) in order to receive California State Disability Benefits (CA-SDI). While UC itself does not participate in CA-SDI, employees who have recently worked elsewhere in the state may be eligible under their previous employer. If so, any CA-SDI income you are eligible for will be deducted from your UC disability benefits.

Employees (non-Postdocs)

Employees will initiate disability insurance claims directly with Lincoln Financial.

• More information on disability benefits
• What To Do If You’re Applying for Disability – step-by-step guide
• Lincoln Financial – Your Guide to Filing for Disability Benefits provides instructions for how to file a claim.
• Employees can access and track their claims, report an absence, view payment information, and more by visiting My Lincoln Portal ^SM  (Company Code: UNIVERSITY).
• University of California Fact Sheet – Your Guide to UC Disability Benefits
• University of California Fact Sheet – Partial Disability: Stay at Work/Return to Work

UCRP Disability Income – If you are not able to return to work after 12 months and are a member of the University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP):

• You may be eligible for UCRP Disability Income; contact the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC) for application forms to send to UCOP for consideration.
• Return the forms ASAP; your disability date is based on when your application is received.
• If you apply within 120 days of leaving UC employment, you will preserve your right to continue your retiree health coverage, as long as your coverage is continuous.
• If you receive UCRP Disability and have a CAP balance, you’re required to take a distribution or rollover the CAP funds. It’s best to choose the rollover; otherwise, the disability carrier will reduce your monthly benefit by the amount of the distribution. You also have the option to suspend your 403(b) loan repayments, if you have any.

UCRP Disability Income replaces a maximum of 25 to 40 percent of your salary, depending on when you joined UCRP and the amount of service credit you have. You may also be eligible to have UC contribute some portion of the cost of your medical and dental premiums while you receive UCRP disability income.

If you are receiving UCRP Disability Income and are at or near retirement age, see the University of California Fact Sheet – From Disability to Retirement.

Postdocs

Postdoctoral scholars will initiate disability insurance claims with Standard Insurance.

• • • Standard Insurance claim forms and benefits summaries for short-term and long-term disability are available in the Postdoctoral Scholar Benefit Plan Portal.
    • Postdocs and their healthcare providers should send the completed form directly to the fax number listed on the form and then notify IDAM of the submission. An IDAM Analyst will then verify claim submission with Standard Insurance.