The University's Short-Term Disability Plan is available to University of Missouri System benefit-eligible staff and certain non-regular academic positions to provide replacement income in the event an eligible employee experiences a qualified medical disability. It is not available to faculty or retirees.
The plan is administered by MetLife. For plan providers or health care provider information, visit our plan contacts page.
Base Plan
The Short-Term Disability (STD) Base Plan is paid by the university, and eligible employees are automatically enrolled.
💠 Plan Features
- Covers up to 60% of eligible Annual Base Benefit Rate (ABBR) in the event an eligible employee experiences a qualified medical disability.
- Available for use after meeting the elimination period of seven consecutive calendar days.
- Employees must use available leave/PTO to cover the elimination period.
- Employees must use available accrued paid time off to cover unpaid time associated with short-term disability benefits, unless otherwise approved.
☑ Eligibility
- Available to regular benefit-eligible administrative, service and support positions and certain non-regular academic employees as approved by the chancellor and president.
- Eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the Base Plan when they first become benefit eligible.
- Date of disability must be on or after January 1, 2024.
💲 Premiums
- $0
- The Base Plan is paid by the university.
Buy-Up Plan
The Short-Term Disability Buy-up Plan allows you to reach 100% income replacement for an additional premium by covering the remaining 40% of eligible earnings on top of the coverage provided by the Base Plan.
💠 Plan Features
- Covers 100% of Annual Base Benefit Rate (ABBR) in the event an eligible employee experiences a qualified medical disability.
- Available for use after meeting the elimination period of seven consecutive calendar days.
- Employees must use available leave/PTO to cover the elimination period.
☑ Eligibility
- Available to regular benefit-eligible administrative, service and support positions and certain non-regular academic employees as approved by the chancellor and president.
- A statement of health form (evidence of insurability) may be required. See "Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements."
- Date of disability must be on or after January 1, 2024.
💲 Premiums
- $0.74 per $100 of monthly income
📋 Opportunities to Elect and Statement of Health Requirements
You may elect the Short-Term Disability Buy-Up Plan at initial enrollment without providing a Statement of Health form provided you submit your enrollment within 31 days of your date of hire or eligibility date. A Statement of Health form will be required if enrolling in the Buy-Up coverage during Annual Enrollment.
Learn more about the statement of health information required for enrolling in this plan.
Elimination Period
The elimination period is the time between when a qualifying medical event occurs and when short-term disability benefits begin. To use short-term disability, employees must meet a seven-calendar day elimination period.
The elimination period applies for each qualifying event whether the employee is enrolled in the Base Plan or the Buy-Up Plan. During the elimination period, employees must utilize other types of available accrued time off to cover days not worked. Unless otherwise requested, the standard order for covering the elimination period is:
- Sick leave
- PTO
- Vacation
- Unpaid
Statement of Health Requirements (Evidence of Insurability)
If you elect or increase coverage to the Buy-Up Plan during the Annual Enrollment period, you will be required to submit a Statement of Health for evidence of insurability. The Statement of Health form is only available online for a limited period of time after your application for coverage. Please complete it as soon as possible.
To access your customized form, login to myHR (myhr.umsystem.edu). Once logged in, click on the “myBenefits” tile, select “Statement of Health Form (MetLife)” from the left-hand menu and click the “Statement of Health” link to connect to MetLife.
If you have questions about your customized Statement of Health form, please contact MetLife customer service. See the plan contacts webpage for additional information.
Applying for Short-Term Disability Leave
Employees can apply for Short-Term Disability leave by completing the instructions outlined on the Taking Qualifying or FMLA Leave webpage. Short-Term Disability claims are approved by MetLife.
Supervisors and timekeepers can request a qualifying leave on behalf of someone else by emailing the Leave Administration Team at umleaveadmin@umsystem.edu.
* In the event of a difference between this webpage and the plan document or summary plan description, the plan document and plan description prevail.
Reviewed 2024-09-23
