Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Short term disability?



Recommended Posts

Hello!

Just starting my journey in the new year and wanted to start getting everything together. Did anyone use short term disability for their surgery rather than just take vacation? I have limited vacation days next year so I am trying to weigh my options. I know FMLA is an option but that has no pay, so I was wondering if anyone chose short term disability and what the process was?

Thank you!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I didn't really have a choice. Per my companies policy, if I'm going to be out more than 3 works days due to a medical issue, I'm required to file for short term disability.

Could I have tried to do it under the table? I suppose, but what if something went wrong and I wasn't able to return as scheduled?

Process wise, it depends on your company and their provider, but most likely you'll start the process by contacting your HR department or the insurance carrier, or both. They then request paperwork from the surgeon and make a case decision at that point. To be released back to work, the insurance carrier also typically needs the doctor to sign-off, so there will be a little more paperwork post surgery for you and the doctor.

For me personally, the thing that I have always hated about using short term disability is that 30% of my compensation is a bonus plan. The short term disability pays my salary at 100%, but my company does not use the disability pay when calculating my bonus, thus i lose a little bit of money overall.

Aside from that, you pay for the insurance so you might as well use it, right?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On 10/17/2022 at 17:16, SpartanMaker said:



I didn't really have a choice. Per my companies policy, if I'm going to be out more than 3 works days due to a medical issue, I'm required to file for short term disability.




Could I have tried to do it under the table? I suppose, but what if something went wrong and I wasn't able to return as scheduled?




Process wise, it depends on your company and their provider, but most likely you'll start the process by contacting your HR department or the insurance carrier, or both. They then request paperwork from the surgeon and make a case decision at that point. To be released back to work, the insurance carrier also typically needs the doctor to sign-off, so there will be a little more paperwork post surgery for you and the doctor.




For me personally, the thing that I have always hated about using short term disability is that 30% of my compensation is a bonus plan. The short term disability pays my salary at 100%, but my company does not use the disability pay when calculating my bonus, thus i lose a little bit of money overall.




Aside from that, you pay for the insurance so you might as well use it, right?


Thank you! How long did you take? Do you request a certain amount of days/weeks that your Dr. agrees upon and then if you don’t need that much time get them to sign off on going back to work? I just hear different people saying you only need a week which seems silly to take short term dis if that’s the case, but you make a good point, you never know…

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, AmandaD. said:

Thank you! How long did you take? Do you request a certain amount of days/weeks that your Dr. agrees upon and then if you don’t need that much time get them to sign off on going back to work? I just hear different people saying you only need a week which seems silly to take short term dis if that’s the case, but you make a good point, you never know…

We kind of played it by ear. My doctor suggested I ask for 6 weeks up front because that should be about the max I might want, even if we had major complications like having to do the surgery as an open procedure instead of laparoscopically.

I went into things actually expecting to only need roughly 2 weeks. At my 2 week follow-up, the PA and I agreed that I'd do another 2 weeks part time just to make sure I didn't overdo things and end up hurting my recovery. One of my biggest challenges with going back to work has been getting my fluids in. I sometimes forget to drink while I'm mentally focused on a task or in meetings. Pre-op, I could just gulp some Water whenever and be fine, but that no longer works!

I think a lot of people can successfully go back to work sooner than i did, but I like that I had the freedom to choose what was right for me. I wasn't rushed to go back because I was worried about burning through my PTO hours, or because I'd only asked for a certain amount of time off.

Here's the thing. I had virtually no pain or nausea, so those weren't even considerations. The challenge for me was (and still is), that eating so little leaves me fairly fatigued and mentally drained. Even though I work from home, it was better for me to take a little more time to make sure I was ready to actually do what I'm paid to do. That said, I'm also 58. If I was younger, I probably could have started back sooner.

I know some people do successfully go back to work sooner than I did and understand some don't have the luxury to decide for themselves. In the end we all have to do what's right for us based on our own set of circumstances.

TL;DR: if you have the benefit, I'd definitely use it. You should be able to work with your bariatric team to decide when going back to work is right for you. (Which sounds a lot like a commercial for disability insurance, though I promise I don't work for an insurance company!)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I just used vacation and sick leave - but then, I wasn't out for very long. Most people are only out for two weeks - some even one week.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There is no option to use short term disability where I work. If you have enough sick and/or vacation time, you can use as much as your supervisor will approve. If you don't have any or enough, coworkers can donate time through an emergency leave bank. As a last resort, we can also borrow up to 240 hours of sick time, but that takes forever to pay back.

I took 3 1/2 weeks off and it was good that I did because I ran into some complications after being released. Fortunately for me, I have a very understanding boss who knew why I was taking the time and offered to let me take more if needed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For my employer it was fmla and they paid 60% of my pay and I could use PTO to cover the other 40%. Short term disability only kicks in for me after 12 weeks and up to 6 months with the same scale for pay.

Knowing that, I actually scheduled my VSG for 45 days before my knee hardware removal and then went back to work 3 weeks after that so I could use fmla to cover both.

Either way my company has a claims line specifically for fmla and short term disability outside of HR as far as pay is concerned. I just had to notify HR 30 days prior that I was having surgery.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, AmandaD. said:

Hello!

Just starting my journey in the new year and wanted to start getting everything together. Did anyone use short term disability for their surgery rather than just take vacation? I have limited vacation days next year so I am trying to weigh my options. I know FMLA is an option but that has no pay, so I was wondering if anyone chose short term disability and what the process was?

Thank you!

When I read the terms and conditions of my short-term disability, I decided not to use it (I had to grant them access to EVERYTHING about me - mental health records, employment records, everything. And they said they might share it with others who won't keep it confidential. No thank you). I'd only be getting 60% of one week's pay, anyway.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, AmandaD. said:

Thank you! How long did you take? Do you request a certain amount of days/weeks that your Dr. agrees upon and then if you don’t need that much time get them to sign off on going back to work? I just hear different people saying you only need a week which seems silly to take short term dis if that’s the case, but you make a good point, you never know…

Well, this is something squarely in my wheelhouse! Maybe I can help.

You should first check your short-term disability policy (ask HR for a copy), because some of them have a 5- or 7-day elimination period, which is the number of days you have to be out before the benefit starts. So if the first week is not payable, it makes no sense to file a claim for just one week.

The amount of time off you need depends on the type of work you do. If you have a physical job (lots of standing, walking, lifting/carrying greater than 10 pounds), then your doctor will probably recommend you take more time off and the claim will be approved. If your job is mostly sitting at a desk, your doctor will have to give specific reasons for your inability to work. Depending on your procedure, most doctors already have a set number of weeks they will sign off on for recovery.

Either way, you aren't tied to the initial number of weeks you requested: you can always return to work sooner if you feel well enough, or you can apply for more time off if there were complications.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I work in claims so it really depends on what your company's STD offers. You could check with your HR. I took 2 weeks of STD and the first week of any STD is unpaid and with my company they made me use some of my PTO for that week. Mine is not divided out as Vacation and Sick. So one week was my time and the other week was paid by STD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I am planning on using short term with FMLA.
I just used for hysterectomy and they called me at two weeks to see if I was back to work kr if they should extend claim.
It could vary by policy. I am calling today to get things started as they will have paperwork mg dr needs to fill out so I want to take it to my preop appointment.

Sent from my SM-G998U using BariatricPal mobile app

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

    • Aunty Mamo

      Tomorrow marks two weeks since surgery day and while I'm feeling remarkably well and going about just about every normal activity, I did wind up with a surface abscess on on of my incision sights and was put on an antibiotic that made me so impacted that it took me more than two hours to eliminate yesterday and scared the hell out of me. Now there's Miralax in all my beverages that aren't Smooth Move tea. I cannot experience that again. I shouldn't have to take Ativan to go to the lady's. I really looking forward to my body getting with the program again. 
      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
      For second breakfast on workdays, I will have a low-fat yogurt with two tablespoons of PBFit and two teaspoons of no sugar added dried cherries. I will have ingested 35-45 grams of protein at this point between the two breakfasts, with 250-285 calories, and about 20 carbs.
      For second breakfast on non-workdays, I will prepare two servings of plain, instant oatmeal with a tablespoon of an olive oil-based spread. This means I will have had 34 grams of protein, 365 calories, and 38 carbs. Non-workdays are when I am being very active with training sessions, so I allow myself more carbohydrate fuel.
      Snacks on any day are always mixed nuts, even when I am travelling. I will have 0.2 cups of a blend that I make myself. It consists of dry roasted peanuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, and Brazil nuts. This is 5 grams of protein, 163 calories, and 7 carbs.
      Breakfast and snacks have been the easiest to nail down. Lunch and dinner have more variables, and I prepare enough for leftovers. I concentrate on protein first, and then add vegetables. Typically tempeh, tofu, or Field Roast products with roasted or sautéed vegetables. Today, I will be eating leftovers from last night. Two ounces of tempeh with four ounces of roasted vegetables that consist of red and yellow sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, small purple potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. I will add a tablespoon of olive oil-based spread, break up 3 walnuts to sprinkle of top, and garnish with two tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. This particular meal will be 19 grams of protein, 377 calories, and 28 grams of carbs. Bear in mind that I do eat more carbs when I am not working, and I focus on ingesting healthy carbs instead of breads/crackers/chips/crisps.
      It's a helluva journey and I'm thankful to be on it!
       
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×