Medical Documentation All requests for leaves of absence for medical reasons require submission of medical documentation. This documentation must specify that the employee is unable to perform their duties and provide the start date of the medical leave and an estimated return to work date. The leave of absence cannot be approved without an estimated return to work date. Medical NotesEmployees submitting a medical note should ensure that the note contains the following information: 1. the date the employee was seen by the doctor;2. the date(s) the employee was out or will be out; 3. the expected date of return;4. a statement from the doctor that the employee is unable to carry out expected duties Any medical excuse not containing this information will be returned for the necessary details. Failure to supply the above information may result in denial of the use of a sick day. Medical documentation should be sent to the Employee Benefits Office via the My Documents Upload in WP Connect. Available Leave Time Upon notification of an employee's medical leave, the Payroll and Benefits Office will calculate the amount of earned leave time the employee has accummulated and inform the employee of his/her options concerning the above leave time. Please note that any leave time used that is not earned must be repaid if the employee does not continue employment at the University. Short Term Disability - New Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) Please click here to learn about the waiting week for Temporary Disability Insurance and related information. Temporary Disability Insurance Program Disability During Unemployment (DDU) Program Long Term Disability Employees enrolled in the Alternate Benefit Plan (ABP) Employees enrolled in Alternate Benefit Program (ABP) for at least one year, may apply for Long Term Disability (LTD) against loss income in instances where they have been they have been determined to be totally disabled. Refer to the Alternate Benefit Program Retirement Section for the benefits offered while on Long Term Disability. Under LTD, there is no stipulation that earned sick leave must be applied in advance of receiving the benefit. The ABP Fact Sheet contains an overview of the LTD program (see page 3) The ABP LTD Policy and Application can be found here. (under ABP Publications) Ordinary Disability Retirement - Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Teacher Pension Annuity Fund (TPAF) and Police and Firemen's Retirement System (PFRS): Employees enrolled in these pension plans may apply for Ordinary Disability Retirement if they are considered totally and permanently disabled from performing their normal job duties. Employees become eligible for this benefit after ten or more years of pension enrollment in PERS and TPAF and after four or more years in PFRS. See below Fact Sheets for further information. Disability Retirement Fact Sheet for PERS and TPAF members in Tiers 1, 2, and 3 Long-Term Disability Fact Sheet for PERS and TPAF members in Tiers 4 and 5 Disability Retirement Fact Sheet for members of PFRS Health BenefitsEmployees on medical leave maintain full health benefits and pension coverage while in pay status. If the employee moves to leave without pay status, he/she may continue health benefits for a period of 3 months by continuing to make normally required employee contributions to their State Health Benefits Plan in a timely manner. After 3 months the employee may elect to purchase health benefits from the University at the group rate for 9 months, and then for an additional 6 months under COBRA. The combined total of the extended coverage may not exceed 18 months. Pension Members of the Public Employees Retirement System, Teacher Pension Annuity Fund and Police and Firemen's Retirement System are eligible to purchase service credit for up to a maximum of two years for authorized medical leaves. There is no such provision in the Alternate Benefit Program. Life Insurance Group life insurance coverage will continue for up to two years while on an official leave of absence for personal illness. No contributions will be required from members covered by contributory life insurance to continue their insurance.
