Disability

Valdosta City Schools offers voluntary Short Term Disability coverage and provides employer-paid Long Term Disability coverage to protect your most valuable asset- your ability to earn an income.

Voluntary Short Term Disability

The Short Term Disability (STD) plan insured by Unum provides benefits for up to 26 weeks if you are unable to work due to illness, injury, surgery, or childbirth recovery. Partial benefits are available if you're able to return to work on a part-time basis.

Employer-Paid Long Term Disability

In addition, the district provides employer-paid Long Term Disability (LTD) coverage through Unum at no cost to you. This coverage begins after 180 days of being unable to work and continues until you reach age 65 (or according to the benefits schedule). LTD coverage replaces 50% of your monthly income, up to a maximum of $3,500 per month. This benefit offers essential financial protection, helping you cover everyday expenses while you're unable to work.

Premium Information

Important Documents

Both the Short Term and Long Term Disability Plans include a Pre-Existing Condition limitation.

For the Short Term Disability Plan with Unum, if you have a medical condition that arises before your coverage begins, and you seek treatment for this condition within the 3 months leading up to your coverage start date, you may not be eligible for benefits related to that condition until you've been covered for 6 months.
For the employer-paid Long Term Disability Plan with Unum, a pre-existing condition is a condition for which you received care during the 3 months preceding the date your benefits effective date. Disabilities caused by pre-existing conditions are excluded unless at the time you become disabled you have not received medical treatment for at least 90 consecutive days while insured under the policy. Once you have been insured for at least 12 months, the exclusion no longer applies.

	Employee Paid Short-Term Disability Summary of Benefits
Weekly Benefit Amount	You may elect in $50 increments up to a $1,000 maximum weekly benefit Subject to a $100 minimum election Up to 60% of your weekly salary, rounded to the next lower $50
Sickness Elimination Period	7 days You must be out of work for 7 days due to an illness before you can collect your disability benefits on day 8
Accident Elimination Period	0 days
Pre-Existing Condition Restriction	If you have a medical condition that begins before your coverage, and you receive treatment for this condition with the 3 months leading up to your coverage start date, you will not be eligible for benefits for that condition until you have been covered by the plan for 6 months.
Short Term Disability Benefits Integration	Your benefits can coordinate with income from other sources such as sick leave. This allows you to receive up to 100% of your pre-disability income.

Employee Paid
Short-Term Disability Summary of Benefits

Weekly Benefit Amount

You may elect in $50 increments up to a $1,000 maximum weekly benefit
Subject to a $100 minimum election
Up to 60% of your weekly salary, rounded to the next lower $50

Sickness Elimination Period

7 days
You must be out of work for 7 days due to an illness
before you can collect your disability benefits on day 8

Accident Elimination Period

0 days

Pre-Existing Condition Restriction

If you have a medical condition that begins before your coverage,
and you receive treatment for this condition with the 3 months leading up to your coverage start date,
you will not be eligible for benefits for that condition until you have been covered by the plan for 6 months.

Short Term Disability Benefits Integration

Your benefits can coordinate with income from other sources such as sick leave.
This allows you to receive up to 100% of your pre-disability income.

	Employer Paid Long-Term Disability Summary of Benefits
Elimination Period	180 days Benefits begin after 180 days of disability
Monthly Benefit Amount	50% of earnings up to a maximum monthly benefit of $3,500
Benefit Duration Age when disabled Benefit Duration	Prior to age 60: Greater of 65 or 5 years Age 60 to 64: 5 years Age 65 to 69: Greater of age 70 or 1 year Age 70+: 1 year
Pre-existing Condition Exclusion	A pre-existing condition is a condition for which you received care during the 3 months preceding the date your benefits effective date. Pre-existing conditions are excluded unless you are treatment-free for at least 90 consecutive days from the effective date. Once you have been insured for at least 12 months, the exclusion no longer applies.

Employer Paid
Long-Term Disability Summary of Benefits

Elimination Period

180 days
Benefits begin after 180 days of disability

Monthly Benefit Amount

50% of earnings up to a maximum monthly benefit of $3,500

Benefit Duration Age when disabled
Benefit Duration

Prior to age 60: Greater of 65 or 5 years
Age 60 to 64: 5 years
Age 65 to 69: Greater of age 70 or 1 year
Age 70+: 1 year

Pre-existing Condition Exclusion

A pre-existing condition is a condition for which you received care during the 3 months preceding the date your benefits effective date. Pre-existing conditions are excluded unless you are treatment-free for at least 90 consecutive days from the effective date. Once you have been insured for at least 12 months, the exclusion no longer applies.

Disability

Non-Medical Enrollment and Questions:
(866) 933-2460

Medical Enrollment and Questions:
(800) 610-1863

General Questions: help@vcsbenefits.org

Benefits

Other Links

Enrollment

Disability

Non-Medical Enrollment and Questions: (866) 933-2460

Medical Enrollment and Questions: (800) 610-1863

General Questions: help@vcsbenefits.org

Benefits

Other Links

Enrollment

Non-Medical Enrollment and Questions:
(866) 933-2460

Medical Enrollment and Questions:
(800) 610-1863