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You’re an Active Member and covered under the
Health Fund. Suddenly, you’re unable to work at your regular job — or any
other job — because of an illness or injury that’s not related to your
work.
If
you’re under the care of a doctor and unable to get income from another
source — such as unemployment, Workers’ Compensation, or any other salary
continuation plan —Weekly Disability Income (WDI) can help to make up for
some of the income you lose.
WDI
is designed to replace a portion of your income. This coverage is not
available to your dependents.
You
can start collecting weekly benefits on the first day following a disabling
injury, or the eighth day of an illness. Your doctor is required to give
the Health Fund Office updated reports on your condition while you’re
receiving benefits.
WDI
is available for a total of 26 weeks per incident. For the first 13 weeks,
the benefit is $150 per week. For the rest of the 26-week period, the
weekly benefit is $100. Benefits you receive will be reduced by the amount
of any income you may receive from automobile insurance, if your disability
is the result of an auto accident.
Returning to Work
What
if you come back to work and can’t continue working because of the same
illness or injury? If you work nine full (seven-hour) days or less but
can’t continue because of the same illness or injury, you’ll resume your
benefits again with no waiting period. The weeks you were receiving
disability income prior to returning to work will count towards the 26-week
maximum.
If
you come back to work for 10 full days or more but can’t continue because
of the same illness or injury, you receive benefits after the same waiting
period — one day in the case of accident, eight days in the case of
illness. Your absence will be treated as a new event and you’ll be eligible
for a full 26 weeks of WDI.
If
you return to work for at least one full day and become eligible for WDI
benefits because of a new, unrelated illness or injury, after the
appropriate waiting period, you’ll be eligible to receive a new WDI benefit
of up to 26 weeks of weekly income benefits.
A Bit of information
The disability benefit is also paid for partial
weeks. For each weekday of disability, the amount is 1/7 of the weekly
benefit.
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