Life, Long and Short Term Disability Insurance

Basic life insurance coverage up to $50,000 is paid by Colby for all employees as shown in the chart below.

There may be less expensive rates available through an independent agent or optional life insurance coverage may be purchased from The Hartford through payroll deduction.

• Note: Below are monthly rates. If you are on bi-weekly payroll, the cost for each pay period will be half the amount listed
  • Example – For $100,000 of additional coverage for a 35 year old, the employee would pay $9.00/month or $4.50/bi-weekly
• Newly eligible employees have a Guaranteed Issue (GI) amount of $200,000. Elections are made in Workday; if you’re electing more than $200,000, The Hartford will send you an Evidence on Insurability from to complete and notify you of the necessary steps required via email
• Adding or increasing optional coverage is subject to underwriting approval by The Hartford. Evidence of Insurability must be completed and submitted to The Hartford

Spousal life insurance may be purchased from Hartford Life through payroll deduction. It is available in increments of $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000.

• Note: These are monthly rates. If you are on bi-weekly payroll, the cost for each pay period will be half the amount listed
• Example – For $10,000 of coverage for a 35 year old spouse, the employee would pay $.90/month or $.45/bi-weekly
• Adding or increasing optional coverage is subject to underwriting approval by ‘The Hartford’. An Evidence of Insurability form must be completed and submitted to The Hartford.

Dependent life insurance may be purchased from Hartford Life through payroll deduction.

Dependent Child(ren) means:

1. Your unmarried children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children
2. Any other children related to you by blood or marriage or domestic partnership who:
   1. Live with you in a regular parent-child relationship
   2. You claimed as a dependent on your last filed federal income tax return; provided such children are primarily dependent upon you for financial support and maintenance and are:
      1. From live birth up to age 26
      2. Age 19 or older and disabled. Such children must have become disabled before attaining age 19. You must submit proof, satisfactory to Hartford, of such children’s disability

• Dependents birth to six months – there is a maximum of $2,000 coverage
• Qualifying dependents six months up to 26 years old – see rate table below

NOTE: These are monthly rates per dependent covered. If you are on bi-weekly payroll, the cost for each pay period will be half the amount listed.

Highlights

Virtual Information Session

Eligibility and Coverage: 

Benefits-eligible staff employees are entitled to short-term disability benefits on a voluntary basis. These benefits are set at 60% of the employee’s base weekly salary/pay, based on their current work schedule, for a maximum of 26 weeks, inclusive of a 15-day elimination period, due to a certified disability stemming from the same continuing condition. The employee must be medically determined by a treating physician to be incapable of working due to injury or illness. 

Short-term disability leave will run concurrently with any leave entitlements under the Family and Medical Leave Act or relevant state law. Short-term disability insurance pays 60% of your weekly earnings not to exceed $1200/week after a waiting period of 15 calendar days.  If the 60% benefit calculates below $1200, the benefit would round down to the next lower $50 increment.

During the waiting period you may be paid full sick and/or vacation time (if available) for any day you are normally scheduled to work. On the 15th calendar day, the employee can use available floating holiday, sick, and vacation balances to bring pay to 40%.  All benefit deductions from paychecks will continue.  Accruals for sick and vacation time will cease during short-term disability and resume upon return to active employment.

Claim Limitation and Requirements: 

In case of a serious health condition requiring absence from work for one or more weeks, employees must complete a request for family and medical leave as well as short-term disability.

Conditions covered by workers’ compensation are not included in short-term disability coverage. 

Pre-existing condition limitations.

Return to Work Expectations: 

The College expects all capable employees to return to work promptly in their current position or in an alternative role meeting the limitations and restrictions specified by the attending healthcare provider. Failure to do so may result in denial or discontinuation of short-term disability coverage.

Ongoing Certification and Requirements:

To maintain short-term disability benefits, employees must provide medical certification from their attending physician at specified intervals during the leave. Failure to provide such certification will result in the employee’s status transitioning to leave without pay.

Return-to-Work:

Before resuming work, employees may need to furnish the HR Department with a release from their healthcare provider indicating their fitness for work and any associated limitations or restrictions. All employees must adhere to these medical directives until fully cleared for regular employment.

Termination and Benefit Continuation:

Faculty or staff providing written notice of retirement or termination before becoming eligible for short-term disability will receive benefits until their stated departure date from the College. During short-term disability, employees will remain enrolled in flexible spending and retirement plans. Failure to return to work upon exhaustion of short-term disability benefits will result in separation from employment, triggering applicable benefit continuation provisions. 

Ineligibility:

Employees working in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Oregon, or Puerto Rico are ineligible for Short-Term Disability.

Rates (click for details):

Monthly Rates Per $100 Weekly Benefit
26 Weeks Benefit Duration