Sickness coverage can fall into a few different categories

Incidental Absence

Incidental absence is when you are out sick for a period of 7 consecutive calendar days or less. An employee with a NCSD of at least 2 years will be paid for incidental absences. All incidental absences are paid.

Disability Absence

This part of the plan provides benefits when your illness or “off-duty accident” requires more time off than the Incidental Absence policy covers. Coverage begins on the 8th calendar day of the absence (ex. If Monday is the 1st day of absence the following Monday is the 1st day of Disability). You are eligible for disability pay after 6 months of service. (There is also state mandated coverage for employees with less than 6 months NCSD, call the local if you fall into this category).

Here is the schedule of benefits;

Length of Service                  Full pay                       Half pay
6 months to two years           0 weeks                      52 weeks
2 years to 5 years                 4 weeks                       48 weeks
5 years to 15 years               13 weeks                     39 weeks
15 years to 20 years             26 weeks                     26 weeks
20 years to 25 years             39 weeks                     13 weeks
25 years or more                  52 weeks                     0 weeks

Any absence, regardless of length, within 2 weeks of your return to work from a disability absence will be considered a continuation of the disability absence. Therefore you will need to be in touch with MetLife to insure that you get paid for the second absence.

If you have exhausted your disability benefits (full pay) you will need to be back to work at least 13 weeks before you can receive them again.

After you have exhausted the short-term disability benefits (1 year) you might be eligible for long-term disability benefits. Stay in contact with the Union office for information.

How to apply for benefits

You must call your Manager or the absence benefits center (determined locally) on the first day of absence. You should let your Manager know how long you think you will be out. And if you are going to be out for more than 7 calendar days you should contact met life as soon as possible. MetLife requires doctor’s certification of your illness. The sooner you get this information to them the less chance of them delaying your pay. The MetLife number  is 1-800-638-4228.
The Union strongly recommends that you keep records of all conversations with MetLife including dates, names, and what was said.

Accident Disability Benefits

This part of the program provides benefits if you’re unable to work due to an on-duty accident. Accident Disability benefits are payable from the first day of your disability. For further details about coverage you should ask your Manager or stay in touch with the Union.

Compensation attorneys Fine, Olin, & Anderman’s number is 1-800- 522 -9001.

All Absences

We recommend that you request FMLA certification for all absences.
FMLA paperwork will be sent to you within the first few days of your illness, have your doctor fill them out then return them to the FMLA department.
 
The FMLA number is 1- 877- 489- 2367.They will ask for your Social Security Number then prompt you with some voice activated options. Say (absence administrator).Then more prompts and you say (other FMLA questions)

This will get you to a live person.