Long-term Disability

You may be eligible for long-term disability benefits if your medical condition is expected to extend beyond 125 workdays of short-term disability. Benefits cover those in a return-to-work program who can work 20 or more hours a week but cannot perform their full duties at their regular schedules and those who are unable to work at all or only up to 20 hours a week.

Benefits

Long-term disability provides an income replacement of 60 percent of your annual compensation, including any salary increases applied during your short-term disability. Payments are adjusted if you receive payments or income from other sources or other disability programs.

COLA for Long-term Disability Benefits Effective July 1, 2008: 2.8%

After you have been on long-term disability for a full calendar year (January 1 to December 31), you may be eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) July 1 of the following year. Upon recommendation of the program actuary, the VRS Board of Trustees sets the COLA amount each fiscal year.

Catastrophic Disability Benefits

If your disability becomes catastrophic, your income replacement level will be at 80 percent for the duration of the catastrophic condition. To qualify, you must be unable to perform at least two out of six Activities of Daily Living: bathing, dressing, eating, maintaining continence, toileting and getting in and out of bed and chairs.