Short-term Disability

If a non-work related or work-related injury or illness prevents you from working during a period of at least seven consecutive days, you are eligible to apply for short-term disability benefits. If you work 20 hours or less (10 hours or less if you are part-time salaried) during the seven-day waiting period, you are still considered eligible.

The short-term disability period is effective up to a total of 125 workdays counting from the first day of your disability. The 125-workday period is based on a Monday-through-Friday workweek and includes paid holidays.

Non-work related and work-related conditions, such as illness (brief, chronic or catastrophic), injuries, pregnancy and recovery from medical or surgical procedures, are considered disabilities under the VSDP.

Your income replacement begins on the eighth day of your disability at 100 percent of the compensation you are earning at the time you initiate a claim. It decreases to 80 percent and 60 percent over the course of your disability depending on your months of state service.

Note: If you were hired or re-hired on or after July 1, 2009, you become eligible for short-term disability after one year of continuous employment. After at least five years of employment, you become eligible for income replacement at 100 percent or 80 percent during short-term disability. Until then, your income replacement is 60 percent of pre-disability income.