Short-term disability benefits are a form of financial assistance designed to support you when you are unable to work due to a disability. Many of the Midwest Operating Engineers health plan options have disability benefits.
What is the Short-Term Disability benefit?
There are two parts to the Midwest Operating Engineers Short-Term Disability benefit:
- $500 weekly disability benefit paid via direct deposit
- Disability credits applied to your credit bank to assist with maintaining your healthcare coverage, and if you are monthly you may receive up to 4 months of credits
You may be entitled to one part or the other or both depending on the health plan option that you are enrolled in. If you are injured at work and you are receiving benefits through Workers Compensation you should still apply because you may be eligible for the weekly credits towards maintaining your health coverage.
If you are experiencing a disability, please contact the Fund Office Disability Coordinator Aaron Van Ostrand at (708) 937-0327, and select option 3, to request a short-term disability benefit application. You can also access the short-term disability benefit application by tapping here.
- Marketplace Plans (Except for the Bronze plan)
- For the first 17 weeks of disability, you will have disability credits added to your marketplace credit bank that is equivalent to a 40-hour week based on the health plan and coverage tier you are enrolled in
- $500 weekly short-term disability pay up to 52 weeks
- Municipal Members
- Members will receive weekly short-term disability pay for the first 30 days only
- You should always contact your local State Municipality Program to verify if you are eligible for additional disability benefits.
- Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF): (800) 275-4673
- Indiana Public Retirement System (INPRS): (844) 464-6777
- Owner Operators
- $500 weekly short-term disability pay up to 52 weeks only
The following health plan options do not offer short-term disability benefits:
- Marketplace Bronze Plan
- Plan B
- Plan E – Landscapers
- Retiree Welfare Plan
- If you are receiving unemployment benefits
- If you became disabled during a layoff
- If you became disabled while you were on the regular or light duty out of work list
- You must be the member. Spouses and dependents are not eligible for Short-Term Disability benefits.
- You must be actively working at the time the disability occurred
- You must be totally disabled due to an illness or injury that prevents you from working a minimum of eight consecutive days or longer
- Disability must be certified by a Medical Physician
- A Chiropractor, Nurse Practitioner, or Physician’s Assistance cannot certify the disability
- You must be under the regular care of a Medical Physician (MD or DO) throughout the disability period (seeing a Medical Physician every 4-6 weeks on average for Disability Status updates)
- The member and the attending medical physician must complete the Member’s Disability Benefits Application forms. Forms must be hand signed by the medical physician. Signature stamps will not be accepted.