How can I coordinate Worker’s Comp and STD?
There isn’t anything to coordinate since 99% of Employer’s STD Plans won’t pay for on the job work accidents payable through Worker’s Comp. It is usually and either-or situation. For LTD, Worker’s Comp is an offset from benefits and again there is nothing to coordinate.
Does a resignation letter keep you from getting disability benefits?
Even though the most frequently read post on Lindanee’s Blog is “resignations”, I still get questions about writing regulation letters. Let me be clear….no one should give an employer a “RESIGNATION” letter because to resign means, “I quit.” When an employee goes out on disability, he/she DOES NOT QUIT. Please let me encourage you to read the detail post on “Resignations”, which tells you how to word notification to employers. In the Search box type in, “Resignations” and you should be able to retrieve the article.
Where’s my Unum check? Where’s paperwork going at Mass Mutual?
Checks…and paperwork…and claims handlers…missing supervisors…WOW insurance companies appear to be in total confusion. I spent the better part of Friday morning trying to get in touch with a claims handler….voice mail…., supervisor…voice mail, VP of LTC claims…voice mail. I’m getting the impression that in the COVID-19 debacle, insurance companies, while doing the best they can, aren’t functioning very well.
In the meantime, claims handlers working remotely at home are still sending out letters demanding paperwork and attempting to force deadlines. I was forewarned by a Unum claims handler that the communication center in Columbia, NC is very disorganized and therefore, checks will be late. But then again, Unum’s checks are known to be late on occasion anyway.
Lincoln sent out a notice that someone’s FMLA and STD wasn’t approved due to lack of paperwork from a physician. Well, that’s not very nice considering many states are still under lock down. New York Life did the same thing.
As for insureds, the process of filing and/or managing disability claims is confusing and extremely disorganized, not to mention decisions are likely to be late. It looks like we all have to work with extenuating circumstances, at least for the time being.
