One time at work here at Paycheckology, I lost a finger in a freak paper-cutting accident. I knew I was going to be out for a while. But I didn’t know which leave option was the best for me: short-term disability or FMLA. Turns out it’s a common question!
Here’s Five Fast Facts about FMLA vs. Short-Term Disability:
- 🤒 The Law - The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law. It gives you up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for everything including the birth of a child, adoption of a child, a serious illness that prevents you from working, the need to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, or an urgent need from a spouse, child, or parent in military service.
- 🤢 Qualifiers - Not everyone is eligible for FMLA. Your company needs at least 50 employees, and you need to have worked for at least 12 months or 1,250 hours in 12 months before taking the leave. Your job does not have to be held for you when you return.
- 😷 Shorty Got Game - Short-term disability isn’t federally mandated. In fact, it’s only available if your employer offers it as a benefit. You’ll usually qualify if you can’t work due to an illness or injury that results in an injury that keeps you from working for more than a few days.
- 😵 More Qualifiers - How much you get paid depends on the plan. Some plans pay full benefits for a number of weeks, then a percentage of your salary to a maximum amount. Other plans may only pay a percentage of your salary.
- 🤮 Check Yourself - Just because your company offers short-term disability doesn’t mean you signed up for it. If you’re unsure, check with your HR department and make sure you know how much (and what) it covers.
🔥Bottom line: Having to take time away from work because of some catastrophic medical problem can be a terrifying concept. But if you know what your options are before (God forbid) anything terrible were to happen, it can make a stressful situation a bit less stressful.
Which one do you think is best?
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