Applying for disability

He or she needs to certify your disability date and you must be under a doctor’s continuous care to receive disability income.

Or, if your injury or illness is work-related, report this to the Workers’ Compensation office at your location.

Then contact your local Payroll or Benefits representative to arrange to pay the premiums.

• You can file your claim online at mylincolnportal.com, code: UNIVERSITY or call Lincoln directly at 800-713-7384 and a case manager will take your claim over the phone.
• Be sure to provide Lincoln Financial with a signed medical authorization form so your doctor can release your medical records.
• Check with your doctor to be sure the records have been forwarded; they need to be received within 30 days of filing your claim.

UC doesn’t participate in CA-SDI, but you may be eligible via your former employer.

• Expect to receive checks every two weeks once your Basic, Voluntary Short-Term or Voluntary Long-Term Disability claim is approved. 
• Be sure to provide information to the carrier about your medical, legal or financial situation, as requested.
• Let UC know if your address changes.
• If your health plan covers only a certain service area, and you’ll be away from that service area for more than two months during your leave, contact your Benefits representative about transferring to a plan in your new location.

If you can’t yet go back to your normal full-time job, but are well enough to do some work, you could be approved for the Stay at Work/Return to Work provisions of UC’s disability plans. You could combine partial disability benefits with partial UC salary — earning more than you would from disability alone — and retain many of your UC-sponsored benefits.

• If you're eligible for UCRP disability benefits, a representative will send you the required application forms.
• Return the forms ASAP; your disability date is based on when your application is received.
• If you apply within 120 days of leaving UC employment, you’ll preserve your right to continue your retiree health coverage, so long as your coverage is continuous.
• If you receive UCRP Disability and have a CAP balance, you’re required to take a distribution or roll over the CAP funds. It’s best to choose the rollover; otherwise the disability carrier will reduce your monthly benefit by the amount of the distribution. You also have the option to suspend your 403(b) loan repayments, if you have any.

• If you’re eligible to retire, you can compare your potential retirement income with your disability income; your Benefits representative or the Retirement Administration Service Center can give you the figures you’ll need. Depending on your age, UCRP service credit and other factors, you could receive more monthly income and higher UC medical and dental contributions under UCRP disability than if you retire.
• Talk to your campus disability management specialist to explore other job opportunities.