Disability Insurance
Henrico County offers you access to short-term and long-term disability coverage, which provides a portion of your income if you become disabled and are unable to work. Please refer to the additional plan information sections for full coverage details.
MetLife Short-Term Disability
Short-term disability pays you 60% of your weekly income, up to $2,500 a week.
Permanent, active employees working at least 20 hours per week are eligible to enroll.
VRS Hybrid Plan Members are eligible for MetLife Short-Term Disability during their first year of employment.
After you have been employed with Henrico County for one year, you will automatically be enrolled in the Hybrid Disability Program. This program provides you 60% of your weekly income and is provided by Henrico County at no cost to you. There is a seven-day waiting period to begin receiving your benefit.
The different waiting period options indicate how long you must wait before the short-term disability benefits become payable. The waiting period begins on the day you become disabled and is the length of time you must wait while being disabled before you are eligible to receive a benefit.
The waiting periods are as follows:
Option 1 – 14 Days (Maximum of 11 weeks)
Option 2 – 28 Days (Maximum of 9 weeks)
Option 3 – 42 Days (Maximum of 7 weeks)
Maximum is the total amount of weeks you can receive short-term disability benefits.
It is your responsibility to file a claim with MetLife if you intend to use your income protection benefit. Benefits become payable once you have satisfied your elected waiting period and you are in a Leave Without Pay (LWOP) status (FMLA or non-FMLA LWOP). MetLife will pay benefits directly to you.
- MetLife Disability Benefit Overview
- MetLife FAQs
- MetLife Short Term Disability Benefits – Plan Summary
- MetLife Short Term Disability – Certificate of Insurance (VRS Plan 1 and Plan 2 members and part-time permanent employees)
- MetLife Short Term Disability – Certificate of Insurance (VRS Hybrid Plan members for first year of employment prior to eligibility for Hybrid Disability)
- MIB Pre Notice – disclosure notice
MetLife Long-Term Disability
The benefit amount is up to 60% of an eligible employee’s covered income. The County provides the core coverage to protect annual salary up to $50,000. Eligible employees are automatically covered at no cost.
NOTE: Part-time employees are not eligible for long-term disability benefits.
VRS Plan 1 & 2 Members are eligible for MetLife long-term disability benefits after you have completed six months of service with Henrico County.
Core Coverage: The County provides the core coverage to protect annual salary up to $50,000. Eligible employees are automatically covered at no cost.
Buy Up Coverage:
- If your annual salary is above $50,000, you may apply to protect your salary above $50,000.
- You may elect to cover your salary above $50,000 without answering health questions within 1) 31 days of the date you complete six months of full time service or 2) within 31 days of the date your salary exceeds $50,000, whichever is later.
If you are interested in enrolling in Buy Up Coverage once you are eligible, please contact the Benefits Office directly.
Hybrid Plan Members are covered under the Hybrid Disability Program once you have been employed full-time with Henrico for one-year, at no cost to you. If you are still disabled after 125 workdays, you will then move on to long-term disability benefits through this program.
Hybrid Disability Program
Henrico County provides a program of short-term and long-term disability benefits for employees that are members of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Hybrid Retirement Plan. The VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan does not offer disability retirement benefits. Instead, this disability program for VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan members is provided and fully paid by the County in accordance with state law.
Coverage is provided only for full-time employees that are members of the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan.
For their first year of employment, Hybrid Plan members may enroll in the MetLife Short Term Disability/Income Protection. Enrollment provides income protection during the one-year eligibility period before filing a claim under the Hybrid Disability Program.
After the one-year waiting period, the STD benefit provides income replacement for a maximum of 125 work days at 60% of your predisability earnings (“creditable compensation” that is reported to VRS) if you are disabled, on maternity leave, or have periodic absences due to a major chronic condition and are under the care of a physician.
Claims for the STD coverage are administered by The Standard Insurance Company and benefits are paid by the County through payroll.
Long Term Disability benefits replace 60% of your Creditable Compensation. LTD benefits may begin after the maximum STD benefits have been received. LTD benefits may continue until you become eligible for a VRS service retirement benefit. VRS service credit will continue to accrue while on LTD.
The LTD coverage is fully insured by The Standard Insurance Company which administers claims and pays benefits directly to the covered member.
It is your responsibility to file a claim with The Standard. Report a claim as soon as you believe you will be absent from work beyond 7 calendar days. You may report a claim up to four weeks in advance of a planned absence, such as childbirth or a scheduled surgery.
