Duke HR - Disability Benefits

Voluntary Disability: Long Term Disability (LTD)

Duke University Employees
All active full-time employees excluding Private Diagnostic Clinic faculty and house staff. Full-time Clinical Associates and Consulting Associates are eligible for this program.

Duke Health System Employees
All active full-time employees excluding faculty and house staff. Full-time Clinical Associates and Consulting Associates are eligible for this program.

Voluntary LTD is for those with fewer than three years of full-time continuous service who are not eligible for the Duke Disability Plan. This plan is one of the MOST IMPORTANT benefits you can purchase because it can help secure your financial future. Read more...

This plan is for employees with less than 3 years of full-time continuous service, unless the employee already qualifies for the Duke Disability Plan. The plan replaces up to 60% of your base salary to a maximum monthly benefit of $12,500.

Voluntary Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits cover disabilities whether or not they are job related. However, benefits will be reduced by the amount of other income benefits you receive while disabled, such as Social Security, sick leave or paid time off. Regardless of these offsets, the minimum benefit is the greater of 10% of the Voluntary LTD benefit or $100.

When Benefits Begin

Voluntary LTD benefits begin after you have been totally disabled for four months if you are a Duke University employee. Benefits begin after you have been totally disabled for six months if you are a Duke University Health System employee.

Proof of Prior Coverage (LTD Waiver)

If you had an employer-sponsored long term disability plan within 90 days of full-time employment to Duke, you may participate in the Duke Disability Program as of the first day of the month after your hire date (waiving the normal three-year waiting period). Submit proof of prior coverage on your past employer's letterhead or business email and the statement of prior participation should also include the termination date of the disability coverage. Waiver requests can be emailed to benefits@duke.edu or faxed to the attention of our disability analyst at (919) 681-8774 within 90 days of your hire date.