There is no employer-provided Short Term Disability coverage for employees.

Benefit Payable

This plan replaces up to 60% of your weekly base salary to a maximum weekly benefit of $2,885.

Voluntary Short Term Disability (STD) benefits cover disabilities that are not job related. However, benefits will be reduced by the amount of other income benefits you receive while disabled, such as sick/vacation leave, paid time off or Kiel. Regardless of these offsets, the minimum benefit is $15 per week for Voluntary STD. For example, if an employee was paid $200 in PTO (or sick and vacation time) after the 28-day waiting period, then the voluntary disability carrier would reduce, or offset, the approved short-term disability benefit by the $200 PTO paid as “other income”.  If the short-term disability benefit payable was $500, then it would be reduced by $200 due to the PTO paid, thus resulting in a $300 STD benefit.

When Benefits Begin

For Duke University employees, voluntary STD benefits begin after four weeks (28 days) and may continue for up to 13 weeks of total disability**. Any or all of the employee's sick leave may be used during the four week (28 days) waiting period. No benefits are payable for the first 4 weeks (28 days) of disability.

For Duke University Health System (DUHS) employees with fewer than three years of full-time continuous service, voluntary STD benefits begin after four weeks (28 days) and may continue for up to 22 weeks of total disability**. For DUHS employees with three or more years of full-time continuous service, voluntary STD benefits begin after four weeks (28 days) and may continue for up to nine weeks of total disability**. No benefits are payable for the first 4 weeks (28 days) of disability.

**For maternity benefits, please refer to questions 7 and 8 on the FAQ.