OPM Submits Proposal To Create Short-Term Disability Insurance Program
OPM issued the following press release:
U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda M. Springer today submitted a proposal to both chambers of Congress to establish a short-term disability insurance program to protect federal employees who suffer an injury or illness which temporarily prevents them from performing their normal job duties.
“If we are to maintain an efficient and effective Federal workforce, it is imperative to ensure workers are protected in the unlikely event of a short-term disability,” Director Springer said. “Health care costs can be economically devastating to many employees, especially those who have not yet accumulated sufficient sick and annual leave.”
OPM would leverage the purchasing power of the 2.6 million Federal employees in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches, as well as the U.S. Postal Service, to obtain the best coverage at affordable premiums. Under the proposal, participation would be voluntary and insurance premiums would be fully paid by the policy holder.
Springer said an added benefit to this insurance product would be its ability to attract a quality work force. A sound short-term disability insurance benefit will fill the gap in an otherwise attractive and competitive Federal benefit program.
“Recent college graduates, or men and women only a few years removed from college campuses who are thinking about starting families will find this benefit to be an inducement to considering a career in the Federal civil service,” Springer said. “If they know they will not be penalized should something occur before they have had enough time to accumulate sufficient sick leave, they will be more likely to consider public service.”
Springer noted the program would benefit employees in a variety of short-term situations, including childbirth, adoption, unforeseen injury to the employee or a close family member, and emergency surgery.
Comments
12 Comments on OPM Submits Proposal To Create Short-Term Disability Insurance Program
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Samson says on
Sat, 8th Mar 2008 6:05 am
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Brett on
Sat, 8th Mar 2008 7:37 pm
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Bill on
Sun, 9th Mar 2008 8:36 am
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Cliff on
Sun, 9th Mar 2008 12:42 pm
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George on
Mon, 10th Mar 2008 5:31 am
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mark on
Mon, 10th Mar 2008 7:45 am
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Anonymous on
Mon, 10th Mar 2008 1:08 pm
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clerk on
Fri, 25th Apr 2008 1:19 pm
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blue eyes on
Thu, 15th May 2008 10:06 am
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TruthbTold on
Thu, 10th Jul 2008 5:49 am
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Leslie on
Wed, 20th Aug 2008 7:49 am
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wayne on
Mon, 25th Aug 2008 6:51 am
More ways for the slugs to steal as with FMLA and light and limited duty and number one of all SICK LEAVE.The agency I work for is running rampant with all this B/S
It is about time for something like this. A short term disability plan is something that at least in the USPS I have never seen in my 23 years there. As far as for Samson’s comments concerning this, he sounds like he might need to seek some medical attention. Probably a Proctologist is your best way to go to get your head out of you butt!
I agree with Brett. When I was hurt in the late 80’s there wasn’t even FMLA. I exhausted 3 years of acrued S/L in a snap. Had to move back in with the folks and pay my medical insurance out of my pocket and totalled 1295 hours of SLWOP. It was the most dreadful time of my life. Thank god I didn’t have a family then. This short term insurance is long in comming.
Finally a manager with a brain!!
First you have to seperate the true one’s from the phonies!
Currently any on the job injury is treated as if it were a scam!
Don’t look down one lens of a pair of binoculars when there’s two opening for the view OK?
This goes for all federal agencies!
All I can say is this is great news. It’ll be even better if Congress passes it. But will the lame George W Bush sign it into law. Unlikely, since he is now screwing around with FMLA. Too bad.
Short term disability insurance usually kicks in to cover wages after one month of being off work. Sick or annual leave could cover that first month and then disability kicks in to pay the employee for the rest of the time off.
Like I said, great news for the employee hurt off the job whom the Agency can never find work for anyway. The employee can stay home and get back to 100% without worring about money not coming in.
It’s about time. The unions have offered this to it’s members forever.
Short term disability benefits will be abused until the fund runs dry and shouldn’t even be offered. Long term disability would be good, by first making the parasites go without a check for a 2-3 years, then pay out.
This is an OPM plot to get out from under the sick leave program & shift the cost over to the worker ants IF they even bother to sign up.
BINGO! Yes, make employees pay for this and take away sick leave.
WHAT’S THIS NO COMMENT FROM HISPANO OH OH I MEAN LATINO OR 1BUC!!!COME ON FREAKS WE COUNT ON YOU LOSERS FOR A GOOD LAUGH!!
THE AMERICAN ONE
It is amazing how everyone is a fraud until the need for leave becomes personal. A lie is an untruth, nomatter who tells it, or for what purpose. Why would anyone want to subject a person to severe financial hardship for 2-3 years and then call it a “short term health plan”? Your closet thoughts are showing, did you know you could be identified by them?
What about all of those Reservists and National Guard troops that are on active duty, get an injury and can’t work due to some stupid liability? Who pays these soldiers when they can’t work their civilian jobs? The federal government? Sure…NOT!!!! Their just left in the cold as usual. Sure they have great medical, however they also have great bills that keep rolling in. One thing is FOR SURE…you can tell the level of morality of a country by how well it takes care of its veterans……well, you guessed it, the US has none.
Not only do we need short term disability (7 – 14 days before going into effect) and better health care along with a dental plan (one that covers all procedures) all in one. If private companies can offer it why can’t the federal government (USPS).