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Purdue University and Purdue Global Short-Term Disability

About the Program

Short term disability premium cost

This plan is currently administered by Guardian.

If you are a benefits-eligible employee in an administrative operational support, policy/fire or skilled trade position with Purdue University or in a benefits-eligible position with Purdue Global, you may be interested in short term disability (STD). 

The program pays you a benefit equal to 65 percent of your budgeted salary for the days or weeks you remain disabled. STD benefits cover any illness or injury for which you would otherwise be paid sick leave, including pregnancy.

STD is a flexible benefit offered only during annual open enrollment. If you enroll, coverage begins January 1 of the next year, or on your one-year service anniversary, whichever is later.

To receive short term disability payments, you must fulfill the following requirements:

  • You must be deemed medically unable to work by the company that administers Purdue's STD plan, and
  • You must satisfy a 21-calendar day elimination period.

The elimination period is a period of time during which you are unable to work due to injury or illness. You may receive sick leave or vacation pay during the elimination period.

Supplementing Pay

While receiving STD benefit payments, you may also receive worker's compensation, if your illness or injury is work-related. Additionally for Purdue University employees, you're allowed to supplement your income through sick leave, vacation, paid parental leave or holiday pay.  For Purdue Global employees, you’re allowed to supplement your income through sick leave, vacation, personal time, or holiday pay. 

Who May Be Covered

  • Purdue University - Administrative and operational support, police/fire or skilled trade staff who have worked at Purdue University for at least one year in a benefit-eligible position may be covered. If you have worked at Purdue for less than one year, you may enroll during annual open enrollment, but your coverage will not begin until your one-year service anniversary.

  • Purdue Global – All benefits-eligible employees who have worked at least one year in the benefit-eligible position may be covered.  If you have worked at Purdue Global for less than one year, you may enroll during annual open enrollment, but your coverage will not begin until your one-year service anniversary.

Cost

STD is an employee-funded program. You pay the full cost on a pre-tax basis. Your benefit is based on your current pay, so your premium for the coverage changes as your budgeted salary changes. The annual premium is established by taking your annual basic budgeted salary times .0074. So, for example, if your annual salary is $20,000, your annual cost for STD would be $148 ($20,000 x .0074). This amount, divided by either 18 or 26 pay periods, gives you the amount per paycheck that would be deducted for STD coverage.

For coverage to become effective, new enrollees must be actively at work on the day coverage is set to begin. Paid sick leave and paid vacation leave do not qualify as active work status.

Claims

To start an STD claim, contact Guardian at 888-262-5670, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET

Group #565047

Information you will need when calling in your claim:

  • Your name, address, phone number, birth date, social security number and email address.
  • Employment information, including your job title and work location.
  • Reason for your claim – illness, injury or pregnancy
  • Description of your illness, symptoms and/or diagnosis. Include the date the symptoms started and if you’ve had previous symptoms
  • Worker’s compensation claims you have already filed or plan to file.
  • Details about doctor, hospital or clinic visits, with dates and contact information.

To prevent delays in processing your claim, please sign a Guardian Authorization to Obtain Information form and provide this to your doctor. Once your medical information has been received, Guardian can promptly review and make a decision on your claim.

Communication after you file a claim:

  • Guardian will send you an approval letter with an explanation of your benefits. You may also receive a recorded call.
  • Guardian will notify Purdue University of your claim and the estimated date of your return to work.
  • For questions after your claim has been initiated call 800-268-2525.

How benefits are paid:

  • Bi-weekly payments mailed to the employee’s home address.
  • Direct deposit is available.

Return to Work

  • For Purdue University, call Purdue University’s STD coordinator at 765-496-6269 and Guardian STD claims manager (contact information will be sent to you via letter after your claim is submitted) to let them know the date you will return to work.
  • For Purdue Global, call Purdue Global’s STD coordinator at 765-494-4768 and Guardian STD claims manager (contact information will be sent to you via letter after your claim is submitted) to let them know the date you will return to work.
  • If you are unable to return to work when your disability benefit ends, please contact your employer and your Guardian STD claim’s manager to discuss your options.

Exclusions

Benefits are not payable for any disability that results, directly or indirectly, from:

  • Suicide, attempted suicide, or self-inflicted injury while sane or insane;
  • War or any act of war, whether or not declared;
  • Active participation in a riot;
  • Commission of a felony;
  • Any cosmetic surgery or surgical procedure that is not medically necessary. Medically necessary means the surgical procedure is
    • prescribed by a physician as required treatment of the injury or sickness; and
    • appropriate according to conventional medical practice for the injury or sickness in the locality in which the surgery is performed. (Benefits will be payable if the disability is caused by the employee donating an organ in a non-experimental organ transplant procedure.)
  • The revocation, restriction, or non-renewal of your license, permit, or certification necessary to perform the duties of your occupation unless due solely to injury or sickness otherwise covered by the plan.
No benefits are payable for any period of disability during which the employee is incarcerated in a penal or corrections institution.

Guardian Anytime

Welcome to your one-stop resource for finding providers, submitting claims, verifying eligibility, accessing claim forms and more!

Registration is easy! To get started, follow the instructions provided here.   

Need More Help?

  • Contact HR Customer Service at hr@purdue.edu or via phone 765-494-2222, or 877-725-0222.
  • Contact Guardian directly at 1-888-262-5670 to start your STD claim.