How to Take A Short Disability Break in 8 Steps

Step 1: Get your symptoms documented by a medical provider

Write down all your symptoms. Describe their frequency. How do they affect you at work? Give examples.

Every two or three days I feel so tired and stressed out I just want to isolate at home. I am late for work at least once a week.

I can only focus for a couple of hours in the morning before I start feeling scattered and unable to complete simple tasks.

I feel severe pain in my lower back. I can only lift up to 10 lbs. I cannot stand and walk for more than an hour without taking a 15 minute break.

Tell your medical provider about what you wrote. Make sure she documents them in your medical record. Give her a heads up that you are considering a disability break.

If you don’t have a medical provider, find one immediately and establish a long and trusting relationship. You will need her to sign off on your requests for medical leave and disability income. Your medical provider must be a licensed professional, preferably with a doctor degree: M.D., D.O., Ph.D., Psy.D.

Step 2: Imagine what you would do during your break

Think about what you want to do during your disability break. How will you spend the time to rest and heal? How much time do you need to do these things?

I want to take 3 months off to rest my mind and work more closely with my psychotherapist. I don’t want to bury my issues any longer. I want to reconnect with my sister.

I want to let my injuries heal. Get on an exercise routine to strengthen my back. I want to take half a year off.  

Step 3: Find out about your disability benefits and job protections

During your break, you should protect three things: income, job, and health insurance.

Income Protection- ask your employer about short term disability income benefits. There are two types:

Employer Sponsored Insurance. Many employers offer disability insurance as an employee benefit. Ask your employer about its waiting period, how much it pays, and how long it can last. During the waiting period, get paid using your vacation or sick hours.

State Disability Insurance. If you work in California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island or Puerto Rico, you probably have State Disability benefits. State Disability is a mandatory short term disability insurance program.

Job Protection- Ask your employer about Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It is a federal law that allows you to take up to 3 months off for medical reason. If you need a longer break, or if FMLA doesn’t apply, find out about your employer’s internal medical leave policy. Also check if your state has its own version of FMLA that could cover you.

Health Insurance Protection- Ask your employer about how to maintain your health insurance during your break. Who pays for the premium- you or the employer? Who is the payee? When is it due? You don’t want to lose your health insurance during your medical break.

Step 4: Plan your disability break with your medical provider

Talk to your medical provider about how much time you want to take off. Agree on a date that you will stop working (if you haven’t stopped working already).

Tell her you will need her to sign off on your FMLA leave and disability benefits. Expect her to charge you for filling out the forms or sign any letters.

Ask her to continue to document your symptoms.

Step 5: Apply for disability benefits and job protection

Income Protection- Apply for Employer Sponsored and/or State Disability benefits. Yes, you can apply for both if you have both. Watch out for offset.  

You will need to fill out a disability claim form (Form). Ask your medical provider to certify that you are disabled on the Form. Your employer may need to fill out part of the Form. Many Forms are online.

Ask your employer if you can integrate your short term disability benefits with your sick and vacation hours. If yes, you may get close to 100% of your regular income.

Submit the completed Form to the administrator. The administrator is the entity that processes your disability benefits. If you are applying for Employer-Sponsored benefits, the administrator can be an insurance company or a third party administrator (sometimes called absence management company). If you are applying for State Disability, the administrator can also be a state agency.  

Job Protection- Ask for a medical leave from your company under either FMLA or your employer’s internal medical leave policy. Submit the FMLA letter from your medical provider to your employer or the absence management company. 

Step 6: Rest. Heal. Reconnect with Loved Ones and Yourself

You are now on your disability break. You are receiving short term disability income. Your job is protected by FMLA or something similar. You or your company continue to pay your health insurance.

Continue medical treatment. Report symptoms. The administer may stop your disability income benefit if you don’t. You may need your medical provider to re-certify your disability from time to time.

Keep in touch with the administrator. They may ask you for updated medical records and forms. If you don’t respond, they may stop your disability income.

Be careful with social media. Some insurance companies and third party administrators monitor their claimants.

Step 7: Reflect and Look Forward

Do you want to go back to the same job? If not, consider finding a new one.

If you need a longer break, consider applying for long term disability benefit. Apply as soon as possible. You don’t want a gap between your short and long term disability income.

Consider hiring an attorney- long term disability claims are much more challenging than short ones.

Step 8: Return to Work

Go back to work as planned. If you are not ready for a full time schedule, try part time. Ask your employer and administrator about partial disability income benefits.

If you need extra help to get back to work, consider the American with Disabilities Act (ADA). It requires your employer to provide reasonable accommodations to you so that you can work.