Disability Insurance

The County of Alameda (County) and State of California offer a range of disability benefits, designed to protect your income in the event you cannot work for an extended period due to illness or injury. The programs are described below:

Disability Insurance Plans

The County provides Voluntary Short-Term Disability (STD) and Long-Term (LTD) Disability Insurance Plans (for eligible employees) described below. For both of these plans, you pay the full cost on an after-tax basis. (Paying “after-tax” makes any disability awards to you tax free.)

Enrollment for disability benefits happens through eBenefits during Open Enrollment. After Open Enrollment is over, then a paper form will be needed. Your age is based on your actual age as of January 1st. Annual Salary is determine real time, thus if you base Annual Salary increases or decreases, your premium cost will be adjusted.

Short-Term Disability

After the 7th day of accident or sickness, the Voluntary Short-Term Disability Plan provides weekly income replacement earnings of up to 40% of your eligible base salary, with a weekly maximum benefit of $1,500.

Long-Term Disability

If your disability continues beyond 180 days, the Voluntary Long-Term Disability Plan provides monthly income replacement of up to 60% of your eligible base salary, with a monthly maximum benefit of $5,000.

Enrollment is subject to evidence of insurability if previously waived.

State Disability Insurance

California State Disability Insurance (SDI) is a partial wage-replacement insurance plan. The SDI program is state-mandated and funded through employee payroll deductions. SDI provides short-term benefits to eligible employees who suffer a loss of wages when they are unable to work due to a non-work-related illness or injury, or a medically disabling condition from pregnancy or childbirth.

  • SDI may pay up to 52 weeks of benefits with a waiting period of 7-days. Payments are coordinated with any voluntary disability insurance coverage you may have.
  • Payroll deductions for all covered employees are based on the same contribution rate and are deducted automatically from your pay.
  • For more information regarding SDI, visit the California Employment Development Department’s Web site and follow the links to “Disability Insurance.”

Workers’ Compensation

If you sustain an on-the-job injury, you may be eligible for benefits through the California’s Workers’ Compensation system. Depending on the nature, date, and severity of your injury, Workers’ Compensation provides six (6) types of benefits, including:

  • Medical care
  • Temporary disability benefits
  • Permanent disability benefits
  • Vocational rehabilitation services (for injuries before January 1, 2004)
  • Supplemental job displacement benefits (for injuries on or after January 1, 2004)
  • Death benefits

Workers’ Compensation is administered through the County’s Risk Management Unit. For information, contact the Risk Management Unit at 510-272-6920 or click the link below:

acgov.org/cao/rmu/

CalPERS Long Term Care

For existing CalPERS Long Term Care members, please visit the CalPERS Website for updated information, or call CalPERS at 800-982-1775 and select the appropriate prompts.

How to file your disability claim (PDF – 633kb)