Staying On the Job

• If a worker does not have access to short-term disability, that worker may have no choice but to quit his job. That means disruption for both the employer and the employee. The employee suddenly has no source of income or support, while the employer loses a valuable worker and must find a replacement quickly. Short-term disability insurance helps prevent this problem by allowing the worker to remain on the payroll until the illness or incapacity has passed.
  
  

Income

• Short-term disability insurance typically covers about two-thirds of the employee's income for the time that worker is unable to work. That means the worker still has money coming in to the household to pay bills, make the mortgage payment and purchase the items he needs. Short-term disability does not cover 100 percent of the worker's salary because the insurance companies and the employers want to encourage employees to come back to work as soon as they are able to do so.
  
  

Security

• Workers on short-term disability are generally protected from losing their job by a number of state and Federal laws. That protection allows workers to take time off to deal with a serious illness, or with a joyous event like the birth of a child, without worrying about their job or future income. Workers should check with their own employers before requesting short-term disability, because STD laws and protections vary from state to state.
  
  

Long-Term Health Benefits

• If short-term disability is not available, a worker might be tempted to continue working every day, even if continued work puts that worker's health in jeopardy. Short-term disability insurance allows workers to seek the medical care they need to deal with their condition, even if it means taking time off work. Taking a short time off work and getting the problem under control can lead to better long-term health, and fewer health-related complications, down the road.