What can my disabled employee expect?

Disability can be devastating, both physically and emotionally. At Sun Life, our goal is to assist your disabled employees in overcoming obstacles, breaking down barriers and improving their quality of life, while providing benefits to ease the financial burden of disability.

Your employee can expect the following throughout the duration of a disability claim:

• dedicated client service
• a partnership with Sun Life to achieve the best outcome possible

Each disability claim is assigned to a Disability Claims Professional (DCP), who completes a thorough assessment of the case. As part of this evaluation, your employee can expect:

• a phone call from the DCP to discuss the claim and answer any questions he or she might have
• review of the claim by a clinical case manager and a vocational rehabilitation specialist as appropriate

When the review is completed your employee will receive a phone call letting him or her know our decision regarding benefits, followed by a letter of explanation:

• If benefits can be approved, we explain the timing and calculation of benefits.
• If benefits cannot be approved, we explain what information is needed to make a decision on the claim or why benefits are not payable.

If more information is needed, your employee can expect his or her DCP to assist in the information gathering process.

Once benefits are approved, Sun Life will continue to partner with your employee to work toward the best outcome possible. Your employee can expect assistance in the areas of return to work, vocational rehabilitation and obtaining Social Security Disability benefits as appropriate.

If your employee is expected to return to work

An employee who anticipates a return to work will be assisted by a return-to-work specialist. This specialist will

• work with your employee, the attending physician and your benefit representative throughout the recovery period to identify jobs or tasks your employee is capable of performing; and
• work with your employee, the attending physician and your company benefit representative to ease the transition back into the workforce.

If your employee is not capable of returning to work

If your employee is not capable of returning to his or her own occupation, the claim will be assessed by a vocational rehabilitation specialist. If your employee is offered the opportunity to participate in a rehabilitation plan, the vocational rehabilitation specialist may agree to provide such services as:

• accommodation expenses
• education expenses
• family care expenses
• medical expenses
• moving expenses

We can also help identify other possible funding sources

An employee who is not capable of returning to any work for at least twelve months will have his or her claim assessed by a Social Security specialist. We will assist your employee in applying for Social Security Disability benefits, if appropriate, as Social Security benefits can help a disabled person in ways that our benefits cannot. Specifically, Social Security offers:

• annual cost of living adjustments
• earnings freeze to retirement benefits
• dependent benefits
• Medicare health insurance coverage