No short term disability in federal government

[Anonymous]

I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Yes there is STD available to feds, but of course you had to buy into it before. It’s actually a great option that wasn’t available decades ago.

I’m sorry you’re in this situation but you can’t blame the employer. They’ve been as lenient as they can be.

Can you go back remote or part time?

[Anonymous]

You might need to return before you are fully recovered. Even if it’s part time to bring some income in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

What are you expecting? You want to get paid without working or leave hours?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You might need to return before you are fully recovered. Even if it’s part time to bring some income in.

This is OP. I’m very willing to, but I won’t be able to perform to a satisfactory level and will get fired. And then will be out of health insurance too. That seems like a poor plan.

[Anonymous]

Only thing I can think of is to bluff and suggest you want to get the ball rolling on disability retirement. Perhaps that prospect will be so much of a potential headache, they will grant you the advance leave.

Other option is a TSP loan to get by when on unpaid leave.

[Anonymous]

I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

What are you expecting? You want to get paid without working or leave hours?

+1

And anyway, term disability in private sector is 6 weeks. OP it sounds like you’re planning to be sick entirely too long for short term disability to be what you need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might need to return before you are fully recovered. Even if it’s part time to bring some income in.

This is OP. I’m very willing to, but I won’t be able to perform to a satisfactory level and will get fired. And then will be out of health insurance too. That seems like a poor plan.

You can file for an accommodation prior to your return. Also, if you were out on a protected leave, you’re not going to be fired a few months after leaving. The Feds aren’t that dumb.

But would love to hear your plan for making money without working since that was your initial concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a federal employee who is on leave for a health emergency. I have been out for long enough that I’ve used all of my sick and annual leave. I’m applying to the leave bank at my agency, but that only covers a month. I am expected to recover, but it will be a long process (so I don’t need disability retirement). My supervisor has indicated that he will not grant me advance sick or annual leave. Is there nothing available to me after the month of leave bank leave is up? I just have zero income until I can work again? (Unless people donate some of their own leave, which is not a long term solution.)

I am a single mom with a special needs child. I can’t go without income. But obviously I can’t go back to work until I’m well enough to perform. I can’t believe the federal government doesn’t have SOME provision for employees in this situation.

What are you expecting? You want to get paid without working or leave hours?

+1

And anyway, term disability in private sector is 6 weeks. OP it sounds like you’re planning to be sick entirely too long for short term disability to be what you need.

What are you talking about? STD plans are 3-6 months before the employee becomes eligible for LTD (if that plan exists). STD is not capped at 6 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Sorry this is happening to you, OP. Have you already used up your FMLA leave for 2023? I’m also a fed and am shocked that your supervisor won’t advance you sick leave or annual leave. That’s pretty damn heartless. Is your entire agency that way, or could you possibly speak with your second-line supervisor or maybe HR to see if it can be overridden? I would also revisit the PP’s recommendation to go back to work before you’re completely recovered. You can’t just be fired for poor performance from one day to the next. You would need to be placed on a PIP first, which would buy you some time. I know being put on a PIP wouldn’t be pleasant, but in your situation it seems like the name of the game is just to do what you have to do to continue bringing in income, even if it gets a little messy.

[Anonymous]

My spouse is a federal civil servant. We purchased side LTD insurance and have been paying monthly premiums for this for years, especially for this situation. There was a disability and insurance seminar at spouse's work before the pandemic. They went to it and then spoke with the third party sales rep who then came to our house for an appointment and ran through options. We selected a plan and we have paid for it on the side. It's what you have to do as a Fed. We have not had to use it (knock on wood), but we pay the premiums to ensure that we don't get into that bind.

So, the government does not provide this, but your agencies should have vetted venders that you can get disability insurance from. I know this doesn't help OP who is currently in the situation, but others who are reading and worried about this should look into it before you need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

And you have to donate annual leave (vacation time), not sick leave, even though it will be used by recipient as sick leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

Govt is not asking, your collogues are asking. Govt's job is to facilitate and make it possible to donate. Your leaves are for emergency/non emergency uses. There are other products you can purchase to cover yourself. Most people (like OP) don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a new fed and I find the whole concept of leave bank to be borderline offensive. The govt is asking people for essentially monetary donations to colleagues and making colleagues beg each other for money instead of setting up a system that pays for emergency coverage. It’s so inappropriate.

Govt is not asking, your collogues are asking. Govt's job is to facilitate and make it possible to donate. Your leaves are for emergency/non emergency uses. There are other products you can purchase to cover yourself. Most people (like OP) don't.

Not only that, but in both my and my spouse's agency, leave donations are typically for people who have "use or lose" leave over 240. I know several people that often take the last 3 weeks of the year off, but are willing to donate a week of leave and only take the last 2 weeks of the year off. I now of at least 3 people who have done that in recent years. During the pandemic, I know more people who donated leave since so many could not or would not use leave during the pandemic and they were happy to donate leave to people who had illness or family issues where they needed donated leave.