Disability Benefit

[jazhou]

Hi,

After struggling with DES for 4 years, I am pondering to take a break. As a computer engineer, I need to work on computer long hours every day. You know how it feels as a DES patient!

Instead of quitting my current job, I am thinking to take a long leave of absence. My company offers long-term and short term disability benefits. I wonder if I can take advantage of the benefit. Here is what my company's brochure says:
"Our Short- and Long-Term Disability Plans provide some financial security for you and your family if a serious illness or injury prevents you from working. XXX(my employer's name) pays the full cost of your coverage. No election is necessary; you are automatically enrolled in these plans."

I myself considers DES as a serious illness, but I dont know how my employer thinks. Has anyone tried this before?

I know this is a long shot. But it doesnt hurt to ask around.

Thanks,

[bassfan]

disability

I've been pondering the same thing Jazhou (and am also a computer engineer). I have good days and bad days (thankfully more good than bad right now, mostly due to weather) so Im not at the point of actually attempting disability. I could go both ways on whether it would work. I know for me that you could throw me in a closed office, block the vents, put a humidier in and I could probably be a lot better off as im in a cube now. That would probably happen to me before I would "quit working" outright. Of course, if you have a doctors note stating that you are not fit for working/staring at monitor in harsh office environment, then I can't see how they can make you work. The insurance company might make you get some sort of third party medical exam at some point however because of the case.

Make sure you post any findings!

Daren

[Lucy]

I myself considers DES as a serious illness, but I dont know how my employer thinks. Has anyone tried this before?

Jazhou, it doesn't matter what your employer thinks about DES being a disability, or for that matter whether you think it is "a disability". It's more about what doctors working for the insurance companies think.

CBS Evening News is currently running a series on the disability situation in the US and it's not a very good report of things or of things to come. If you are thinking of "taking a break" the route to take would be through your company's short-term disability. You'd either be approved or rejected and then you'd have a better idea of how it might go. Yes, I have "tried this." I don't want to discuss it on the board. If you want to ask me any questions, you can PM me.

P.S. Bass- "They" can't make you work, but they don't have to give you anything either. No work, no pay is how it is normally put. The patient doesn't get to have "final say" in how their disability is perceived. Well, you can say, but it doesn't hold water.
Lucy

[jazhou]

I've been pondering the same thing Jazhou (and am also a computer engineer). I have good days and bad days (thankfully more good than bad right now, mostly due to weather) so Im not at the point of actually attempting disability. I could go both ways on whether it would work. I know for me that you could throw me in a closed office, block the vents, put a humidier in and I could probably be a lot better off as im in a cube now. That would probably happen to me before I would "quit working" outright. Of course, if you have a doctors note stating that you are not fit for working/staring at monitor in harsh office environment, then I can't see how they can make you work. The insurance company might make you get some sort of third party medical exam at some point however because of the case.

Make sure you post any findings!

Daren

I will wait for some times, and then give a try. I will post the results. Thanks.

[jazhou]

Jazhou, it doesn't matter what your employer thinks about DES being a disability, or for that matter whether you think it is "a disability". It's more about what doctors working for the insurance companies think.

So I can not choose my own doctor? Then chance will be slim for me. Since most doctors diagnose my DES as moderate or even mild. damn...

CBS Evening News is currently running a series on the disability situation in the US and it's not a very good report of things or of things to come. If you are thinking of "taking a break" the route to take would be through your company's short-term disability. You'd either be approved or rejected and then you'd have a better idea of how it might go. Yes, I have "tried this." I don't want to discuss it on the board. If you want to ask me any questions, you can PM me.

P.S. Bass- "They" can't make you work, but they don't have to give you anything either. No work, no pay is how it is normally put. The patient doesn't get to have "final say" in how their disability is perceived. Well, you can say, but it doesn't hold water.
Lucy

Thanks for the information...

[Vickie]

Taking time off work

Hi Jazhou,
I am taking my FMLA paper work to my eye doctor tomorrow. FMLA stands for "Family Medical Leave Act." By law, your employer must allow you a certain number of days per year of leave if approved by doctor. But they do not have to provide you with pay. Fortunately, I have a lot of earned leave time accrued as a teacher. But I hope I don't have to use it all up...
It scares me to think about the future if my vision doesn't improve. I am afraid of being permanently disabled, lose my health benefits, lose my house, etc.

Vickie