Disability & Leave

The Firm maintains short-term disability insurance for eligible employees. Certification from a health care provider must be provided to the Chief Human Resources Officer before short-term disability leave or benefits will be granted. Short-term disability benefits will not be paid in the event of an elective surgery. Short-term disability runs concurrently with other leave where applicable. Employees must be out for 10 consecutive work days in order to be eligible for short-term disability.

For non-exempt employees, there is a 5-day waiting period prior to receiving short term disability benefits. If an employee is eligible for short-term disability, they must use any remaining PTO days to satisfy any waiting periods prior to the beginning of short-term disability benefits. PTO days do NOT include Firm holidays and other miscellaneous leave days such as bereavement leave, jury duty, military leave, etc. (those days are additional and separate from the PTO policy).

The leave times below are the maximum allowed based on a 12 month period, beginning with the onset of the short-term disability leave. For example, if a staff member with 2 years of employment with the Firm is put on short-term disability leave by his or her physician effective August 4, and is out for 6 weeks total for leave, he or she would not be eligible for any further paid short-term disability leave until August 4 of the following year.

Eligibility Period:

• Partners: 6+ Months of Service
  • 11 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary
• Associates and Managers/Directors: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 7 weeks leave paid at 50% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary
• Paralegals: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 6 weeks leave paid at 50% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary
• Staff Members: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 4 weeks leave paid at 60% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary

***Employees are not eligible to receive short-term disability benefits until successfully completing one year of service with the Firm PRIOR TO the commencement of short-term disability leave.

Elimination Period:
For non-exempt employees, there is a 5-day waiting period prior to receiving short term disability benefits. If an employee is eligible for short-term disability, they must use any remaining PTO days to satisfy any waiting periods prior to the beginning of short-term disability benefits. PTO days do NOT include Firm holidays and other miscellaneous leave days such as bereavement leave, jury duty, military leave, etc. (those days are additional and separate from the PTO policy).  This elimination period is waived for exempt employees.

Once taking short-term disability leave, an employee is not eligible for short-term disability leave again for a period of 12 months from the commencement date of their original short-term disability period.

Employees must provide to Human Resources a Return to Work Release Form completed by his/her health care provider prior to returning to work. The Return to Work Release Form must state (in detail) the extent to which the employee is able to perform his/her employment duties (i.e., light duty, no restrictions, etc.).

The Firm provides all full-time employees with long-term disability insurance to be used when employee suffers long-term illness and/or disability rendering the employee unable to perform his/her responsibilities.

Eligibility:
All full-time active employees who regularly work 30 or more hours per week are eligible.
Eligibility Period:
All full-time active employees who regularly work 30 or more hours per week are eligible after one year of employment.
Elimination Period:
The elimination period is 90 days. Benefits begin the day after the elimination period has been completed (in conjunction with short-term disability benefits and Family Medical Leave Act).
Monthly Benefits:

• Attorneys and Senior Management Staff are eligible to 60% of their monthly earnings, up to a maximum benefit of $20,000.00/monthly.
• All other staff members are eligible to 60% of their monthly earnings, up to a maximum benefit of $12,000.00/monthly.

Long Term Disability Policy for Staff & Associates

Long Term Disability Policy for Partners and Senior Management

Any employee who gives birth or adopts a child, and who has been employed by the firm on a full-time or part-time basis for at least 52 consecutive weeks prior to the date on which a leave period is to begin, is eligible for benefits under this leave policy.

Employees who are spouses or domestic partners of persons giving birth or adopting a child, and who have been employed on a full or part-time basis for at least 52 consecutive weeks are also considered eligible for parental leave benefits under this policy, irrespective of family status or gender.

Employees who are the primary caregivers of a newborn baby or a child who has been newly placed for adoption in their home are entitled to paid leave per the following schedule:

• Partners: 6+ Months of Service
  • 11 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary
• Associates and Managers/Directors: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 7 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 50% of salary
• Paralegals: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 6 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 60% of salary
• Staff Members: 1 Year of Service
  • Initial 4 weeks leave paid at 100% of salary, following 4 weeks leave paid at 60% of salary

For non-exempt staff, there is a 5 day elimination period before Parental Leave becomes effective. Employees who are not the primary caregiver are entitled to one week of paid leave for the birth or adoption of their child. Non-primary caregiver leave must be taken within 1 month of the birth or adoption of the child. All time taken under the Parental Leave Policy will run concurrent with time off covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). A completed Health Care Provider Certification will be required prior to an employee taking Parental Leave, where applicable.

Employees who are not the primary caregiver are entitled to two weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of their child. Non-primary caregiver leave must be taken within 1 month of the birth or adoption of the child.

Please see the Personnel Manual located on the SA Intranet for additional parental care/Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) information.