Sun Life believes that work is an essential part of healthy living. ... Sun Life Financial offers a range of programs, p
EMPLOYEE ABSENCE AND DISABILITY SOLUTIONS
Return to Work Sun Life Financial offers a range of programs, products, and services to help companies successfully manage employee absences.
We help employees return to work through our Work Is Healthy philosophy, personalized claims process, and innovative short- and long-term disability policy provisions.
Work Is Healthy
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Sun Life believes that work is an essential part of healthy living. Here are five ways our Work Is Healthy philosophy benefits you and your employees. I t creates positive experiences. We work with employees to assess what they can do— versus what they can’t. We talk about positive experiences at every opportunity. It focuses on the right claims at the right time with the right resources, which leads to cost efficiencies and better outcomes. It introduces the idea of returning to work early in the process. Where appropriate, we talk about returning to work during our first phone call with the employee. It influences employer costs. Returning employees to work helps restore productivity and reduce the costs of absence that can extend beyond wage replacement. It helps employers comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employers are required to engage in a good faith interactive process with a disabled employee to determine whether a reasonable accommodation can be made. Returning employees to work helps employers comply with this and other legal requirements.
Returning employees to work is good for them—and for your business Of employers surveyed1 about their return to work efforts:
83%
86%
retained a valuable employee
find value in reducing the cost of absence beyond wage replacement
Common return-to-work strategies included: · Adjusting schedules · Modifying workloads · Allowing workplace flexibility and alterations · Skills matching
Our claims process Case managers address the individual needs of employees who are experiencing a health event. Through discussions with employees, use of predictive modeling, team-based triage, and claims segmentation, case managers streamline the claims that meet certain criteria and focus return-to-work efforts on the appropriate candidates. We understand that returning to an existing job may not be an option. In these cases, we may assist disabled employees in their effort to obtain the vocational training and education they need to pursue another opportunity.
Claims submission is received The case manager: • discusses the health event with the employee, • gathers the appropriate salary and medical documentation; • seeks clinical consult with registered nurse and/or physician, and • determines the most appropriate course of action for the individual, including transition from STD to LTD.
Eligible claims are scheduled for payment and segmented by complexity High-touch, personal approach focused on return to work
Streamlined payment Occurs when case managers expect return to work will occur naturally or when there is a poor prognosis for return to work. Examples: • Maternity (no complications) • Surgeries with predictable recoveries • Terminal or severe illnesses
Occurs when case managers identify—through clinical and vocational consult, predictive models, and experience—that there is opportunity for rehabilitation and return to work. Examples: • Multiple/unclear diagnoses • Rehabilitation opportunities • Behavioral health diagnoses If return-to-work opportunities are identified:
Predictive modeling Our use of data blends art and science to predict return-to-work outcomes and the resources needed to help an employee return to a productive life.
•
ase manager discusses recovery time frame and C return-to-work potential with the employee
•
Vocational rehabilitation counselor may
–assess occupation, education, geography, accommodations –create individualized return-to-work plan –offer referrals to state services •
ase manager stays in close contact with employee C (and employer, as needed) through rehabilitation
Our contract provisions To further encourage return-to-work efforts, our Short-Term and Long-Term Disability policy provisions provide several incentives to both employees and employers.
FOR EMPLOYEES:
Return-to-Work benefits/financial incentives
LTD/STD
Trial work days don’t restart the Elimination Period. Trial work day offerings include full Elimination Period (180-day maximum), half Elimination Period, 30 days, and 15 days.
LTD Standard
Partial disability benefits encourage part-time work. Employees can receive a partial disability benefit for the full duration of their claim. In addition, the Return-to-Work incentive allows them to receive up to 100% of their predisability earnings while working part-time. The incentive applies for the full duration of their STD claim, and for 12 months, 24 months, or the full duration of their LTD claim.
STD Standard
Rehabilitation services increase disability payments by 10%. Employees who participate receive the extra amount until the earlier of the end of the program or 12 months from the start of the program. Services can include vocational training and result in individualized return-to-work plans.
STD Optional
LTD Standard
LTD Standard
Reimbursement for moving expenses if full-time employment cannot be found LTD Optional within a 50-mile radius of the employee’s home.
FOR EMPLOYERS:
Dependent/Child care benefits help defray costs of care or education when an employee participates in an approved rehabilitation program.
LTD Optional
Workplace modification benefits pay employers up to $5,000. Modifications could include a standing desk, a wheel chair ramp, and more.
LTD Standard
Optional benefits are available at an additional cost. Benefits may not be available in all states and may vary depending on state laws and regulations.
To learn more about our Return-to-Work programs and other Employee Absence and Disability Solutions call your benefits broker, your local Sun Life Employee Benefits Representative, or our Employee Benefits Internal Sales Desk at 877-736-4739.
1. Sun Life Financial, “Employer Voices Report: Return to Work” (a survey of 35 employers of the Sun Life Broker Voices Community website), 2016. The Sun Life Financial group of companies operates under the “Sun Life Financial” name strictly as a marketing name, and no legal significance is expressed or implied. In the United States and elsewhere, insurance products are offered by members of the Sun Life Financial group that are insurance companies. Sun Life Financial Inc., the publicly traded holding company for the Sun Life Financial group of companies, is not an insurance company and does not guarantee the obligations of these insurance companies. Each insurance company relies on its own financial strength and claims-paying ability. This coverage does not constitute comprehensive health insurance (often referred to as “major medical coverage”) and does not satisfy the requirement for Minimum Essential Coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
One Sun Life Executive Park Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 866-683-6334 www.sunlife.com/us
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Group insurance policies are underwritten by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, MA) in all states, except New York, under Policy Form Series 93P-LH, 15-GP-01, 12-DI-C-01, 12-GPPort-P-01, 12-STDPort-C-01, 16-DI-C-01, TDBPOLICY-2006, and TDI-POLICY. In New York, group insurance policies are underwritten by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, MI) under Policy Form Series 15-GP-01, 13-GP-LH-01, 13-LTD-C-01, 13-STD-C-01, 06P-NY-DBL, 12-GPPort-01, and 12-STDPort-C-01. Product offerings may not be available in all states and may vary depending on state laws and regulations. The group insurance policies described in this advertisement provide disability income insurance only. They do NOT provide basic hospital, basic medical, or major medical insurance as defined by the New York State Department of Financial Services. © 2017 Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481. All rights reserved. Sun Life Financial and the globe symbol are registered trademarks of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. Visit us at www.sunlife.com/us.
SLPC26507 05/17 (exp. 05/19)
