When LTD Benefits Begin

The FedEx LTD Plan (CBA Section 27.J.1) does not use a simple 180-day clock. Eligibility is triggered by ONE of three specific events.

LTD Eligibility Triggers (CBA Section 27.J.1)

1. Exhaustion of Sick Banks

The most common trigger. LTD eligibility begins only when both the regular sick account and the Disability Sick Absence (DSA) account are fully depleted — one bank exhausting does not trigger eligibility on its own.

Check balances in VIPS; note regular sick and DSA separately.

Example:

Regular sick: 120 hours (15 days)
DSA balance:  480 hours (60 days)
Total:        600 hours (75 days)

If using 8 hours per day → LTD eligible after 75 days

2. Disability-Related Seat Change

You become eligible if you bid down to a lower seat because of disability:

Examples:

• Captain → First Officer due to medical restrictions
• Wide-body → Narrow-body due to inability to handle longer flights
• International → Domestic due to medical limitations

Documentation needed:

• Medical documentation showing restrictions that prevent holding the current seat
• Bid award showing the seat change (print and retain the Crew Scheduling record)

3. Move to Non-Pilot Position

You become eligible if you move to a ground position because of disability:

Examples:

• Pilot → Flight operations coordinator
• Pilot → Training department
• Pilot → Safety department

Important Distinctions

Not a Simple 180-Day Trigger

The 180-day elimination period must be satisfied, but on its own it does not start LTD. You must also meet one of the three eligibility criteria above.

Timing Can Vary Widely

CA SDI Filing Is Independent

CA SDI has:

• 7-day waiting period
• 49-day filing deadline from the start of disability
• 52-week maximum duration

LTD eligibility may not occur until months into your disability.

Calculating Your LTD Eligibility Date

Step 1: Check Your Sick Banks

1. Log into VIPS
2. Note balances for:
   • Regular sick time
   • DSA (Disability Sick Absence)

Step 2: Calculate Burn Rate

Full-time disability: 8 hours per scheduled workday

Partial disability: Varies based on hours worked

Example calculation:

Regular sick: 200 hours ÷ 8 hours/day = 25 days
DSA:          400 hours ÷ 8 hours/day = 50 days
Total:        600 hours ÷ 8 hours/day = 75 days

Expected LTD start: 75 days after disability begins

Step 3: Account for Processing Lag

Between sick exhaustion and first LTD payment:

• Processing time: 2-4 weeks typical
• File your LTD claim 30-60 days before projected sick exhaustion — late filing means delayed first payment

Interaction with CA SDI

Timeline Example

Day 1:       Disability begins
Day 1-7:     CA SDI waiting period
Day 8:       CA SDI payments can begin (if approved)
Day 75:      Sick banks exhausted → LTD eligible
Day 90:      LTD claim approved
Day 104:     First LTD payment received

Key Points

1. File CA SDI on Day 1 — the 49-day deadline runs from disability onset, not from LTD eligibility
2. CA SDI continues after LTD begins (up to 52 weeks total from disability onset)
3. Offset applies — LTD will reduce its payment by the CA SDI amount you receive or are expected to receive
4. EDD and the LTD administrator operate independently — approval by one does not require or guarantee the other

Special Situations

Seat Change Mid-Disability

If you're on disability and then bid to a lower seat:

1. Triggers LTD eligibility immediately
2. Even if sick banks have a remaining balance
3. Must be disability-related, not preference

Example:

Day 1:   Captain becomes disabled
Day 30:  Still on sick banks
Day 60:  Bids to First Officer due to medical restrictions
Day 60:  Now LTD eligible (despite remaining sick time)

Bid-Month Confusion

Sick banks are debited by scheduled workdays in the bid month, not calendar days. A month with more scheduled flying days burns banks faster. Verify your projected exhaustion date against your actual bid schedule, not a flat 8-hours/calendar-day estimate.

Next Steps

Once you determine your LTD eligibility date:

1. File LTD claim 30-60 days before eligibility date
2. Verify administrator — confirm current administrator (Aetna or Hartford) at FedEx Benefits Service Center 1-855-545-4748 (see Contacts)
3. Understand calculations — Review benefit calculations
4. Learn about offsets — Study offset rules