In the state of TX I pay for short term disibility and I am 8 months pregnant. So when I have my baby:
Do I automatically get Short term Disibility?

Is this something my doctor decides or is this state regulated, insurance regulated or job regulated?

When do I need to fill out these short term disiblity paperwork and does my doctor need to fill them out. How long will I get the short term disiblity?

I have been at my job for 3 years and have never used short term disiblity before or FMLA.

My company is well into the thousands as it is a major hospital.

I know I get FMLA but I am needing Short term Disiblity for income.
Please help me understand thank you!

The answers to every one of your questions depends on the terms of the disability policy. Texas is not one of the five states that has state-determined disability coverage, so the answers to your questions are found in the policy itself, not the law.

what policy are you referring to?
Where do I get the answers to these questions?
Do I contact my HR department or my medical Insurance Deptarment?
Thanks for your help I really do appreciate it, I dont want to get screwed!

I'm referring to the policy you say you pay for. (What other policy would you think I was referring to? :confused: :confused: :confused: )

If it is provided by your employer, contact your HR department. If it is not provided by your employer, contact the insurance carrier who supplies the disabliity policy.

This has nothing to do with your medical insurance.

Thank You so I need to get in touch with my HR department and what exactly do I need to ask them..
What is the policy on Short Term Disibility as it relates to Pregnancy (when I have the baby)?
Yea Im not to smart when it comes to this stuff, sorry its terrible I know!
I do apprecaite your help.
You see when my doctor told me I could no longer lift more than 20lbs early on in my pregnancy at work being an X-ray and Cat Scan tech, the HR dept. called me and told me "we have nothing for you with those restrictions" I took this as they are going to let me go, so I had my friend issue a new note stating no restrictions and just took a chance, because I cant afford to loose my job, then someone told me HR should have offered me Short term disibility when this had happened and well I didnt know how true that was and well if that were true why didnt my HR dept tell that to me?????
I just want to be sure Im not getting screwed this time around.
So I need help on what questions to ask can you help me please!

Yes, contact HR.

I must say, though, that "having a friend write a note" forge a document that is in conflict with your doctor's advice was really, um, a dumb thing to do. :eek: Don't you think your doctor knows what he/she is doing? Do you realize you could have damaged the baby? That's what disability insurance is for--to partially replace your income when you are not medically able to work. :( OTOH, it's exactly why "doctor's notes" have gotten such a bad reputation.

Yes it was a dumb thing for me to do, but I had to, I needed income or I would loose my house. I told my doctor what I said and asked if she would fill out my Short term disibility and she said, "Im not saying you cant work, Im saying you cant lift anymore than 20lbs" so then I was even more confused and that HR didnt offer my Short term disiblility which I pay for, so I thought they would fire me. Its all a learning experience: What I do need from someone is to let me know what questions I am to ask HR about the short term disiblilty for after I have my baby, so please help me with this part as it is much needed. Thank You!

"Someone" doesn't necessarily know what they are talking about. Just because "someone" told you it was your HR department's responsibility to "offer" you STD doesn't make it true.

Can you help me with what questions to ask then?
I dont want to get taken advantage from please.....
I appreciate your advice cbg!

Despite what many people appear to believe, the vast majority of employers and HR professionals are not out to take advantage of people or cheat them out of their due benefits.

All you have to do is ask them for the paperwork to file a short term disablity claim. You don't need any tricks or special questions to be sure you get everything you are due. Just complete your portion of the form and give your doctor his portion of the form to complete. Return the forms to whomever your employer tells you to return them; that will depend on the policy as well.

I can't tell you what questions to ask; you're the only one who knows what questions you need answered.

Id like to think I beleive that but not working for this company I do not trust them!
I will get the paperwork and file it, guess the big question I need to ask is, can I get Short term disibility when I have the baby for 6 to 8 weeks?

Honey, I'd like to help you but that is not a question that is dictated by law. You will HAVE to ask it of your HR department. The law does not say how many weeks you get; the STD policy does. I haven't read your STD policy so I don't know how many weeks it allows for pregnancy or under what circumstances. I can tell you that 6-8 weeks is standard, but that doesn't mean they're obligated to pay for that length of time. They might say only 30 days; then again, they might pay 12 weeks. I just don't know.

BTW, you do know, don't you, that disability benefits are ONLY income replacement? How long the policy will provide you with benefits has nothing to do with how long your employer will allow you to be out.

Just so you understand that.