If You Don’t Know When You’ll Be Able To Return To Work
Definition of total disability
Being totally disabled means you have a medically certifiable physical or mental impairment that HOOPP has determined currently prevents you from doing any job.
If HOOPP determines that you meet the definition of totally disabled, you can receive free accrual for as long as you continue to qualify, to a maximum of 35 years of contributory service or age 65, whichever comes first.
Definition of totally and permanently disabled
Being totally and permanently disabled means you have a medically certifiable physical or mental impairment that HOOPP has determined will prevent you, for the rest of your life, from doing any job.
If you are determined by HOOPP to be totally disabled or totally and permanently disabled, you have two options:
- you can receive free accrual for as long as you continue to qualify, to a maximum of 35 years of contributory service or age 65, which ever comes first, or
- you can elect to receive a disability pension.
Eligibility for benefits
Before you can qualify, you must first have made contributions to HOOPP and have been placed on a health leave by your employer.
HOOPP will notify you whether or not you qualify for a total disability leave and when medical evidence is required.
Make sure medical evidence is provided by deadline
It’s up to you to ensure HOOPP receives medical evidence by the requested date. If you miss a deadline and subsequently provide qualifying medical evidence, you may have a gap in your contributory service or you may have to terminate your membership in HOOPP.
Rehab programs
If you are on a health leave, your employer may put you on a rehabilitation program. If the program is approved by HOOPP, the health leave, and any free accrual you may be receiving, may continue.
HOOPP will approve the program if it:
- has the objective of enabling you to return to work
- has specific, measurable goals which are time-dependent
- does not continue beyond the fourth year of a health leave, if you are partially disabled
To find out if a program qualifies, your employer must complete a Notice of Rehabilitation Program form and submit it to HOOPP. HOOPP will let both you and your employer know within two to three weeks whether or not the program qualifies. If the rehab program will be three weeks or less in duration, you don't have to notify HOOPP or fill out the form; HOOPP will assume the health leave continues.
If the program is approved, HOOPP will assume you will return to your job at the end of the program, and if free accrual is being credited, it will stop as of the date shown on the form. Your employer needs to let HOOPP know by signed letter if the program ends earlier or later than the date shown on the form.
Important: If the program does not qualify, but you take part in the program anyway, the health leave ends. You will stop being credited with free accrual as of the first day of the program. If this happens, you, and your employer, must resume making contributions based on the work you are doing effective the date of the program's start.
If a rehab program starts before approval by HOOPP is received we will retroactively allow free accrual to continue, assuming the program is approved.
However, it is in your best interest to get the form in and approved/not approved before the rehab program starts. If the program is not approved, contributions will be deducted retroactively from any pay you received from the start of the program. Contributions will also be deducted from any you receive for the duration of the program.
If the rehab program continues on for longer than the expected end date, free accrual may be approved to continue. Let HOOPP know, in writing, by completing a new rehab form.
HOOPP will ask for new medical evidence when you are on a rehab program, depending on your level of disability. Should one of those deadlines occur during the rehab program, new medical evidence will be required in order for free accrual to continue.
If you are partially disabled, receiving free accrual and reach the end of the fourth year of your health leave/extension while on a rehab program you can remain on rehab, but free accrual ends. HOOPP will advise you that free accrual has ended, and your employer will be copied on that letter. You must resume making HOOPP contributions on the work you are now performing or your membership will be terminated.
If your condition worsens
If your condition worsens and you provide supporting medical evidence to HOOPP that you will never be able to return to work, you may qualify for a disability pension.Ask your employer for a HOOPP Disability Kit for more information, or click on one of the links below.
