Disability
K-C provides short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage to eligible employees as income protection if you’re unable to work.
K-C partners with Aflac to administer STD, LTD and leave of absence benefits.
Note: For employees covered by Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), please refer to your CBA for full details on your leave provisions.
How the STD plan works
K-C’s STD plan design features a seven-calendar-day elimination period, benefit amount based on the weeks your disability, and payment method through K-C payroll.
What's an STD elimination period?
A elimination period is the number of calendar days from the date of your eligible disability that you have to wait before your disability benefits begin. K-C’s STD elimination period is seven calendar days. Paid sick leave will automatically be applied for scheduled workdays/shifts during the elimination period. If you don’t have enough sick leave to cover the elimination period, you can choose to use paid time off such as vacation. If you don’t use paid time off, the remainder of the elimination period not covered by your sick leave balance will be unpaid.
Planning your upcoming disability leave?
Read the Disability & Leave Guide for step-by-step instructions of the disability claim process and/or the Maternity Leave Checklist/Overview for information on K-C’s maternity benefits.
Note: Hourly part-time employees (scheduled 20 to 29 hours per week) are only eligible for STD after 12 months of service and aren't eligible for LTD. For employees covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), please refer to your CBA for full details on your disability provisions.
How much is my disability benefit?
Note: The length of your approved disability will depend on your medical condition or diagnosis.
How to File a Claim
Below is an overview of the STD claim process with Aflac. For more detailed information on the step-by-step process, review the K-C Disability & Leave Guide.
- Notify your Team Leader of your upcoming absence.
- Review the K-C Disability & Leave Guide.
- Apply for your claim by calling Aflac at 833-351-0003 or accessing your Aflac account. During claim intake, you can sign up for texting with Aflac that will allow you to receive alerts and also text directly with your case manager.
- Review the intake packet from Aflac and complete any follow-up items.
- Within two days after your claim is submitted, an Aflac Case Manager will call you to conduct an initial interview, confirming and discussing information and next steps. The Case Manager will call you directly using the phone number provided when you filed your claim. You can also request a scheduled call from the Case Manager through a text or portal message at a specific time.
- Aflac requests information from your health care provider and processes your claim.
- Aflac notifies you of their claim decision and manages your claim (if approved)
LTD
If your disability is expected to last beyond the 26 weeks covered under STD, Aflac will transition your claim to LTD with a new Case Manager. If approved for LTD, the benefit payments will be issued directly from Aflac, and you’ll need to provide your bank account details.*
*Part-time employees (scheduled 20 to 29 hours per week) are not eligible for LTD.
State Disability Benefits
Depending on the state where you work, you may be entitled to state disability benefits. When you contact Aflac to file your STD claim, they’ll let you know if state benefits may be available and how you can file a claim. Any state disability benefits will reduce the amount of STD benefits you receive from K-C.
For employees in CO, HI, MA, NJ, NY, and OR, Aflac administers state leave benefits on your behalf, making it easier for you to manage both your state and K-C leave benefits in one convenient place.
Learn More
For detailed information about your disability benefits, access your Disability SPD on kcbenefitcompass.com > Plan Information.
