Long and Short Term Disability

Alternate Benefit Program (ABP) participants are eligible for Long Term Disability Benefits after one year from the date of the members first contribution.

LTD Benefits

• Takes approximately six to eight months for processing by the Prudential and State once the application is submitted.
• Member must be disabled six consecutive months prior to receiving disability benefits
• LTD benefits are paid out by Prudential up to 60% of your base monthly salary
• Monthly benefit is offset by any other benefit received such as Workers’ Compensation, short-term disability, or Social Security. Members will be notified by Prudential if applicable.
• Disability benefits will be paid as long as member is disabled or until age 70 or begin receiving retirement annuity benefits

Health Benefits

• An employee who is approved for LTD is no longer participating in the State Health Benefits program as a Montclair employee. Employees are transitioned to Retirement benefits (managed by the state) as a “retiree” .  For Retiree information review the Health Benefits Coverage — Enrolling as a Retiree Fact Sheet.
• Members will pay 1.5 percent of 50 percent of their highest salary earned in the last five years until age 70.
• At age 70, ABP LTD ends and the member becomes a retiree, at which time the cost of health benefits will be reevaluated based on years of service.
• Members and/or dependents who are eligible for Medicare at the time of LTD approval, will be required to apply and submit proof to the Division of Pensions and Benefits.

Other Benefits

• Life Insurance-  Maintained at 3.5 times pensionable base salary for the last 12 months up to the member’s disability by Prudential.
• Pension Contribution- As a benefit of the LTD, the member’s (5%) and the employer’s (8%) mandatory contributions are automatically credited to the member’s retirement account by Prudential, while the member is considered disabled.

For more details on the policy, please review the Long Term Disability Coverage for Participants in the Alternate Benefit Program Booklet and Long–Term Disability for PERS/TPAF Tiers 4 and 5 and ABP/DCRP Members Fact Sheet.

Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) members enrolled on or before May 21, 2010 (Membership Tiers 1, 2, and 3) are eligible for Ordinary Disability and Accidental Disability Retirement.

• Takes approximately six to eight months for processing
• Ordinary Disability annual benefit is equal to 43.6 percent of your Final Average Salary or 1.64 percent of your Final Average Salary for each year of service credit, whichever provides the higher benefit.
• Accidental Disability annual benefit is equal to 72.7 percent of your base salary at the time of the traumatic event.
• Benefit/s is not reduced by any Social Security or private insurance benefits that may be payable. However, any Workers’ Compensation award you receive may be reduced.
• Member must provide medical reports or corroborating evidence that supports application for disability

Health Benefits

• Members who apply for a Disability Retirement will be eligible for retiree group coverage under the State Health Benefits program while the retirement application is being processed. For Retiree information review the Health Benefits Coverage — Enrolling as a Retiree Fact Sheet.
• Members, who have not attained 25 years or more of service, will be billed for the full cost of their health benefits pending the approval of their Disability Retirement by the State and refunded for any premiums paid after the Retirement effective date the State. 
• If you had 25 or more years of service credit or had an approved Disability Retirement between July 1,1997, and June 27, 2011 you are governed by the terms applicable on the date you attained 25 years of service credit or your Disability Retirement became effective. Tier chart
• If you retire on a Disability Retirement after June 28, 2011, your health benefits cost will be 1.5 percent of your monthly retirement allowance.
• Upon retirement, members and/or dependents who are age 65 or have been on Social Security Disability for 24 months or more, will be required to enroll in Medicare.

Other Benefits

• Life Insurance-  If you are approved for a Disability Retirement, you are covered by group life insurance in the amount of 1 1/2 times your final salary until you reach normal retirement age: age 60 for Tier 1 and Tier 2 members; age 62 for Tier 3 members. Once you reach normal retirement age, your life insurance coverage automatically reduces to 3/16 of your final salary.
• Loans- If you retire with an outstanding loan balance, the monthly loan payment will be calculated to have the loan plus interest satisfied by your five-year loan payoff date (see the Loans Fact Sheet)

For more details on eligibility and benefits, please review the Disability Retirement Benefits Fact Sheet.

Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) members enrolled after May 21, 2010 (Membership Tiers 4 and 5) are eligible for Long-term Disability Insurance coverage.

Disability Retirement Benefits

• Benefit may be paid out after six consecutive months of disability due to an occupational or nonoccupational condition
• Monthly benefit is 60 percent of the base salary on which PERS contributions were made during the 12 months preceding the onset of the disability. 
• Monthly benefit will be offset by any other periodic benefit the member may be receiving, such as Workers’ Compensation, short-term disability, or Social Security
• Benefits will be paid as long as the member remains disabled or until the member attains age 70

Health Benefits

• Approved members are eligible for health benefit coverage in the same manner as coverage is provided to retirees of the PERS. Health Benefits Coverage — Enrolling as a Retiree

Other Benefits

• Life Insurance- members also remain covered under the PERS Group Life Insurance to the same extent that they were covered as employees prior to being disabled. Any employee contributions required for group life insurance premiums are paid by Prudential. Employer contributions for Group Life Insurance are paid by the employer.
• Pension Contribution- while the member is considered disabled, the member’s mandatory contributions are paid by Prudential and credited to the member’s PERS or TPAF account. Employer mandatory contributions are paid for the member by the employer.

For more details on the policy, please review the Long–Term Disability for PERS/TPAF Tiers 4 and 5 and ABP/DCRP Members Fact Sheet

Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) members enrolled are eligible for Ordinary Disability and Accidental Disability Retirement.

LTD Benefits

• In order to be eligible to receive either Ordinary or Accidental Disability Retirement benefits, you must be a member in service at the time the application is filed with the New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits (NJDPB). Member in service means that the member or employer was making pension contributions to the retirement system at the time of filing the application for Ordinary or Accidental Disability Retirement AND subsequently have terminated all retirement system-covered employment prior to your disability retirement date.
• Benefit normally takes six to eight months for processing
• If you qualify for an Ordinary Disability Retirement, the annual benefit is equal to 40 percent of your Final Compensation or 1.5 percent of your Final Compensation for each year of service credit, whichever is higher. 
• If you qualify for an Accidental Disability Retirement, the annual benefit is equal to 2/3 of your annual compensation on which pension contributions were being made at the time of retirement or the date of the traumatic event, whichever provides the higher benefit
• Benefit/s is not reduced by any Social Security or private insurance benefits that may be payable. However, any Workers’ Compensation award you receive may be reduced.
• Member must provide medical reports or corroborating evidence that supports application for disability

Health Benefits

• Approved members are eligible for health benefit coverage in the same manner as coverage is provided to retirees. Health Benefits Coverage — Enrolling as a Retiree 

Other Benefits

• Loans- If you retire with an outstanding loan balance, the monthly loan payment will be calculated to have the loan plus interest satisfied by your five-year loan payoff date (see the Loans Fact Sheet)
• Life Insurance-  members group life insurance will be equal to 3 1/2 times compensation until age 55, when it will be reduced to 50 percent of Compensation. When group life insurance is reduced, members have 31 days to convert the amount of insurance reduced to private individual insurance coverage. Please see the Conversion of Group Life Insurance Fact Sheet for more information.

For more details on the policy, please review the Disability Retirement Benefits Fact Sheet.

Members must complete and submit a preliminary eligibility determination to the NJ Division of Pensions and Benefits (NJDPB).

If the NJDPB determines that you are eligible to apply, you will be sent a Long-Term Disability Insurance Application to complete. 

The Long-Term Disability Insurance Application must be submitted to Benefits@montclair.edu to be certified.

• PERS members-Eligibility Determination Application for PERS/TPAF Tier 4 and Tier 5 Long-Term Disability (PDF)
  • Ordinary and Accidental Retirement must be initiated in Member Benefits Online System (MBOS) for PERS and PFRS members
• ABP and DCRP members must complete the Eligibility Determination Application for ABP and DCRP Long-Term Disability (PDF)

Short-Term Disability (STD) is available as pay continuation during a Leave/s of Absence to all eligible employees and is administered by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 

Temporary Disability Insurance Program

Temporary Disability Benefits can partially replace your wages when you have to stop working due to a physical or mental health condition or other disability unrelated to your work, including pregnancy/childbirth and COVID-19. You can find information about the eligibility and application process on the State’s website here.

NJ Family Leave Insurance Program

Family Leave Insurance benefits can partially replace your wages when you have to stop working to care for a family member/loved one with a physical or mental health condition, bond with a new child, or to handle certain matters related to domestic or sexual violence. You can find information about the eligibility and application process on the State website here.