The Standard - Short /Long Term Disability (VRS Hybrid)

Hybrid Disability Program

City of Newport News provides a program of short term and long term disability benefits for employees that are members of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Hybrid Disability Plan. The VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan does not offer disability retirement benefits. Instead, this disability program for VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan members is provided and fully paid by the City in accordance with state law. 

Key Features of this Coverage 

Eligibility – Coverage is provided only for employees that are members of the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan. See www.varetire.org for more information. 

Effective Date of Coverage – New hires in the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan are automatically enrolled for coverage under the Hybrid Disability Program effective the date of hire. 

Type of Coverage – This program consists of both short term disability coverage (STD) and long term disability coverage (LTD) under a group policy sponsored by City of Newport News. Claims for the STD coverage are administered by The Standard Insurance Company and benefits are paid by the City through payroll. The LTD coverage is fully insured by The Standard Insurance Company which administers claims and pays benefits directly to the covered member. 

Eligibility Waiting Period – You must be a member of the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan for one year before you become eligible for short term disability benefits that are not work related. For work-related disabilities, you are covered on your date of hire. 

STD Benefits – After the one-year waiting period, the STD benefit provides income replacement for a maximum of 125 work days at 60% of your predisability earnings (“creditable compensation” that is reported to VRS) if you are disabled, on maternity leave, or have periodic absences due to a major chronic condition and are under the care of a physician. After five years of continuous participation, you become eligible for income replacement beginning at 100% of your predisability earnings, which reduces to 80 percent and then 60 percent as shown in the following table: 

For Non-Work Related Disabilities: Months of Continuous Participation Work Days of 100% Replacement of Creditable Compensation Work Days of 80% Replacement of Creditable Compensation Work Days of 60% Replacement of Creditable Compensation 
0 - 12 000
13 - 59 00125 days 
60 - 119 First 25 days Next 25 days Last 75 days 
120-179 First 25 days Next 50 days Last 50 days 
180 or more First 25 days Next 75 days Last 25 days 

To report an Absence and initiate a Disability Claim, Hybrid employees in their second year or later of City employment can either:

Call the Absence Management Service Center at 1-833-571-1200 

-or-

Submit a claim online at:  www.standard.com/absence

**Note: First-time users will need to create an account. The webpage has a step-by-step guide on how to do this

If you wish to exchange 40% of your leave to add to the 60% paid as the disability benefit, you will fill out and return the Hybrid Exchange of Leave form to the Benefits Office of the Department of Human Resources via HRBenefits@nnva.gov

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