Long Term Disability (LTD)

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General Information

The State of Iowa provides long term disability (LTD) coverage to all eligible full-time employees. During the first 12 months of disability, the LTD plan replaces a portion of your earnings if you have a disability that prevents you from performing the tasks required by your regular occupation. After 12 months of disability, the LTD plan provides income if you are unable to perform the duties of any gainful occupation for which you are reasonably suited by education, training or experience.

The LTD benefit is 60 percent of up to $60,000 of your annual pre-disability earnings. LTD benefits will continue until:

  • You recover,
  • You no longer meet the definition of disabled, or
  • You reach Social Security Normal Retirement Age (SSNRA). SSNRA is the age when you are eligible for retirement benefits under the Social Security Act, and is based on the year of your birth.

There are special provisions if you are age 60 or older. Contact the Iowa Department of Administrative Services at [email protected] for more information about these special provisions.

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Applying for LTD

Your HRA will provide you with options for applying. You can complete it online or over the phone, which are the preferred methods, or through paper applications.

For additional information, see the Long-Term Disability webpage and review the FAQs about filing an LTD Claim.

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LTD Benefit Offset

Your monthly LTD benefit may be offset (reduced) by other payments (such as Social Security Disability Income, Workers' Compensation, Veterans Administration benefits, or other state or group disability payments) received as a result of your disability. Your monthly LTD benefit will not be less than $50. Disability or retirement benefits received from the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS) are not deducted from your LTD benefit payments.

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LTD Elimination Period

If you are approved for LTD benefits, your LTD benefits will begin on the first day following the “elimination period”. The elimination period begins on the first day you meet the LTD plan’s definition of disability and continues for 90 working days or until sick leave is exhausted, whichever comes later. You must be disabled (prevented from performing the tasks required by your regular occupation) for 90 working days. Days that you work during the elimination period may not count toward satisfying the 90 days working day elimination period.

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Insurance Benefits during the Elimination Period

The state's share of your health, dental and basic life insurance premiums continues while you are using paid sick leave or vacation, or you are on unpaid FMLA leave. When you are on approved leave without pay, the state share of your health and dental insurance premiums will stop at the end of the month of your last paid workday or your last month of FMLA leave, whichever comes later.

You may either drop your health and dental coverage or you may continue your insurance through COBRA.

Your life insurance premiums will stop at the end of the month of your last paid workday or your last month of FMLA leave, whichever comes later. You may either drop your life insurance coverage or you may continue your insurance through portability or conversion.

More information can be found on the Continuing Coverage on LTD web page.

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