Working on disability?

[Zero]

Hello peeps

I am sorry if I'm asking something everyone knows about but who better to ask right? I work full time,  we'll until I started dialysis, and am starting training for in home hemo. I love my job and if I'm gone for the full time it would put them in a bad situation.  Is it possible in California to collect disability and work a day or 2 a week? I don't want to jeopardize my job but at the same time I got bills and kids to feed. Any suggestions or advice would be helpful.

Thanks

[iolaire]

It’s my understanding that you can earn $1,200/month when on disability. 

I'd suggest doing your best to continue to work full time.  That is assuming you make more working then on disability and you are physically able to work.  If your job needs you then hopefully they will work around your scheduling issues. 

Personally I work full time and would hate to think of being home on disability – at least until my wife reaches her retirement age in 9-years.  People say dialysis takes over their lives – that’s not my case since I’m still working 36 hours a week – that’s far more than the ~15 hours a week I spend on dialysis.  And that gives me the stimulation and challenges that I would not get from staying at home.

(Except I see on the other thread you have young children - I expect it would be quite rewarding to stay home with them!)

[Zero]

I fully intend to work full time but I am going through home dialysis training.  Once it is done I'm going back to 50 hrs a week. I was just worried about the part time work during the transition.

[Rerun]

They make "transition" very hard because you cannot get disability if you are working at all.....  you cannot be working and apply for disability.  The first question is: When was your last day of work??

THEN... once you apply they wait 6 months (to see if you die) before they approve you.  Then once approved, you can work part time.  In my state I can make up to $750 a month before they will reduce the money.

If there is a partial disability program I don't know about it.  Or temporary disability.... I don't know about that either.

I took disability because I wasn't doing a very good job at work because I was sooo tired and I wasn't sleeping (like now) and then I was not eating right because I worked and the circle continued.  I did much better on disability and now I work part-time at home for some extra money.

At least this is what I understand it to be.    

[iolaire]

I fully intend to work full time but I am going through home dialysis training.  Once it is done I'm going back to 50 hrs a week. I was just worried about the part time work during the transition.

So I think you are talking about some sort of short term disability insurance or California (CA) mandated short term disability? I know that CA does have very strong labor rules. 

Likely you will need to talk to someone in your HR department that deals with the CA rules.  Its also possible that your social worker or insurance councilor can walk you through the process.

My best guess if that if you are claiming disability you cannot work during that period.

For example the first requirement of this random page on CA disability insurance (http://www.edd.ca.gov/disability/DI_Eligibility.htm), states that
•You must be unable to do your regular or customary work for at least eight consecutive days.
Based on that it seems like if you were to work those eight consecutive days would be re-set.

Also read this section:
http://www.edd.ca.gov/Disability/FAQ_DI_Eligibility.htm
specifically:
How many days must you be off work to receive DI benefits?
 Since every claim for DI has a seven-day, non-payable waiting period, you must be disabled at least eight calendar days to collect benefits.

Are you a salaried employee?  If so it might be more beneficial to the company for you to not take disability and they in turn let you work when you can during the period with the acknowledgement that you will not be working a standard shift.  If you are hourly that's not really an option since you need hours to get paid.  But the seven day waiting period for disability insurance means you will be forgoing a lot of income if you are only out two or so weeks.

[Deanne]

I don't know about the California laws, but in Oregon, I was on short-term disability using my short-term disability work benefits after my transplant. I was able to return to work half-time for several weeks before I returned to work full-time. The disability company sent me to paperwork to take to my medical team. It wasn't a big deal.

[Charlie B53]

I don't know about 'state' disability programs.  I was hospitalized for 12 days when my right leg decided to take on the appearance of a bright red apple.  Dr's said I HAD TO get off my feet.  I told them I had bills, house payment, utilities, etc..  Dr said then apply for SSD and cut you work hours at LEAST in half.  I told the Dr's to make double sure they wrote this all down in the med record as SS wouldl be SURE to look at it.  Told my Boss and cut my hours in half.

I don't think it took that whole six months, but SS approved me, no delays, no requests for additional information.

Since then the Dr's made me stop work altogether.

I may be wrong, but I thought SSD was an automatic approval for Dialysis.  Those wanting SSD for 'other' disabilities had the six month limitation.

[Simon Dog]

SSD is pretty much automatic for dialysis - it's a waste of money to hire a disability representative for this case.

Short term disability from private insurance is easier to get, and much quicker, especially if you are in the hospital when you apply.    I had a Met Life short term disability when hospitalized and it took 2 days to get a check in the mail.   Long term is a matter of "proving" you can't work.  There are a HUGE number of people scamming the system.    I recently was at a work party assembling a pre-fab steel building (using tools, ladders, moving metal panels, etc.).   One of the guys working on the project was on "permanent full disability" because he convinced the system (not sure if SS or private) he could not work with a heart valve replacement.

I've read about some towns in low employment poverty areas where the "full disability" is something like 50% of the workforce.

And then there are the people on dialysis who choose to work instead of collecting.

[Michael Murphy]

When I applied I had talked to one of my fellow patients and he applied and was turned down even though he was a dialysis patient he had to get a lawyer and appeal, he won but had to give part of the back payment to the lawyer.  So I figured why go and apply I applied online and expected to be turned down much to my surprise it was approved. Strange but ok .  I was working for a large company and one of my benefits was disability insurance.  70% of my pay for 6 months, 60% till I turn 67.  Since I worked for several years while on dialysis the mistake I made was not to select the enhanced disability option.  It would have meant more money.  The disability payments got me through the 6 month social security waiting period.  Then the insurance company deducted the Disability payment from my monthly insurance payment, I still get a grand a month for 3 more years.  My advise is work if you can cause it made me feel better but if your company has a enhanced disability option take it.  I only went out because the company I worked for wrongly claimed I owed them a months pay, took half of it and when I told them it was wrong danced around the issue for a full year, it turned out they knew they were wrong but when they outsourced the personnel department the system they put in place had no way to return money, worse they began to hint the had to take two more weeks of pay.  At that point I realized this was insane and beginning to wear on me so I went out on disability and got my money from the insurance company.  I was planning to work 3 more years and then retire. 

[nursey66]

My spouse was sent home from his ful time job because he was deemed too ill to work, pending a medical exam. Within 2 weeks he was put on dialysis. Within the month he was hospitalized. He was in the  hospital for 5 months. I applied for his short term disability from his job, which started up within the month of not working. When it became apparent he would be out quite a while I went to Apply for SSDI for him after the 3rd month in the hospital. He was approved on the spot. Short term disability paid until SSDI kicked in, and then they deducted his SSDI $ from his check. You do have to be completely off work for 6 months, no part time either. It was helpful for me to include as much current medical info as possible. They never contacted any Doctors or sent any additional paperwork to get filled out. I brought every thing l had , including his work statement when he was sent home, Dr visits and hospital  and ambulance reports. Made it much easier . Since he was so sick, which I proved by all the current records I provided, I was not questioned . It was a lot of work, copying, sorting, etc, but worth it in the end. I went to our local SS office and presented it all in person. Hope this info is helpful to anyone in need .