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Long term disability can mean different things in different provinces. Ontario, for example, may have different long term disability options than provinces further east or west. Long term disability is payments made to an individual who is unable to work for an extended period of time due to an accident, illness or injury. If you find yourself in this situation, you may qualify for publicly funded disability benefits or programs. These are the benefits that are offered by the Government of Canada, and what’s offered varies between provinces. Here’s a look at some of the long term disability benefits and programs that Ontario residents may qualify for.
Sickness Benefits through Employment Insurance
This publicly funded disability benefits program is also called EI. It provides payment of a certain portion of a workers income if that person is unable to work due to family related events (i.e. having a baby) or extended sickness. Not everyone qualifies for EI sickness benefits. A minimum amount of working hours must be reached before a person qualifies. In order to qualify to receive regular employment insurance benefits, a workers needs to build up 420 to 700 hours of insurable employment during what the government has determined to be the qualifying period.
Insurance Benefits: Long Term Disability
Some Ontario residents may qualify to receive long term disability benefits. In order to qualify, certain criteria need to be met, as in necessary with qualifying for any type of benefit program. Long term disability pay replacement income for significantly longer than short term disability, and will pay replacement income up until the age of retirement which is 65.
Fewer people qualify for long term disability than short term. In order to qualify, you must be covered under an insurance policy, or disability plan, by your employer or union. Individually purchased insurance qualifies as coverage as well. Long term disability pays for sickness from a variety of illnesses and injuries. Workplace injuries are covered under a different policy. If someone is injured at work, they may qualify for Worker’s Compensation. A person may not receive long term disability payments and Worker’s Compensation benefits.
Insurance Benefits: Worker’s Compensation
In Ontario, the law requires most businesses enroll their employees in a workers compensation program. This means most workers are covered under the Ontario Workers Compensation Program which will help them financially if they become injured on the job to such a severity that they aren’t able to work for an extended period of time. Employees of places of work that are not enrolled in the workers compensation program are unable to receive workers compensation benefits.Whatever benefits you get, if you’re injured, you need to make sure you have your doctor’s support before requesting a permanent leave from work and applying for any type of financial compensation. The best course of action is to see your doctor right away after being injured. This allows the doctor to assess and document your injury, and make sure there is a proper record of it. It’s important to continue treatments so that your progress is properly documented.