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    PPMS and going back to work from STD

    Hi

    has anyone with PPMS gone back to work from STD?
    I was diagnosed with PPMS 20 years ago and have managed to work fulltime yet.

    My neuro is supportive of me going on disability but I prefer to continue working as long as manageable.

    recently too much stress at work has gotten me to point that my MS symptoms worsened and hard to manage.
    I know my Neuro will support me to go on STD but I'm wondering if I go on STD later if I feel better can I go back to work ?
    just to clarify I'm concerned because my MS is PPMS , would it be possible to prove readiness to go back to work again after STD due to extend of symptoms.

    Thanks in advance

    #2
    Originally posted by brave View Post
    Hi

    has anyone with PPMS gone back to work from STD?
    I was diagnosed with PPMS 20 years ago and have managed to work fulltime yet.

    My neuro is supportive of me going on disability but I prefer to continue working as long as manageable.

    recently too much stress at work has gotten me to point that my MS symptoms worsened and hard to manage.
    I know my Neuro will support me to go on STD but I'm wondering if I go on STD later if I feel better can I go back to work ?
    just to clarify I'm concerned because my MS is PPMS , would it be possible to prove readiness to go back to work again after STD due to extend of symptoms.

    Thanks in advance
    Hi brave

    I never took STD (did use FMLA at various times, though).

    Working for the US Postal Service, I was only able to work for 5 years after dx (going on light duty for my last couple years there).

    Then I went on permanent disability.

    You've done well to still be working after 20 years with PPMS.

    Sorry I can't answer your particular questions about STD, but good luck whatever you decide!

    Take Care
    PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
    ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

    Comment


      #3
      Hi,

      So impressed that you have been able to continue working. Such an inspiration.

      I was out on STD twice and went back. The way my company's policy was, this also used FMLA time. I had a sedentary job, so only had to get cleared by my neurologist to go back. I know some companies require clearance by their own physician.

      My first advice to you is to make sure you understand your company's policy related to FMLA (if applicable), STD, and LTD (if applicable).

      At my company FMLA protected my job for 12 weeks and it ran concurrent with STD. Then the STD protected it for another 14 weeks. After that LTD kicked in. It no longer protected my specific job, but provided a position for me up to 18 months. After that, it no longer guarantees employment. In fact, they can terminate employment, so if cleared, I would terminate LTD benefits and have to find a job somewhere.

      My second piece of advice is to make sure you understand how time constraints play into FMLA, STD, LTD. For example, FMLA is usually 12 weeks in a rolling 12 month period. Some STD policies may guarantee your job even without the FMLA, others, only if a position is available when you come off STD.

      I would make sure to get copy of your HR policy and also a copy of any STD and LTD policies and read the detail. I also made an appointment with my HR department to walk thru and make sure my understanding was correct. I didn't disclose why, but just said I might need to use time and wanted to make sure I understood. That being said, I made sure to read the details. I didn't fully trust them.

      Good luck.
      Kathy
      DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by brave View Post
        I know my Neuro will support me to go on STD
        Does this mean that you're still working full time and have not yet gone on STD?
        Originally posted by brave View Post
        but I'm wondering if I go on STD later if I feel better can I go back to work? ... would it be possible to prove readiness to go back to work again after STD due to extend of symptoms.
        Well, to the contrary. STD is *short-term* disability. That short term runs out after a while. It isn't a question of the possibility of proving readiness to go back to work. When that short term runs out, you're REQUIRED to return to work.

        If you can't return to work at the end of your STD period, you'll be terminated from your job. If you can't return to work after STD and you're terminated, your choices are to apply for LTD (long-term disability, probably through a policy through work) and hope they approve you, and apply for SSDI through Social Security and hope they approve you.

        Poster pennstater gave you excellent advice. Before you go out on STD, be sure to completely understand your company's FMLA policy, STD policy, and LTD policy. FMLA covers 12 weeks of UNPAID leave, and STD can cover up to 6 months/26 weeks at SOME level of pay. You need to understand those two policies to see if you're required to use your 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave concurrently with weeks of paid STD leave.

        It seems like a waste of FMLA if you lose your job protection while only part way into taking STD. But you may have no choice, so you need to know that going in. Be sure that you understand that you're REQUIRED to return to work after STD and you know what your options are if you can't.

        ** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

        Comment


          #5
          ** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. ** ** Poster's note -- The MSWorld editor has been intermittently working incorrectly lately, making it impossible for a poster to break their post into paragraphs. Moderators, please don't be calling out a poster for doing something wrong when nothing wrong was done and the fault lies entirely with the MSWorld software. **

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by jreagan70 View Post
            ** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. ** ** Poster's note -- The MSWorld editor has been intermittently working incorrectly lately, making it impossible for a poster to break their post into paragraphs. Moderators, please don't be calling out a poster for doing something wrong when nothing wrong was done and the fault lies entirely with the MSWorld software. **
            Thank you - Tech Support is aware of this issue and has been working on it.

            Take Care
            PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
            ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

            Comment


              #7
              Just one point on FMLA - it doesn't have to be unpaid leave. Paid leave time an count towards it. Employers over a certain size just have to offer 12 weeks protected leave, could be paid or unpaid.My old company's original policy was STD for 26 weeks, and the number of weeks paid depended on you length of service. After that, you could use 12 weeks unpaid if you didn't qualify for LTD or didn't want to invoke LTD.They then changed HR policy to FMLA that ran concurrent with STD, so whether you were paid or not for FMLA, depended on the STD conditions met. The reason they changed is that it benefits the company. The employee has less job protection and they can fill a position quicker. Totally stinks, but part of the search to ever increase productivity and profit.
              Kathy
              DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

              Comment


                #8
                Thank you very much for your replies.
                I live in CA , how should I look for health insurance in market , any broker or how

                also whom shall I review the company policy with to make sure I understand it right ? any lawyer with specific expertise ?

                Comment


                  #9
                  You have to make sure you have your company's HR policy on time off and disability. If it is written, you can review it with a trusted friend, etc.. You can also verify with whomever administers the benefits for your company. We had a human resources department, so I had to go there. As for health insurance, when I was out on company STD, I could continue benefits. I was billed and had to pay. So again, you need to understand company benefits. If you know you will lose coverage, I have no ideas. You may want to start a new thread on main board for finding healthcare in CA. You may get more responses.
                  Kathy
                  DX 01/06, currently on Tysabri

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I'm in CA too and worked for a really big global company. All policies around leave including the STD I was approved for and the LTD I went out on permanently were documented.

                    My STD case was assigned to an internal HR rep and I worked with them, but my manager really helped as needed. While on STD my pay and benefits remained exactly like while I was working, even the CA provided STD offset was handled by my company.

                    Once my 6 months of STD was up and I was not returning to work, my case was passed to the rep my company provided LTD policy was insured thru. This also included the support needed to file for SSDI.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Experience

                      Hi Brave, it's admirable you've been PPMS and working for 20 years, good going! I'm in Canada so things are different but may give you something to think about. Right after STD ran out I was put on LTD through my employer (I'm RRMS). I tried to go back to work a few years ago, was cleared by neuro to try a few hours per day. When I met with work I was told that if I am to return, it's with the intention of eventually getting back to full time hours. If I couldn't (which would have been the case), I would be considered a part-time employee and part-timers are not eligible for benefits. Who on Earth, with this expensive disease, also kids to consider, would go back. I'm still an employee on LTD, just not working. I was bummed but was glad they were honest with me.

                      Now I call myself "medically retired" or if it's someone I'll never see again, just "retired". Makes people wonder what I did for a living to retire so young!

                      Good luck with your issue, please keep us posted.
                      Jen
                      RRMS 2005, Copaxone since 2007
                      "I hope to be the person my dog thinks I am."

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by KoKo View Post
                        Hi brave

                        I never took STD (did use FMLA at various times, though).

                        Working for the US Postal Service, I was only able to work for 5 years after dx (going on light duty for my last couple years there).

                        Then I went on permanent disability.

                        You've done well to still be working after 20 years with PPMS.

                        Sorry I can't answer your particular questions about STD, but good luck whatever you decide!

                        Take Care
                        Hi koko
                        Thank u very much for information you provided
                        Since you have experience asking for accommodation by any chance do you know if I ask for accommodation like lighter duty can employer deny and Fire me?
                        I know not all requests can't be accompanied so understandable if they deny it but not sure if they can fire me too
                        Thanx

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by brave View Post
                          Hi koko
                          Thank u very much for information you provided
                          Since you have experience asking for accommodation by any chance do you know if I ask for accommodation like lighter duty can employer deny and Fire me?
                          I know not all requests can't be accompanied so understandable if they deny it but not sure if they can fire me too
                          Thanx
                          Hi brave

                          Good question! I wouldn't think an employer could fire you just for asking, but maybe it could open up your job performance to scrutiny.

                          Do you know if your place of employment has light duty work already available? My place of employment had several light duty positions.

                          I don't think an employer is required to create light duty positions, if none exist.

                          Now, I do believe that workplace accommodations is a separate issue, covered under the American Disabilities Act.

                          Here is some very good info about workplace accommodations from the Job Accommodations Network, Department of Labor:

                          http://askjan.org/Eeguide/IIRequest.htm

                          See if this info helps with your questions.

                          Take Care
                          PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
                          ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by brave View Post
                            if I ask for accommodation like lighter duty can employer deny and Fire me? I know not all requests can't be accompanied so understandable if they deny it but not sure if they can fire me too
                            Hi brave: You're mixing a lot of things up together here. Where is this getting fired stuff coming from? Did your question about going out on short term disability get started with your employer questioning your job performance?

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by jreagan70 View Post
                              Hi brave: You're mixing a lot of things up together here. Where is this getting fired stuff coming from? Did your question about going out on short term disability get started with your employer questioning your job performance?
                              yes jreagan , you are correct

                              I'm trying my best to stay productive even though my Neuro asked me stop working few years ago.
                              now employer has started questioning my performance.

                              thanks

                              Comment

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