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Delaware Disability Benefits



Frequently Asked Questions about Delaware Disability

What is short-term Delaware disability?

Short-term Delaware disability entails benefits for individuals who suffer from one of the following problems and therefore earn less than twenty percent of their pre-disability weekly earnings:

1. Accidental bodily injury;
2. Sickness;
3. Mental Illness;
4. Pregnancy;
5. Substance Abuse.

Short-term Delaware disability status remains active for a maximum of 182 days.

Who is eligible for Delaware disability?

An individual is only eligible for full Delaware disability benefits if they are State Pension Plan participants which means being a full-time or a permanent part-time employee of one of the following:

• State of Delaware;
• Delaware Department of Education;
• A School District;
• University of Delaware (not most faculty);
• Delaware State University;
• Delaware Technical & Community College;
• Solid Waste Authority;
• Office of Disciplinary Council;
• Prothonotary’s Office;
• Any State Agency Supported by Federal Funds.

What are short-term Delaware disability benefits?

There are two maximum limits for how much a person can earn from Delaware disability benefits in the short-term. Those limits are either 75% of Weekly Earnings or $2,000, so that the lesser of the two will be the maximum your Delaware disability will be good for. On the other hand, there are minimum weekly benefits which guarantee a person at least $25 per week or 10% of the benefit before deduction of other income benefits.

What is long-term Delaware disability?

The difference between long-term Delaware disability and short-term Delaware disability is not that long-term Delaware is permanent, since it unfortunately is not, but just that short-term Delaware disability is meant only to last until an individual can return to work, while long-term Delaware disability is meant to last a number of years or until a person can reasonably expect to retire.

What is the Elimination Period for long-term Delaware disability?

The Elimination Period is the that an individual must wait while disabled before they can receive long-term Delaware disability benefits. An individual can only receive these long-term Delaware disability benefits after waiting 182 consecutive calendar days for any one period of Disability and after their Employer-sponsored disability benefits no longer apply.

How long can long-term Delaware disability last?

Long-term Delaware disability will last a number of years, but it is not a permanent source of funds. An employee loses their eligibility for Delaware disability after a period of time which falls on a sliding scale depending on the age of the individual. The scale is as follows:

• Prior to Age 60 when disabled, benefits last until 65;
• 60 when disabled, benefits last 60 months;
• 61 when disabled, benefits last 48 months;
• 62 when disabled, benefits last 42 months;
• 63 when disabled, benefits last 36 months;
• 64 when disabled, benefits last 30 months;
• 65 when disabled, benefits last 24 months;
• 66 when disabled, benefits last 21 months;
• 67 when disabled, benefits last 18 months;
• 68 when disabled, benefits last 15 months;
• 69 or older when disabled, benefits last 12 months.

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