# Long Term Disability while on Maternity Leave



## Erome1 (Aug 19, 2016)

Hey all,

Second time writing this post cause my first didn't post...

Summary: Alberta couple, 32 and 30, expecting first child in July. Wife works for post-secondary institute for 5 years as salaried, full time union position.

In discussing the upcoming maternity year- her HR is telling her that there is no point to have LTD, and it wont be any use to her. They are saying that 1: There is no salary to insure, 2: You cannot make a claim while on your mat year leave anyways

However looking on the internet it seems this is a super important thing- to have protection during this time. What happens if she gets sick and can't return to work at her expected return to work date.

I tried calling RBC Insurance (who we have life insurance with) and they said they can't offer her LTD during her mat leave year.

What are people's thoughts on this? I feel like her HR company is mis-advising her, but they won't provide a LTD document or anything. All they give her is a 'benefits at a glance sheet'. I feel like it's in the companies interest for people to skip their LTD so they can fall into a black hole of coverage...

What have other people done?


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## LXG (Feb 16, 2017)

I continued to pay for LTD during my mat leave. Our company's parental leave policy explicitly required me to do so. I'm also in Alberta.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

The union should be able to advise as they negotiated the benefits or can contact the insurance company on your wife's behalf.


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## Beaver101 (Nov 14, 2011)

sags said:


> The union should be able to advise as they negotiated the benefits or can contact the insurance company on your wife's behalf.


 ...+1


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## nobleea (Oct 11, 2013)

First of all, congrats.

Second, it was made abundantly clear that any disability or medical issue that arose during pregnancy which caused a long term disability would not be covered in the future if we were to back out of LTD on mat leave. When you first sign up with a company, they take on pre-existing conditions which might cause a LTD in the future. But as I understand it, if you suspend LTD for whatever reason, they may not cover a future LTD which is caused by something that happened during the uncovered portion.

They said we can certainly suspend extended benefits coverage but they strongly strongly recommended keeping LTD. They relayed a few actual stories of what can happen if you do and something happens. Actual stories that happened to employees in the same board as us.

Edmonton.


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