Long-Term Disability Plan

You are eligible for the MIT Long-Term Disability Plan if you are paid by MIT, are appointed to work at MIT for at least three months, and work at least 50% of the normal full-time work schedule.

Who is not eligible

• visitor
• contractor
• affiliate
• teaching or research assistant
• honorary lecturer
• summer appointment
• non-MIT student program worker
• international visiting student
• post-doctoral fellow
• paid by MITemps
• student in a work-study program
• family member who is not employed by MIT
• member of the armed services assigned to MIT

Members of collective bargaining units

All the plan provisions are subject to the terms of your collective bargaining agreement. 

You are considered totally disabled if you are prevented by bodily injury, sickness, disease, or mental disorder from engaging in

• your own occupation during the first two years of your disability
• any occupation for which you are reasonably fitted by education, training, or experience, following the first two years of your disability

As long as you are receiving long-term disability payments under the plan, MIT pays the full cost of the following benefits (if you were enrolled when you became disabled):

• MIT Basic Retirement Plan (based on your pay when you became disabled)
• MIT health and dental plans
• MIT Basic Life Insurance (if you are not eligible for a premium waiver from MIT's group life insurance provider). Note: You continue to pay for your Supplemental Life coverage unless you apply for and receive a premium waiver from MIT's group life insurance provider.

MIT continues to make contributions to your Basic Pension Plan. MIT also contributes to your MIT Supplemental 401(k) account an amount equal to 10% of your pay when you became disabled — even if you were not contributing to your account when you became disabled. You may not contribute to your MIT Supplemental 401(k) account when you are receiving disability payments from MIT.

Your child will continue to be eligible for the same tuition privileges under the Children's Scholarship Plan while you are receiving long-term disability benefits from MIT.

If enrolled, coverage in the following benefits end when you are approved for Long-Term Disability:

• Vision Plan
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment
• Business Travel Insurance
• Spouse Life Insurance
• Dependent Life Insurance
• Tuition Assistance

Your long-term disability benefits will be terminated when the earliest of the following occurs:

• you are no longer totally disabled
• you are no longer under appropriate physician's care
• you fail or refuse to be examined by a physician, provide requested information, or participate in a review, treatment, rehabilitation, or other similar program as required by the plan administrator or service provider
• your rehabilitative employment ends
• you fail to apply for Social Security disability benefits within 31 days of receiving approval for payments under the MIT Long-Term Disability Insurance Plan
• the plan is terminated by the provider or MIT
• you reach the end of the maximum benefit period
• you die

Regardless of your circumstances, your long-term disability benefits terminate when you reach the end of the Maximum Benefit Period as described in the chart below. If you were younger than age 61 when you became disabled, check the second chart below to determine your Social Security Normal Retirement Age.

If you were younger than 61 when you became disabled, your Social Security Normal Retirement Age depends on your birth year as described in the chart below.

Social Security Normal Retirement Age Chart

You must apply for long-term disability payments within 90 days of the end of your disability waiting period.

• For most eligible individuals, the waiting period is the six months following the date the disability occurred.
• To avoid unnecessary delays in the start of your payments, begin the application process within three to four months of becoming disabled.

Contact MIT Benefits for details and assistance with the application process.