Definition of Total Disability Total disability means that the employee is unable, because of sickness or accident, to perform the duties of their regular occupation. This definition applies for the first twenty-four (24) months of payments. After this time, the inability to perform an occupation for which the employee is reasonably fitted by training, education or experience will constitute total disability. It is not required that an employee be confined to home, but they must be under the regular care of a physician.
Temporary Disability Leave Upon application, and approval by the school employer, a temporary disability leave of absence shall be granted to teachers of this school corporation on the following basis:
Total Disability a) Total disability, as used in this Plan, means the complete inability because of an accident or sickness of a covered employee to perform all the duties of his/her own occupation for the first two (2) years of disability. Thereafter, employees able by reason of education, training or experience to perform the duties of a gainful occupation for which the rate of pay is not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the current rate of pay of their regular occupation at date of disability will not be considered totally disabled and will therefore not be eligible for benefits under this Long Term Disability Plan. b) Total disabilities resulting from mental or nervous disorders are covered by the Plan in the same manner as total disabilities resulting from accidents or other sicknesses, except that an employee who is totally disabled as a result of a mental or nervous disorder and who has received twenty-four (24) months of Long Term Disability Plan benefit payments must be confined to a hospital or mental institution or where they are at home, under the direct care and supervision of a medical doctor, in order to continue to be eligible for benefit payment. During a period of total disability an employee must be under the regular and personal care of a legally qualified doctor of medicine. c) i) If an employee becomes totally disabled and during this period of total disability engages in rehabilitative employment, the regular monthly benefit from this plan will be reduced by twenty-five percent (25%) of the employee's earnings from such rehabilitative employment. In the event that income from rehabilitative employment and the benefit paid under this Plan exceeds eighty-five percent (85%) of the employee's earnings at date of disability, the benefit from this Plan will be further reduced by the excess amount.