Welcome to Navigating Disability with Me, with Meghan and Pam! Meghan is a person with lived experience of disability and Pam is an able bodied person who has been a friend and support to several people in her life living with disabilities.
Overview of the short term disability process including sick time, EI qualifications, and working with your employer
Feedback: navigatingdisabilitywithme@gmail.com
Links:
CRA EI estimator calculator: https://estimateurae-eiestimator.service.canada.ca/en
North Shore Disability Resource Centre: https://www.nsdrc.org/
Disability Alliance of BC: https://disabilityalliancebc.org
Deltassist: https://deltassist.com/
Volunteer Cancer Drivers: https://volunteercancerdrivers.ca/
Wheels of Hope: https://csl.cancer.ca/en/Detail/1a9b6c6c-ea2d-ec11-b6e5-000d3a333c22
Tips:
1) If you have sick days, don't abuse them! You may need them for a disability. Do not treat any insurance payout as a windfall. That is supplementing your income.
2) For 2025: EI maxes out at 55% of your earnings at a cap of $695/week. Generally for a maximum of 45 weeks. This is taxable (confirmed post recording).
3) Read your collective agreement/union book/corporate policies on sick time, special leaves etc. Ask a knowledeable colleague or the union any questions.
4) Contact your union with any questions, search out your union disability rep.
5) Have a trusted friend/family member help with/proofread paperwork, applications etc. Or look for a local disability resource group - be patient!
6) Pace yourself through paperwork, get it done with time to spare. Be patient as everything takes lots of time to be processed.
7) Print out an extra copy of anything your doctor has to fill in. Fill it out yourself, using daily challenges as examples. Take that to the doctor with you so you can discuss and not miss any points when the doctor is filling in the official copy.
8) If forced into an excessive functional assessment (your doctor's documentation isn't enough to satisfy the insurance company) go in to the assessor. But book a GP appointment ahead of time for right after the assessment. At the assessment, the moment you start having symptoms stop, tell them what is happening (if it can't be seen) and why you can't continue, leave. If it's a 2 day assessment do the same the next day. Then go in to your GP appointment to have this all documented in your chart.
9) Check if you can continue to pay out any remaining sick time once you're on long term disability, as a top up. Other option is to save it for if you go back to work.
10) Google multiple variations of "(My town/region/province) Disability Benefits" to see what benefits or programs exist in your area.
