Does Amazon provide its employees disability benefits?

“Does Amazon provide its employees disability benefits?” is a question we often get here at our disability firm.

Many people know that the Social Security Administration has a disability benefits program. But few people know that employers, such as Amazon, also have disability benefits programs that provide payments to eligible individuals who became unable to work due to injury, illness, or pregnancy during their employment. Even fewer people know that an individual does not necessarily need to still be working at Amazon to receive benefits.

As one of the largest companies in the United States, Amazon employs over one million people. There are 12 Amazon distribution centers in the Kansas City area alone, employing over 6,000 people.

What Disability Benefits Does Amazon Offer Its Employees?

Amazon provides both short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage to most employees who work at least 30 hours per week. Covered Amazon employees are eligible for disability benefits if they’ve enrolled in benefits and become unable to work due to a medical condition. The standard benefit is typically 60% of an employee’s normal pay.

Amazon’s Disability and Leave Service handles the intake of disability claims and directly administers STD claims. An eligible Amazon employee may receive STD benefits from Sedgwick for up to 25 weeks. After 25 weeks, if an employee continues to be disabled, they may be entitled to begin receiving LTD benefits.

Amazon’s LTD claims are administered by The Hartford Life & Accident Insurance Company. If an Amazon employee has been unable to perform the duties of their occupation due to injury or sickness for greater than 180 days, they may receive up to 24 months of benefits. After 24 months, they may receive benefits if they are unable to perform the duties of any occupation.

Amazon disability claims are governed by the unforgiving Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). ERISA can be difficult to understand, and there are special rules that an employee needs to follow in pursuing a disability claim.

Many STD and LTD claims are ultimately denied by Amazon and Hartford. A claim can be denied for a variety of technical reasons, and it is important to request the correct documents from Amazon and Hartford to determine why the claim was denied. If a claim is denied, it is crucial to prepare a detailed and timely appeal.

If you are a current or former Amazon employee who is experiencing trouble with your STD or LTD claim or wish to pursue a claim under Amazon’s benefits plan, you should speak with an attorney here at Burnett Driskill. There are thousands of Amazon employees in the Kansas City area, and our office has helped many of them in both STD and LTD claims. We would be happy to talk to you about filing a claim, appealing a claim denial, or considering litigation.