One question we often get here at our disability firm is “Does Wal-Mart provide its employee disability benefits?”

Many people know that the Social Security Administration has a disability benefits program. But fewer people know that employers, such as Wal-Mart, also have disability benefits programs.

As one of the largest companies in the United States, Wal-Mart employs over one million people. There are more than 10 Wal-Mart stores in the Kansas City area alone. Most of these Wal-Mart employees are eligible for disability benefits if they become unable to work due to a medical condition.

Wal-Mart provides both short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage to most of its full-time employees. Employees who are receiving medical treatment for a condition that prevents them from working are entitled benefits. The standard benefit is typically 50% of normal pay. However, employees who “buy up” and elect more coverage may receive a 60% benefit.

Wal-Mart’s Disability and Leave Service Center handles the intake of disability claims. The STD claims are run by Sedgwick Claims Management. An eligible Wal-Mart employee may receive STD benefits from Sedgwick for up to 25 weeks. After STD expires, if an employee remains disabled, they may be entitled to LTD benefits.

Wal-Mart’s long-term disability LTD claims are run by Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (formerly a part of Liberty Mutual). The LTD program is a little more complicated than the STD program. But most employees are entitled to at least 12 months of benefits if they are unable to work their own occupation due to a medical condition. In many situations, an employee is entitled to benefits beyond that 12 month period.

Sedgwick also runs Wal-Mart’s leave of absence program, which is related to the STD and LTD programs, but isn’t exactly the same. Combine these with the Wal-Mart Accommodation Service Center, it can all become confusing very quickly.

Through Sedgwick and Lincoln, Wal-Mart denies many STD and LTD claims. A claim can be denied for a variety of reasons, and it is important to request the correct documents from Sedgwick and Lincoln to determine why the claim was denied. If a claim is denied, it is crucial to prepare a thorough and timely appeal.

Wal-Mart 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 observe in pursuing a disability claim.

There are thousands of Wal-Mart employees in the Kansas City area, and our office has helped many of them in STD and LTD claims. If you are having trouble with the Wal-Mart Disability and Leave Service Center, Sedgwick, or Lincoln, you should consider speaking with an attorney. We would be happy to talk to you about filing a claim, appealing a decision, or considering litigation.