FMLA, Disability and Life Insurance

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave per 12-month calendar year for certain family and medical reasons, such as the birth of a child, a serious health condition, or caring for a family member.  To be eligible for FMLA, an individual must be employed by Oakland County for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months.

Types of Family Leave include:

• Birth and care for a newborn child
• Adoption or foster care placement of a child
• Caring for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition
• The employees’ own serious health condition that makes them unable to perform their job
• Qualifying exigencies related to a family member’s active duty or call to covered active duty in the military
• Up to 26 weeks of leave to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness (military caregiver leave)

Important Information about FMLA

Employees are required to keep their department informed of absences due to approved FMLA leave and expected return-to-work dates.  Employees must exhaust all leave banks prior to using Leave Without Pay during an approved FMLA leave. (may vary per bargaining unit).

Full-time employees are eligible for short-term disability after six months of consecutive service.  The six-month eligibility period could be extended if the individual was not working due to a leave of absence.

To submit a request for FMLA and/or short-term disability:

• Go to https://portal.unum.com.
• Once logged in, click the “Start a leave or claim” button on the homepage.
• Provide any necessary information.
• After you submit your request, you’ll receive a confirmation with next steps.

Need assistance navigating Unum’s site?  Please see the Unum Total Leave Portal User Guide

No access to a computer or mobile device?  No problem!  You can also call 866-868-6737 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Oakland County’s policy number is #914587.

• Unum Total Leave Employee Flyer
• Short-Term Disability Information and Checklist for Employees

Optional: You are not required to supplement; however, it is recommended that you use your leave banks to supplement your disability payments while you are off to reduce your contributions that are unpaid during disability.

Any unpaid healthcare contributions from the time of your short-term disability will be taken out of your County paycheck(s) immediately upon your return to work or separation of employment (Merit Rule 22.2.3.8). 

If you would like to set up payment arrangements for your benefit arrears, please contact benefits@oakgov.com.

• Supplement Form

Any unpaid healthcare contributions from the time of your short-term disability will be taken out of your County paycheck(s) immediately upon your return to work or separation of employment (Merit Rule 22.2.3.8). 

Arrears balances will be collected at a maximum rate of 20% of your gross income per pay period.  Pre-tax balances are collected first; any remaining amount is then deducted from post-tax balances (if applicable).

If you would like to set up payment arrangements for your benefit arrears, please contact benefits@oakgov.com.

Optional: You are not required to have state and federal taxes taken out of your disability payments. Unum will send you an income tax form at the end of the year. 

If you choose to have taxes withheld, complete the tax forms below and fax to Unum.

Fax: 800-447-2498

• MI-W4 Tax Form
• 2026 W-4S Tax Form

All Full-Time Employees in active employment in the United States with the Employer, excluding Elected Official and Plan B Employees.

Long Term Disability Fringe Benefits

Group Term Life Insurance

During new hire or open enrollment benefit elections, you can select one of four levels of group term life insurance, to a maximum of $400,000.

• 1 times Annual Benefit Salary - buy down
• 1.5 times Annual Benefit Salary - Standard Plan is no cost to you
• 2 times Annual Benefit Salary - buy up
• 3 times Annual Benefit Salary

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)

During new hire or open enrollment benefit elections, you can select one of four levels of group term AD&D insurance, to a maximum of $400,000.

• 1 times Annual Benefit Salary - Standard Plan is no cost to you
• 1.5 times Annual Benefit Salary - buy up
• 2 times Annual Benefit Salary - buy up
• 3 times Annual Benefit Salary - buy up

Your elections will remain in force for the entire calendar year unless you have a qualifying life event. The amount of insurance begins to decrease at age 70.  Please see corresponding information on this page for more details regarding insurance levels after age 70.

Helpful Links:

Life/AD&D Benefit Summary

Life/AD&D Plan Document

Unum Beneficiary Guide

Workday Job Aid to Update your Beneficiary

During new hire or open enrollment benefit elections, you can choose voluntary Spouse and/or Dependent Supplemental Life and AD&D insurance.  The options offered through Unum can provide peace of mind for you and your family.  Contributions are made on a post-tax basis, please refer to Workday for contribution amounts. 

Coverage Levels Available

Spouse:

• $10,000
• $25,000
• $50,000

Dependent (eligible through the end of the month in the month they turn 26):

• $10,000
• $20,000

Your election will remain in force for the entire calendar year unless you have a qualifying life event.  The amount of insurance begins to decrease at age 70.  Please see corresponding information on this page regarding coverage levels after age 70.

Spouse Supplemental Life and AD&D insurance rates are based on the age of the employee, and will increase by age in five-year increments (i.e. at age 30, 35, 40, 45, etc.).  

 Helpful Links:

Spouse and Dependent Life/AD&D Summary

Unum Life/AD&D Plan Document

Amount of life insurance available if you become insured at age 70 or have reached age 70 while insured:

If you have reached age 70, but not age 75, your amount of life insurance will be:

• 60% of the amount of life insurance you had prior to age 70; or
• 60% of the amount of life insurance shown in Workday if you become insured on or after age 70 but before age 75.

There will be no further increases in your amount of life insurance.

If you have reached age 75, but not age 80, your amount of life insurance will be:

• 40% of the amount of life insurance you had prior to the first reduction; or
• 40% of the amount of life insurance shown in Workday if you become insured on or after age 75 but before age 80.

There will be no further increases in your amount of life insurance.

If you have reached age 80 or more, your amount of life insurance will be:

• 30% of the amount of life insurance you had prior to your first reduction; or
• 30% of the amount of life insurance shown in Workday if you become insured on or after age 80.

There will be no further increases in your amount of life insurance.

When your employment at Oakland County ends, either at retirement or separation, Life Insurance and AD&D Insurance plans terminate.  You may be able to convert or port your life insurance coverage.  You must complete an application and apply for these options within 31 days of your coverage termination.  You will receive information from Unum via mail after your employment ends.  If you have questions, you can contact Unum at 800-445-0402.

Group Life Insurance Portability and Conversion Comparison Guide

As health care costs continue to rise, many people have trouble paying medical expenses that insurance doesn’t cover. Luckily, Unum's EAP — with the Medical Bill Saver feature — can help.

How does it work?

When a covered employee has a medical or dental bill totaling over $400 in out-of-pocket costs, Unum's skilled negotiating team works with the provider(s) to get a discount. Successful negotiations can save employees hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of dollars.

Unum's experts can also show employees how to keep bills lower in the future — for example, by using in-network providers.

By helping reduce employees’ out-of-pocket-costs, Medical Bill Saver can make consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs) more attractive — and more effective.

Medical Bill Saver Flyer

if you experienced a medical emergency while traveling, would you know whom to call?

Whenever you travel 100 miles or more from home — to another country or just another city — be sure to pack your worldwide emergency travel assistance phone number. Travel assistance speaks your language, helping you locate hospitals, embassies and other “unexpected” travel destinations. Add the number to your cell phone contacts, so it’s always close at hand. Just one phone call connects you and your family to medical and other important services 24 hours a day.

Use your travel assistance phone number to access the following:

• Hospital admission assistance
• Emergency medical evacuation
• Prescription replacement assistance
• Transportation for a friend or family member to join a hospitalized patient
• Care and transport of unattended minor children
• Assistance with the return of a vehicle
• Emergency message services
• Critical care monitoring
• Emergency trauma counseling
• Referrals to Western-trained, English-speaking medical providers
• Legal and interpreter referrals
• Passport replacement assistance

Travel Assistance Program