Short-Term Disability (STD) Insurance

Income protection for unforeseen injuries or illnesses.

The STD plan pays a weekly benefit if you can’t work due to a non-work-related health condition or injury.

To receive STD benefits, you must be unable to perform the essential duties of your job due to accidental injury, sickness, mental illness or pregnancy. After your 7- or 14-day waiting period, disability benefits are paid based on your condition and physician statement. (There is no waiting period for maternity disability.)

Effective February 5, 2023, Michaels has enhanced our STD program for exempt U.S. Team Members to provide for 100% base pay replacement while on short-term disability. This improvement ensures that exempt Team Members do not experience a reduction in pay while they are not able to work due to an illness or medically required absence.

Short-Term Disability Eligibility and Coverage

Eligibility When STD Begins Percent of Earnings2 Replaced How Long Benefits Are Paid
Store, Distribution Center, Artistree Hourly Team Members3  
You must enroll within 31 days after you become eligible or wait until the next Open Enrollment. After 14 consecutive days of disability 60% of your weekly earnings up to the $1,000 weekly maximum Up to 11 weeks
Support Center Hourly Team Members3  
You must enroll within 31 days after you become eligible or wait until the next Open Enrollment. After 7 consecutive days of disability 60% of your weekly earnings up to the $1,000 weekly maximum Up to 12 weeks
Hourly Store Managers and Hourly Assistant Store Managers3  
You automatically will be enrolled once you become eligible. After 7 consecutive days of disability 60% of your weekly earnings up to the $1,000 weekly maximum Up to 12 weeks
Salaried Team Members  
You automatically will be enrolled once you become eligible. After 7 consecutive days of disability 100% of your weekly earnings up to the $1,000 weekly maximum Up to 12 weeks
1. The STD benefit will be paid based on your duration of disability. Generally, the duration for maternity disability is up to 6 weeks following a normal delivery and up to 8 weeks following a C-section. The normal elimination period applies, beginning on the date the Team Member’s doctor reports the Team Member is disabled. There is no elimination period for maternity disability.
2. This is your usual pay rate in effect when you first became disabled. It does not include bonuses, overtime pay, extra benefits or compensation.
3. STD is not available in California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Washington or New Jersey.

Pre-Existing Condition Limitation

The Short-Term Disability plan includes a pre-existing condition limitation. If you have a pre-existing condition, you may still be eligible for a reduced disability benefit. You have a pre-existing condition if both 1 and 2 are true:

  1. You received medical treatment, consultation, care or services, including diagnostic measures, or took prescribed drugs or medicines, or followed treatment recommendations in the 3 months just prior to your effective date of coverage or the date an increase in benefits would otherwise be available or you had symptoms for which an ordinarily prudent person would have consulted a health care provider in the 3 months just prior to your effective date of coverage or the date an increase in benefits would otherwise be available.
  2. Your disability begins within 12 months of the date your coverage under the plan becomes effective.

Additional Resources

Short-Term Disability Highlight Sheet
How To File a Claim
Enrollment Instructions While on Leave of Absence

Provider