Disability Insurance

Short-Term Disability

Short-term disability coverage is available at no cost to all full-time associates. However, the premium paid by PetSmart is a taxable benefit that appears on your pay statement as “ER BN Payment,” which means “Employer Benefit Payment.” If you are unable to work and miss more than five (5) consecutive days of work due to an illness or non-work-related accident, the short-term disability plan may pay a benefit of 66.67 percent of your weekly base salary. To learn more, read the Short-Term Disability Benefits Guide.

Purpose

The Short-Term Disability (STD) plan provides income replacement to associates who are unable to work because of an extended illness or non-work-related injury. STD benefits will be provided to all covered associates in accordance with the short-term disability policy.

Eligibility

All full-time associates in Canada are automatically covered by the short-term disability (STD) program through Manulife. If you become totally disabled due to non-occupational injury, accidental injury or illness, you may receive STD benefits. STD benefits will be provided to all covered associates in accordance with short-term disability policy.

The full Canadian Policy and Procedure – Absence Due to Non-Work-Related Accident, Illness or Injury is located on our internal Fetch site.

How do you make a claim for benefit payments?

To receive STD benefits, the associate must complete the following steps to file a claim.

1. Print the Plan Member Statement.
   
   1. The claim should be made no more than 14 days before an expected disability start date.
   2. Provide a doctor’s note to your store leader or supervisor.
2. Provide a copy of the Attending Physician Statement to your doctor to complete. Return the completed form to Manulife with your short-term disability claim form.
3. Payments stop when the associate returns to work, the disability ends or the maximum benefit has been paid, whichever occurs first.

Schedule of STD benefits:

*STD benefits for hourly associates are based on base rate of pay.

Waiting period for short-term disability benefits

There is a one-week waiting period for STD benefits. Associates can use 40 hours of sick time or accrued vacation time for the unpaid waiting period. Sick time should be used first. The leave start date is the first day missed from work, prior to using any sick time.

If you are going on maternity leave, PetSmart requests that associates use all accrued vacation time prior to the maternity/pregnancy and parental leave. Associates will continue to accrue vacation time, not vacation pay, during maternity/pregnancy and parental leave.

Manager action:

The supervisor must complete a Status Change Form in Manager Self-Service, placing the associate on a leave of absence effective the first day of missed work for illness or injury. Only the following types of leaves of absence are eligible for short-term disability benefits:

• Associate is off work due to his/her own illness or injury.
• Associate is off work and the leave is pregnancy related.

Long-Term Disability

All full-time associates are enrolled in long-term disability (LTD) coverage as a mandatory benefit under the PetSmart plan. The long-term disability plan pays a monthly benefit of 60 percent of your pay for a non-work-related injury, accidental injury, or illness. Long-term disability benefits will be provided to all covered associates in accordance with the long-term disability plan document. The full Canadian Policy and Procedure – Absence Due to Non-Work-Related Accident, Illness or Injury is located on our internal Fetch site.

How do you make a claim for LTD benefit payments?

Claims that have been processed for short-term disability (STD) with Manulife will automatically be reviewed for potential LTD compensation if eligible. PetSmart and the associate will be required to complete this additional paperwork to be submitted to Manulife.

• Manulife will investigate in accordance with the plan guidelines and may require additional documentation to support the continued disability.
• To be eligible to receive LTD benefits, the associate must be totally disabled during the entire STD period and be under a physician’s regular care and attendance.
• Payments stop when the associate returns to work, the disability ends or the maximum benefit has been paid, whichever occurs first.
• Reasonable accommodations will be reviewed to assist the return to work.

Schedule of LTD Benefits: