SHORT DISABILITY AND FLMA QUESTION

Hey y'all! OMG I am sooooo excited for my surgery!! lol I am so happy to be a part of the online forum world, this is so exciting lol. anyways, I had a question.  I told my employer that I was having surgery (was not specific about what kind of surgery lol) but that I was having surgery May 21 (woohoo!!).  I told them that I would most likely be out for a few weeks after surgery.  

My job offers Short Term Disability and Family Medical Leave of Absence through Hartford which I applied for recently.  I know I will be approved for my leave, but I was wondering, does Hartford tell my employer explicitly that it is for Gastric Bypass surgery?  Will my employer eventually be told what surgery I am going in for?  I am pretty open with friends, and my family knows and is very supportive, but my job on the other hand is all about image so I fear the judgmental attitudes coming my way lol. 

Hmm if remember correctly because I did not use it I had to have a doctor fill it out. Now they could put all kinds of what ever there. I don't think legally they need to not know the reason just that it is medical. Do you not trust your HR person? That is whom would do mine.

Hi.  HIPPA laws seem to not count when you are asking for benefits to the degree they have to know what is wrong with you to make sure you are eligible for benefits and can't really work. 

If you just applied for the insurance, they might investigate when you applied, did you already know you needed surgery, and such. If so, they might consider it preexisting and deny it.  Be prepared financially either way.  

When my husband claimed his, they went over his entire medical history with records from our health insurance to see if he had any previous back injuries and he didn't so he was covered.

You could always call from another phone and ask Hartford.

Hey! thanks for the reply! I guess I wasn't very clear when I said I applied.  My health insurance is through United Healthcare and I was approved for surgery as my insurance through group benefits covered it.  My STD and FMLA is through Hartford which is provided by my job.  If Hartford does not approve my STD and I still have some PTO sick time I could use, so I can still get paid through that, but my FMLA is most important as it protects my job.  I guess I don't care if my HR department knows what surgery I'm having as I don't work with them directly, but like my immediate bosses I would rather not have to explain why I'm having surgery.  ugh! 

I think for FMLA you just a need a doctor to sign off on it. Maybe even you Primary could do it so they have no idea.

Hartford paid for my STD benefits when I had RNY.  HR is not permitted to discuss your personal health issues with your boss.

Congrats to you & your upcoming surgery! I would call Hartford & ask them if they will tell your employer that you're having gastric bypass. I haven't told anyone on my job either about my surgery, but that's mostly cuz they're gossip hounds & when 1 knows eventually everyone knows LOL. When I call out sick the medical dept doesn't tell my job what I'm sick for, even if I had to go on restriction (e.g. can't lift over a certain amt of weight etc) they don't tell my job why I'm restricted from certain things, just that I can't do it for awhile. I'm guessing Hartford is the same way. My job also knows not to ask why I'm sick,they might wish me well, but only medical has to know about my illness & all info is kept there away from my job.

Hey! thank you! have you had your surgery yet?  Or are you still waiting for yours too?  I know what you mean!  It's not that I'm ashamed or embarrassed lol.  It's that I don't want to be bombarded with so many questions and people treating me differently at work! lol

Tomorrow is the big day!, just waiting for the call to tell me what time to be there! I'm off from work for the next few days & will probably call in sick for a few more, then I'll take a wait and see approach as to when I'll go back.

omg hahah!  I was planning on doing EXACTLY that, but I'm nervous that something would happen for not giving notice lol. FLMA will at least protect my job lol. but what you're going to do was something I was going to do, just play it by ear after a week or so, but I've never had anything like this done so I have no idea how I'm going to feel afterwards.  but seriously though I can't believe you sound so composed.  I would be bursting with so much excitement for tomorrow lol.  I bet you are though.  How'd your pre-op diet go?