Buy-Up Disability
Eligible Team Members have the option of upgrading their disability coverage with a Buy-Up option.
Eligibility
Salaried Team Members, including Team Members whose primary job is Sous Chef, MIT, GEDM or Flex Manager are automatically enrolled in Core Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance, and have the option to select a Buy-Up option. All benefits in this plan are paid on a monthly basis, regardless of your regular pay period.
You have the option to add either STD or LTD Buy-Up, or both. See below for how to calculate your premiums, which are based on your pay.
STD Buy-Up
This optional plan offers you the opportunity to enhance your coverage by electing to change your gross weekly benefit to 60% of covered earnings per week and to change your maximum weekly benefit amount to $2,000.
LTD Buy-Up
This optional plan offers you the opportunity to enhance your coverage by electing to change your gross monthly benefit to 60% of covered earnings per month and to change your maximum monthly benefit amount up to $15,000.
| STD Buy-Up | LTD Buy-Up | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of your earnings replaced | Base Salary replaced: Additional 20% to a $2,000 maximum (Core + Buy-Up) weekly benefit | Additional 20% up to $15,000 maximum (Core + Buy-Up) monthly benefit |
| Period of disability before benefits begin | 7 days | 90 days |
| Cost | You pay the cost difference between Buy-Up and core via payroll deduction | |
| Benefit taxation | taxable | taxable |
| Enrollment | May enroll when first eligible; may enroll or cancel during annual open enrollment | |
Enrolling in Buy-Up disability
If you elect Buy-Up coverage when you are first eligible, you will be able to enroll without having to provide evidence of your good health.
If you don’t enroll when you are first eligible, you can enroll at a future annual open enrollment, but you will need to complete an Evidence of Insurability Form that New York Life Insurance Group Benefits Services (New York Life) will provide to you following your election. Coverage will not begin until New York Life provides their approval of your election.
See New Enrollment for instructions on how to enroll.
How much your coverage will cost
The cost of basic STD and LTD coverage is paid by Bloomin’ Brands. When you elect either or both Buy-Up coverages, you are authorizing payroll deductions from your paycheck.
Cost of STD Buy-Up
The cost of this coverage is $0.104 per $10 of monthly covered earnings. Costs are subject to change. To calculate the cost of your coverage, follow these steps:
Step 1. Start with your gross or pre-tax weekly pay (not including commissions, bonus, or overtime).
Step 2. Multiply this gross weekly pay amount by 0.60 and round to the nearest dollar. This weekly benefit amount cannot exceed $2,000.
Step 3. Multiply this weekly benefit amount by $0.104.
Step 4. Divide by 10 to determine the monthly premium.
Step 5. To convert the monthly premium into a biweekly paycheck contribution, multiply by 12 (annual rate), then divide by 26 (number of pay periods).
For example, for a weekly salary of $1,000, your biweekly STD Buy-Up premium would be $2.88.
Cost of LTD Buy-Up
The cost of this coverage is $0.375 per $100 of monthly covered earnings. Costs are subject to change. To calculate the cost of your coverage, follow these steps:
Step 1. Start with your gross or pre-tax monthly pay (including bonus, but not including commissions or overtime). Please note this amount cannot exceed $25,000.
Step 2. Multiply this gross monthly pay amount by $0.375.
Step 3. Divide by 100 to determine the monthly premium.
Step 4. To convert the monthly premium into a biweekly paycheck contribution, multiply by 12 (annual rate), then divide by 26 (number of pay periods).
For example, for an annual salary plus bonus of $60,000, your biweekly LTD Buy-Up premium would be $8.65.
