Disability can change your life completely. You need to deal with the pain and learn how to do things in a completely new manner. This can be very challenging, especially if you fear you won’t be able to continue your job or need a break to manage your pain.
Dealing with challenges due to disability while fearing for a financial crisis can be very frustrating and overwhelming. Therefore, it’s important to file a disability claim and apply for the right income replacement programs to keep you afloat during this tough time. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you apply for disability benefits in Canada.
Step 1: Choose the Right Disability Benefits
There are plenty of disability programs, benefits, and income replacement plans. Conduct in-depth research on all of them and find the ones that suit you the best. Check for the duration of each program. Some programs are short-term and only provide payments for a short period, while others are long-term and can provide you with benefits or income replacement until 65 years of age. Following are some of the disability benefits you should research:
Sick Pay from Employer
Most employers offer paid sick leaves. If you still have your sick leaves left, the very first thing is to apply for sick leave at your current place of work to make sure you don’t lose any income.
Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Program
EI Sickness program is a short-term disability income replacement program that provides payments for 15 weeks. To qualify for the program, you need to:
- Have an income loss of more than 40 percent.
- Be employed by a qualifying employer.
- Have 600 hours or more of insurable employment.
Short Term Disability Benefits
Some employers offer short-term disability benefits that allow you to take time off work for one to three months. Check with your employer if they provide any such benefit. If they do, apply for your disability leave so that you still receive a steady income while on leave. If your employer doesn’t provide this, you may still qualify for EI Sickness Program.
Long Term Disability Benefits
Ask your employer or union if you’re covered under any long-term disability policy. You can also apply for this if you’ve bought a long-term disability policy yourself. This program may provide you with a long-term income replacement until you’re 65 years of age.
Canada Pension Plan
Many Canadian workers are eligible to receive disability benefits under the Canada Pension Plan. For you to be eligible for disability payments under the program, you need to:
- Be under 65 years of age
- Be gainfully employed
- Have made a recent contribution to the Canada Pension Plan
- Be disabled and off work for four months
Workers Compensation Benefits
Most of the Canadian workers are enrolled in Provincial Workers Compensation Programs by their qualifying employers. To be eligible for the program, you need to:
- Be working for an employer enrolled in the program.
- Have a work-related injury that caused the disability.
Veteran Affairs Canada Disability Benefits
Members of the armed forces are eligible to receive disability benefits under this program if they suffer from an injury or disability caused due to the service.
Provincial Disability Benefits
Provincial disability benefit should be your very last resort. These benefits are for those who don’t qualify for any other disability program. Every province has a provincial disability benefit that acts as a safety net for the disabled people of the province who don’t qualify for any other benefit. For you to be eligible for the program, you need to meet both disability and financial criteria.
Step 2: Ensure Your Doctor Supports You
Once you’ve picked the right programs, the next step is to ensure your doctor supports you. You won’t be able to apply for sick leave or claim disability if you don’t have your doctor’s support. Although it might not be a problem in most cases, you can have a doctor who doesn’t support you or is biased against people who claim disability benefits. If that’s the case, you can change your doctor. However, this should be your last resort as it is often seen as a red flag.
Step 3: Apply for Sick Leave
Once you have your doctor’s support apply for sick leave at your current place of work, make sure to handle it carefully to ensure you still have a job. You can also provide your place of work with a doctor’s note supporting your condition.
Step 4: Get the Application Forms
The next thing to do is to get the application forms for the disability plans and programs you want to apply for. Visit the websites of these organizations online and see where to get the application forms from and how to apply for the program.
Step 5: Fill Out the Forms and Gather Documents
Fill out the forms you’ve collected and gather the documents you need to submit. Some of the programs may have forms that need to be filled out by your doctor and your employer as well. Ensure all the forms are filled in properly, and all the documents have been attached to the application before submitting it.
Step 6: Wait for a Decision
Once you’ve submitted your application, you need to wait patiently for a decision. You should receive your approval or rejection within 30 days. However, some programs may take a little longer.
Hire a Disability Lawyer
Going through this procedure when you’ve recently been disabled can be very challenging. You should focus on your health and healing. It’s, therefore, better to hire a disability lawyer who can take care of the disability claim for you. These lawyers are very experienced and know the right programs for you. They also know the process and can take care of the claim for you.
About the Author
The author is a disability lawyer in Brampton associated with Nanda and Associate Lawyers Professional Corporation. He is well-versed in disability programs and benefits and very knowledgeable about how these things work. He works with a team of real estate, personal injury, and divorce lawyers, all of whom speak very highly of him.
For any advice related to disability claims or programs, book a free consultation at Nanda and Associate Lawyers Professional Corporation.
