Long-Term Disability

The American Conference of Cantors sponsors a Voluntary Long Term Disability (LTD) group insurance plan for ACC members.

Voluntary Long Term Disability pays a portion of your earnings if you cannot work due to a disability. Premiums are based on your annual earnings and your age. Ages are grouped into five year "age bands" and rates may change when you reach a new age band (age 35-39, 40-44, 45-49 are examples of age bands). Annual earnings are to include both salary and parsonage.

Eligibility

ACC members who work 30 hours or more per week for a single employer are eligible to enroll.  

Enrollment

Enrollment without medical underwriting is ONLY available within the first 31 days of your membership in the ACC. A very important reason for ACC members to enroll the ACC plan during the eligibility period and to keep the policy current is the “portability” of the plan between employers. Meaning: The ACC LTD plan covers ACC members regardless of their employer. The ACC serves as the “employer” for purposes of the insurance plan.

While the Reform Pension Board offers a LTD policy to staffs of all URJ congregations, should an ACC member leave that congregation for another congregation not in the URJ, they would lose their policy with the RPB and would have to go through medical underwritten to re-enroll in the ACC plan. Please take that information into consideration before leaving the ACC LTD plan. 

New ACC members must enroll within the first 31 days of ACC membership for guarantee issue.

Existing ACC members may enroll at any time. Submission of a Medical History Statement Form is required and is subject to insurance carrier approval.

Please read the Benefits At a Glance and Summary Plan Description for the Long Term Disability Insurance, complete the required enrollment forms and return to Group Benefit Associates in suburban Chicago. To remain eligible for these benefits, you must be working a minimum of 30 hours per week. Please notify GBA if your eligibility or annual earnings should change in the future.

** Important Reminder ** - If you were to become disabled and your employer made the LTD coverage payments or reimbursed you for the LTD coverage payments, disability benefits would be taxable. If you made the LTD payments and your congregation reimbursed you, disability benefits would be taxable to you if your employer did not make any adjustment to your payroll to account for the reimbursement of the fringe benefit. You should be aware that if your LTD benefits are taxable, you also may be liable for your share of social security taxes.

If you pay the premium with your own post-tax dollars, disability benefits would not be subject to income taxes or social security taxes. Please consult with your financial advisor for further questions regarding this issue.

For specific information regarding policy benefits, enrollment, and premiums, contact the ACC's third party insurance administrator, Group Benefit Associates (GBA). All enrollment forms are to be returned to Group Benefit Associates to be considered:

For general information about the ACC's group insurance offerings:

Insurance Plan Administrator: insurance@accantors.org
American Conference of Cantors
Telephone: 847-781-7800 ext. 302

For more about the American Conference of Cantors' Long Term Disability and Life insurance carrier, visit The Standard Insurance Company.