LTD and volunteering

[Elaine]

Does anyone have an experience with volunteering being on LTD?

1. My case manager is really pushing me to apply for volunteering positions. She calls me all the time, sends me the links for volunteering websites asking me to report to her with any progress that I’ve made. I told her that I still have many limitations and not able to do many volunteering jobs. But she keeps pushing. She told me that it’s a step to return to work. Is she allowed to push me to get volunteering position? What should I do? Should I stop talking to her?

2. Even if you get a volunteering position and do volunteering can the insurance company cut off your payments for being able to perform volunteering job?

[Caro]

It seems odd unless you are doing it as part of a rehabilitation plan?

[Elaine]

No. No plan. I am still on LTD. Nothing else was proposed. Just volunteering.

[mrshastri]

Volunteering NOT recommended in my opinion. Insurance will say okay so you can also go to work.

[David_Brannen]

@Elaine

• My case manager is really pushing me to apply for volunteering positions. She calls me all the time, sends me the links for volunteering websites asking me to report to her with any progress that I’ve made. I told her that I still have many limitations and not able to do many volunteering jobs. But she keeps pushing. She told me that it’s a step to return to work. Is she allowed to push me to get volunteering position? What should I do? Should I stop talking to her?
• Even if you get a volunteering position and do volunteering can the insurance company cut off your payments for being able to perform volunteering job?

Volunteering is often part of a treatment or rehabilitation plan. LTD will not necessarily get stopped because someone is volunteering, but it can be used as evidence of capacity to work.That doesn’t mean that is what will happen in any given situations. Sometimes attempts to volunteer can be further evidence of incapacity to work.

[Elaine]

@David_Brannen

Volunteering is often part of a treatment or rehabilitation plan. LTD will not necessarily get stopped because someone is volunteering, but it can be used as evidence of capacity to work.That doesn’t mean that is what will happen in any given situations. Sometimes attempts to volunteer can be further evidence of incapacity to work.

Thank you, David. I checked volunteering websites and 99% of positions I won’t be able to perform due to my limitations. My case manager asked me to call her with the progress. For now I am just ignoring her. Don’t know what she is going to do if I continue to ignore her. Can she cut off my payments because of that? Should I tell her to discuss that with my doctor?

[allyoops]

You could print out the list from the volunteering sites. Then take to your doctor and have them write a note that you would be unable to perform the tasks. The other option is to make a list of your limitations/restrictions and email some of the organizations to see if they have anything available.

I would also let your Doctor and case manager know that this additional pressure is making your health worse.

As David mentioned “Sometimes attempts to volunteer can be further evidence of incapacity to work.”

You just need to prove that you reasonably cooperated with getting better and treatment.

[jammer]

@allyoops

You could print out the list from the volunteering sites. Then take to your doctor and have them write a note that you would be unable to perform the tasks.

Good idea, printout the positions and tasks and describe your limitations and get your doctor to sign it.

[Elaine]

Thank you everyone for your replies!

For now I applied for easy volunteering positions that don’t require many skills. We’ll see how it goes. I told that to my case manager. Also I mentioned that other positions are hard for me to do and I didn’t appy for those.