Virginia Conference

Joint Committee on Incapacity

Process for Granting Incapacity Leave

Applying for Disability Income Benefits

Requesting an End to Incapacity Leave

BACKRGOUND:

Guidance relating to the process for granting Incapacity Leave and applying for Disability Income Benefits can be found in ¶357, 2008 Book of Discipline.

The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity, consisting of members and staff from the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. and the Cabinet, is responsible for the entire process of reviewing requests for Incapacity Leave and Disability Income Benefits.

Obtaining Incapacity Leave and Disability Income Benefits are not necessarily one in the same, involve two entirely separate functions, and have separate qualifying criteria.

· Incapacity Leave. Upon recommendations of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc., and by a majority vote of the executive session of clergy members in full connection, a clergy may be granted annual incapacity leave without losing their relationship to the annual conference.

· Disability Income Benefits. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. is responsible for administering the clergy application for Disability Income Benefits. However, the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits is solely responsible for determining one’s eligibility to receive Disability Income Benefits.

Having made these distinctions, it is important to know that in order to receive Disability Income Benefits from the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, one must first be placed on Incapacity Leave by the clergy executive session. On the other hand, one may be placed on Incapacity Leave, yet not be eligible to receive Disability Income Benefits.

PROCEDURES FOR INCAPACITY LEAVE AND DISABILITY INCOME BENEFITS:

The process of applying for Incapacity Leave and Disability Income Benefits has been combined into this single document and is as follows:

1. In the event of a request for Incapacity Leave, the clergy applicant must request the change in status to or from Incapacity Leave by contacting his/her District Superintendent.

2. The District Superintendent will request the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. forward a Disability Income Benefit “Claim Packet”, consisting of numerous Forms required by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, to his or her clergy applicant.

a. The “Claim Packet” must be completed and the applicable Forms forwarded to the appropriate entities as follows:

i. The clergy applicant completes and forwards Form C to the District Superintendent for approval and signature.

ii. The District Superintendent forwards Form C to the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. to initiate the application for Disability Income Benefits.

iii. Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. secures the signature of the Chair of the Joint Committee on Incapacity on Form C.

iv. The chair of the Joint Committee on Incapacity sends a letter to the applicant with the procedures and support systems available.

v. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. forwards Form F to the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits to establish an open file on behalf of the clergy applicant.

vi. The clergy applicant completes and forwards Form A directly to the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.

vii. The clergy applicant has his or her attending physician complete Form B and forward directly to the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.

b. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. will notify the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Joint Committee on Incapacity of the request for Disability Income Benefits. The district superintendent, VA UM Pensions, the chair of the Joint Committee on Incapacity, and the Director of Ministerial Services confer to determine if a face to face interview is needed with the applicant. If an interview is needed, the chair of JCI contacts the applicant to make arrangements for the interview.

c. The Chair of the Joint Committee on Incapacity will designate a member of the committee to be in contact with clergy applicant within 60 days of application for disability benefits. The purpose of this contact is to establish a designated line of communication for the clergy applicant, and to provide pastoral and administrative support to the clergy applicant and his or her family throughout this period of transition.

d. The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity will review the request for change in status to Incapacity Leave and the request for Disability Income Benefits.

e. The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity may recommend to the Virginia Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. that the clergy applicant be placed on Incapacity Leave. The clergy applicant may be granted Incapacity Leave on a provisional basis pending approval of Disability Income Benefits by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.

f. Between sessions of the annual conference, after review by the Joint Committee on Incapacity and with the approval of a majority of the district superintendents, after consultation with the executive committee of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc., incapacity leave may be granted by the bishop for the remainder of the conference year.

g. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. may pay Disability Income Benefits up to the first 90 days following the receipt of the completed “Claim Packet” while the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits reviews the application for long term Disability Income Benefits.

h. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. will determine the dates for this 90-day period of interim disability payments and communicate it to the District Superintendent, the Virginia Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.

i. The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity may recommend to the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. a continuation of such Disability Income Benefit payments in the event the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits has not yet reached a final decision as to award disability benefits.

j. If the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits denies Disability Income Benefits, the Joint Committee on Incapacity will meet to review the request for Incapacity Leave and Disability Income Benefits and make its recommendation to the Virginia Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc.

k. Information obtained by the Joint Committee on Incapacity is held in the strictest confidence. Additionally, the Joint Committee on Incapacity may obtain Personal Health Information (PHI) which will be protected in accordance with The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) as administered by the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc.

3. In the event of a request from Incapacity Leave to any status other than retirement, the clergy must notify his/her District Superintendent in writing of their intent to seek a new relation to the Virginia Conference. Then:

a. The District Superintendent will notify the chair of the Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity.

b. If the request is to end Incapacity Leave for an appointment, the following procedures will be used:

1. Clergyperson sends a letter to the Bishop requesting an appointment for the up-coming conference year including a statement indicating the progress made regarding the clergy person’s capability for active ministry.

2. Clergyperson sends a copy of this letter to the chairperson of the Conference Board of Pensions, the chairperson of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Incapacity, and the clergy person’s district superintendent.

3. Clergyperson requests his/her physician or counselor to send a report to the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Incapacity, providing medical evidence that the individual has recovered sufficiently to resume ministerial work (2008 Book of Discipline, ¶357.3). The Duties of the Pastor (¶ 340) and the Standards for Clergy Leadership in the Virginia Conference should be reviewed by the physician and addressed in the medical report.

4. Clergyperson requests a letter of recommendation from his/her district superintendent be sent to the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Incapacity.

5. The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity will determine if a face to face interview is needed and conduct the interview.

6. Before any further action can be taken, the request will be forwarded to the UNUM for review. They will make the final approval for and/or withdrawal of disability benefits. If they approve withdrawal of benefits, then the request will proceed. If they do not approve withdrawal of benefits, then the request will not proceed and the clergyperson remains on Incapacity Leave.

7. The Virginia Conference Joint Committee on Incapacity will review the request for change in status and make its recommendation to the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc.

8. A recommendation from the Joint Committee on Incapacity will be sent to the Board of Ordained Ministry regarding conference relationship, the Board of Pensions regarding benefits, and the Cabinet regarding appointment (¶652 d).

9. The effective date of terminating Incapacity Leave is July 1 following the request, unless the Bishop appoints between sessions of the annual conference, in which case the Bishop determines the effective date of the appointment.

c. The Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. will coordinate the return-to-work process and the payment of Disability Income Benefits.

4. In the event of a request from Incapacity Leave to retirement, the clergy participant will write to the Bishop, with a copy to the District Superintendent, Board of Ordained Ministry, and Virginia United Methodist Pensions, Inc. of his/her request to retire in accordance with ¶358, 2008 Book of Discipline. The Retirement Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry will interview and make a recommendation to the Board regarding retirement.

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