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Defined Terms

As you read this summary of the JPMorgan Chase STD Plan, you'll come across some important terms related to the STD Plan. To help you better understand the STD Plan, many of those important terms are defined here.
Actively-at-Work or on an Active Employment Basis
Performing all the duties that pertain to your work on a regular basis at the place where they are normally performed or where they're required to be performed by JPMorgan Chase.


Claims Administrator
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. (herein referred to as "Sedgwick") is the claims administrator for the STD Plan, a self-insured plan, as it pertains to non-work-related (non-occupational) illnesses or injuries. Sedgwick also administers the statutory disability plans in New York and New Jersey and is the claims administrator in all states for time off approved under the Family and Medical Leave Policy. For additional information, please refer to the Family and Medical Leave Policy, available at me@jpmc > HR Policies > Leaves of Absence.
Disability
For purposes of the STD Plan, "disability" is defined as a period of illness or injury that continues for eight or more consecutive calendar days during which you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your position on an active employment basis, and you are not working more than 80% of your normal work schedule.
For Medical Conditions:
A medical certification (see the definition of Medical Certification, below) by a licensed physician must show that you are disabled with objective documentation that your medical condition disables you from performing your job, and you must be under the care of a licensed physician during your period of illness or injury.
For Behavioral Health Conditions (Effective 5/1/2019):
A behavioral health certification (see the definition of Behavioral Health Certification, below) by a registered or licensed behavioral health provider must show that you are disabled based on clinical findings that your condition limits you from performing your job. You must seek treatment with a registered or licensed behavioral health provider within 10 days of your first date of absence and be seen by a registered or licensed behavioral health provider at least every 30 days throughout the duration of your leave.
For All Conditions:
You must also be determined to be disabled by Sedgwick, the claims administrator for the STD Plan, for non-work-related illnesses or injuries or you must be approved as disabled in accordance with the applicable state Workers' Compensation law for work-related illnesses or injuries. The claims administrator may use any appropriate information, including surveillance information, to determine whether you are disabled. Furthermore, you are not eligible for leave or pay covered under the STD Plan if the sole reason you cannot report to work is due to your inability to commute to the workplace. (If this is an issue that affects you, please see the Accommodating Disabilities and Temporary Work Restrictions Policy, available at me@jpmc > HR Policies > Employee Assistance.)
Eligible Compensation
For purposes of the STD Plan, Eligible Compensation generally means your annual base salary plus applicable job differential pay (e.g., shift pay). It does not include any annual incentives, overtime, special recognition, or other incentive awards you might receive. In certain situations, your eligible compensation may include other cash earnings (e.g., commissions and draws) paid under certain non-annual incentive plans that provide compensation in lieu of base salary.
Separate definitions other than what is described here may apply to employees in certain positions who are paid on a draw-and-commission basis. If this situation applies to you, you will be notified.
Full-Time Employee
For purposes of the STD Plan, a full-time employee is an employee paid through a U.S. payroll of the firm, subject to FICA withholding, and regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week. Full-time employees include employees who are paid on a salaried basis or an hourly basis, as well as employees who are eligible for draws or commissions. Employees who are eligible for draws or commissions are paid according to line of business commission plans. Full-time employees are generally eligible to participate in the firm's benefits programs and for paid time off, subject to such programs' eligibility criteria.
  • Full-time salaried employees are exempt employees paid on a salaried basis.
  • Full-time hourly-paid employees are overtime-eligible employees paid on an hourly basis.
Introductory Period
The first 90 days of employment for newly hired and re-employed employees at JPMorgan Chase.
Licensed Physician
A person who is not your relative or family member and:
  • Is determined by the plan administrator or its delegate to be qualified to render an opinion about your physical condition as it relates to your claim of disability;
  • Is a healthcare provider licensed in the jurisdiction in which he or she practices and is determined by the claims administrator, in its sole discretion, to be qualified and appropriate under the circumstances to provide medical certification; and
  • Whose primary practice is treating patients.
Registered or Licensed Behavioral Health Provider
A person who is not your relative or family member and:
  • Is determined by the plan administrator or its delegate to be qualified to render an opinion about your mental condition as it relates to your claim of disability;
  • Is a behavioral health provider registered or licensed in the jurisdiction in which he or she practices and is determined by the claims administrator, in its sole discretion, to be qualified and appropriate under the circumstances to provide behavioral health certification; and
  • Whose primary practice is treating patients.
Medical Certification
Certification from your licensed physician confirming the status of your medical condition as it relates to your claim of disability and objective documentation that your medical condition disables you from performing your job.
Note: A certification that is based largely or entirely on self-reported symptoms, without objective documentation of inability to perform the job, will not be considered sufficient to support a finding of disability.
Behavioral Health Certification
Certification from your registered or licensed behavioral health provider confirming the status of your mental condition as it relates to your claim of disability and clinical documentation that your condition disables you from performing your job.
Note: A certification that is based largely or entirely on self-reported symptoms, without clinical documentation of inability to perform the job, will not be considered sufficient to support a finding of disability.
Non-Occupational Injury/Illness
A non-occupational injury/illness means an injury, sickness, or disease not related to your employment.
Occupational Injury/Illness
An occupational injury or illness extends to all injuries or diseases that arise out of and are in the course and scope of employment. If you have an occupational illness or injury, you may be eligible for Workers' Compensation benefits, including paid medical expenses and compensation for lost work time.
Recognized Service
The period of service with JPMorgan Chase that may include service with heritage organizations (including predecessors of JPMorgan Chase) as outlined by the following conditions:
If employed as of July 1, 2004:
If employed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or one of its participating subsidiaries or Bank One Corporation or one of its participating subsidiaries as of the date of the merger (July 1, 2004), only prior service with the specific heritage organization employing the individual on that merger date (July 1, 2004) will count as recognized service, as follows:
  • If employed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. or one of its participating subsidiaries as of July 1, 2004, service defined as cumulative service under heritage JPMorgan Chase Human Resources policies (including pre-acquisition service in identified situations) will count as recognized service; or
  • If employed by Bank One Corporation or one of its participating subsidiaries as of July 1, 2004, recognized service will be determined by the Bank One Service Date (as documented in official company records).
If re-employed during the period July 2, 2004 through June 30, 2005:
If not employed by a heritage organization on the merger date (July 1, 2004) and re-employed during the period July 2, 2004 through June 30, 2005, the applicable service provisions referenced above will be those of the heritage organization that most recently employed the individual prior to his/her re-employment date.
If re-employed on or after July 1, 2005:
For individuals who were employed by the firm as of July 1, 2005, experience a subsequent break in service and are re-employed by the firm:
  • If the individual's break in employment ending on or after July 1, 2005, is 12 months or less, his/her service will be considered uninterrupted for purposes of recognized service. In other words, the period of the break in employment ending on or after July 1, 2005 counts toward the period of recognized service.
  • If the individual's break in employment ending on or after July 1, 2005, is more than 12 months, recognized service upon rehire will include recognized service as in effect on the last day of the previous employment period.
For individuals who were not employed as of June 30, 2005 but who are re-employed on or after July 1, 2005, the employer for purposes of recognized service is the employer who most recently employed the individual prior to the re-employment date.
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after July 1, 2005, is 12 months or less, his/her service will be considered uninterrupted for purposes of recognized service. In other words, the period of the break in employment counts toward the period of recognized service.
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after July 1, 2005, is more than 12 months:
    • For rehires whose last employer before the break was heritage JPMorgan Chase, recognized service upon rehire will include service defined as cumulative service under heritage JPMorgan Chase Human Resources policies during the previous employment period plus an adjustment for pre-acquisition service in identified situations.
    • For rehires whose last employer before the break was heritage Bank One, recognized service will include service denoted by the employee's Bank One Service Date as in effect on the last day of the previous employment period.
For heritage Bear Stearns employees who were employed by the firm as of August 31, 2008:
  • Recognized Service will be determined by the Bear Stearns Service Date (as documented in official company records).
For heritage Bear Stearns employees re-employed on or after September 1, 2008 (whose last employer before the break in service was heritage Bear Stearns versus JPMorgan Chase):
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after September 1, 2008, is 12 months or less, his/her service will be considered uninterrupted for purposes of Recognized Service. In other words, the period of the break in employment counts toward the period of Recognized Service.
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after September 1, 2008, is more than 12 months, Recognized Service upon rehire will include prior Bear Stearns service, excluding the period of the break in employment.
For heritage Washington Mutual employees who were employed by the firm as of June 30, 2009:
  • Recognized Service will be determined by the Washington Mutual Service Date (as documented in official company records).
For heritage Washington Mutual employees re-employed on or after July 1, 2009 (whose last employer before the break in service was heritage Washington Mutual versus JPMorgan Chase):
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after July 1, 2009, is 12 months or less, his/her service will be considered uninterrupted for purposes of Recognized Service. In other words, the period of the break in employment counts toward the period of Recognized Service.
  • If the individual's break in employment, ending on or after July 1, 2009, is more than 12 months, Recognized Service upon rehire will include prior Washington Mutual service, excluding the period of the break in employment.
For Former First Republic Bank employees who were employed by the firm as of July 2, 2023:
  • Recognized Service will be determined by the First Republic Bank Service Date (as documented in official company records).
For Former First Republic Bank employees employed/re-employed on or after July 3, 2023 (whose last employer before the break in service was heritage First Republic Bank versus JPMorgan Chase):
  • Recognized service will be determined by the employee's hire date with JPMorgan Chase and prior service with First Republic Bank will not be recognized.
Service with a company at the time of its acquisition (as opposed to a merger) will count toward recognized service, if so provided under the terms of the applicable purchase agreement.
Temporary Employee
For purposes of the STD Plan, a temporary employee is an employee hired onto the U.S. JPMorgan Chase payroll for a specific length of time or for a temporary project, typically for less than six months. In general, these employees are paid on an hourly basis and are not eligible to participate in certain JPMorgan Chase benefit plans and paid time off policies.
Under the Care of a Licensed Physician
You are considered to be under the care of a licensed physician when you:
  • Personally visit a licensed physician as frequently as is medically required (according to generally accepted medical standards) to effectively manage and treat your disability condition(s);
  • Are receiving the most appropriate treatment and care (which conforms with generally accepted medical standards for your disability condition(s)), by a licensed physician whose specialty or experience is the most appropriate for your disability; and
  • Are receiving active treatment from a licensed healthcare provider on a regular basis that is appropriate for your disability, as determined by the claims administrator.
Under the Care of a Registered or Licensed Behavioral Health Provider
You are considered to be under the care of a Behavior Health Provider when you:
  • Have sought an appointment with a registered or licensed behavioral health provider within 10 days of your first date of absence;
  • Personally visit a registered or licensed behavioral health provider as frequently as is therapeutically required (according to generally accepted psychological standards) and no less often than every 30 days, to effectively manage and treat your disability condition(s);
  • Are receiving the most appropriate treatment and care (which conforms with generally accepted psychological standards for your disability condition(s)), by a registered or licensed behavioral health provider whose specialty or experience is the most appropriate for your disability; and
  • Are receiving active treatment from a registered or licensed behavioral health provider that is appropriate for your disability, as determined by the claims administrator.
Wait Period
The first week of short-term disability leave is generally a one-week wait period (i.e., seven consecutive calendar days) before short-term disability pay begins, unless otherwise indicated by state statutory requirements.
If your short-term disability leave is due to a non-work-related illness or injury, available sick time will be applied on your behalf as pay during this first week of short-term disability leave. If your available sick time is exhausted, where allowable by state law, available personal days and floating holidays will be applied on your behalf, if applicable, as well as any accrued and unused vacation as pay during the wait period. In addition, JPMorgan Chase will apply unaccrued vacation time for the calendar year in which your leave begins and apply it on your behalf for use during your one-week wait period, unless you opt out of use of unaccrued vacation.
If your short-term disability leave is due to a work-related illness or injury, a Workers' Compensation state-mandated wait period may also apply and will run concurrently with the STD Plan wait period. Furthermore, you may, but are not required to, have your available paid time off applied as pay during the wait period. If all of your paid time off is exhausted, the applicable portion of the first week of your short-term disability or Workers' Compensation leave is unpaid. For more information, please refer to the Time Away from Work Policies, available at me@jpmc > HR Policies > Time Away from Work.
Please Note:
  • JPMorgan Chase will apply available paid time off on your behalf during the one week wait period.
  • If JPMorgan Chase applied unaccrued vacation time for a wait period and your employment later terminates, any vacation time that was paid to you but has not been accrued by your termination date will be considered a salary advance and will be recovered at termination, subject to applicable law.
  • The STD Plan does not provide for unpaid disability leave. Please consult the Short-Term Disability Leave Policy for information on unpaid disability leave.
Workers' Compensation Insurance Program
Workers' Compensation insurance provides medical, disability, and other statutory benefits for employee illnesses and injuries arising out of and in the course and scope of work.
Where applicable, short-term disability pay benefits may supplement a Workers' Compensation wage replacement benefit. Workers' Compensation claims are approved in accordance with applicable state Workers' Compensation law. If a Workers' Compensation claim is approved, the approval will also serve as the authorization of applicable pay benefits under the STD Plan.
If a Workers' Compensation claim is denied, the leave will still be considered under the STD Plan and will be required to meet the requirements of the STD Plan in order to qualify as paid leave.
For further information about JPMorgan Chase's Workers' Compensation administrators, please go to: FWS > Corporate Finance Groups > Global Treasury > Corporate Insurance Services > Workers' Compensation Claims Reporting.