I just came back from a leave of absence that spanned over a couple of months. It was unpaid. I had to correspond with Sedgwick (Starbuck's claims office) via email and by phone. I filled in a couple of documents, got my doctor to sign a couple papers, and sent it in.

On top of that, my claim was rejected at first because I did not submit the paperwork on time. I thought I was going to get fired but once I sent in the proper paperwork, everything went smoothly and I was approved for leave. You have to report your first day back, so work closely with your SM and do not be afraid to really keep an open line of communication with them. Also during the leave you are allowed to use your sick days for pay if you would like.

I believe you will get assigned a case manager (I did) and they will be the one who calls you the most during this process so it is good to get familiar with them.

It is possible that you can qualify for a paid leave of absence so definitely sit down with your SM and talk about your specific situation. Also once you submit the proper paperwork to Sedgwick, they will let you know if you qualify. Good luck and I hope the healing process goes well.

I’m in the middle of the process and it’s not too bad. I called in to get started and they were helpful in directing me what I needed to do next.

They give you about a month to get the paperwork in.

The paid vs not paid depends on if you have other income and the type of leave your taking- also the paid leave requires more paperwork than unpaid Medical leave. :) Definitely use your sick hours too!

One other note is that you will still have to pay for your benefits during leave, so you can pay by bill or out of your next paycheck upon returning. :)

I would ask to sit down with your SM to go over the details. She/he could explain what is your best option.