If your company has an HR department..start there. HR will contact your Dr. Your Dr. Can send a note putting you out FIRST, as well. Then depending on your HR department you’ll have paperwork the Dr. will have paperwork and it will continue. I went out in Aug. 2016 and periodically I still have paperwork. Short term then I went on long term . It’s a constant on going cycle. Worth it..I couldn’t do 6 days a week 10 to 12 hrs anymore. Good luck hang in there

No worries @Marhmallow the time I went through the whole process of STD/LTD and SSDI was trying but know you can get it done because if I did right?

I wish I knew why I said no to FLMA I guess it didn't make sense for me as going straight to STD made the most sense as it was time for me to stop working

Definitely start with who ever is charged with HR for your company. They, like my company when I started on this track, may just know the key facts but it will be your best start. I didn't need to take my vacation/sick time as HR made sure they had things fall in order for me. I say HR may just have a general idea because it makes sense that they haven't needed to handle a case like yours all that often so you will need to do some reading of information HR will give to you. As I recall my STD folded right in to my LTD. Taking FMLA proved not to be the right move for me and that's where your thorough reading of HR forms describing disability options will come in handy. For the disability plan my company had, I needed to file for SSDI at the time I started LTD. I used a lawyer recommended to me by my neuro so know you have options beyond the yellow pages and they helped me get the right doctors reports to help speed my SSDI approval, this can take some time but it is lessened when your disability insurance policy wants to reduce their exposure with SSI monies. You will need to complete some forms to be able to take STD. Your HR contact should have them and you will need your neuro to help fill them out. The whole experience can be frustrating, it was for me, but you can do it!

I have researched this as well and have both LTD and STD. I believe you will have to exhaust sick pay first, then STD and FMLA come into play. But as stated above, contact HR. We have an ADA person, but contact the person who specializes in leave and benefits.