Disability & Leaves of Absence
Pearson offers a number of Leaves of Absence to give you peace of mind when you need to take time away from work to care for yourself or others.
Disability and Leaves of Absence (LOA)
The loss of income due to illness or injury or to care for a loved one can cause serious financial hardship for your family. Pearson’s leaves of absence and disability programs replace a portion of your income to help you continue meeting your financial obligations during a challenging time.
- applies to the first 180 days of a disability, benefits end after 26 weeks.
- is automatic and company-paid; no need to enroll.
- pays 100% of your salary for the first 14 weeks, then 66.67% of your salary for the remaining 12 weeks.
Maternity is treated as any other disability and is generally approved for six (6) weeks for a vaginal birth or eight (8) weeks for a C-section birth from the date of delivery.
Read the Short-Term Disability Policy for more information.
- is automatic and company-paid; no need to enroll.
- begins after you have been disabled for 180 days.
- pays 50% of your salary, up to a maximum of $20,833 per month.
Pearson Long-Term Disability (LTD) Program (PDF, 341 KB)
LTD Buy-Up
You may choose to purchase an additional 10% of LTD insurance to receive a total of 60% of your salary, up to a maximum of $25,000 per month.
The benefit is optional and employee-paid; you must enroll on the Aptia365 website.
Pearson’s Parental Leave policy provides employees 100% of pay up to sixteen (16) weeks of paid time off during a 12-month period to care for a child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care, including birth via gestational surrogate. Parental Leave can only be taken as two (2) 8-week increments or as one (1) 16-week increment. Parental Leave that is not taken in the prescribed increments will be forfeited.
The Serious Illness in the Family Leave policy provides employees 100% of pay up to four (4) weeks of paid time off during a 12-month period for the care for a seriously ill spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, in-laws, or to make arrangements relative to that care. SIL can only be taken in one-week increments. SIL that is not taken in the prescribed increment will be forfeited.
FMLA or Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) and related state or local statutes provides employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical and family leave during a 12-month period, if eligible, for any one or more of the following reasons:
- to care for a child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care;
- to care for a spouse, child or parent (not in-laws) who has a serious health condition;
- where a serious health condition renders you unable to perform the functions of your job;
- for family members of armed services personnel called up to active duty under certain circumstances;
- caregiver leave up to 26 weeks for employees caring for family members injured while on covered active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (including the National Guard or Reserves), or veterans with serious illnesses or injuries.
In addition, Pearson provides FMLA-like benefits for opposite- and same sex- partners and children of opposite- and same sex- partners. Read the full FMLA policy for more information.
Q1: Can I take FMLA intermittently?
Yes. FMLA may be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule when medically necessary. You must notify Lincoln Financial for each intermittent instance at 1-800-213-7327 or via MyLincolnPortal.com within two days of returning to work, or the leave may be denied. First-time users must register with company code: PEARSON.
Q2: How does FMLA coordinate with other paid leaves?
When you are eligible for FMLA, it runs concurrently with disability and other paid leaves for a 12-week period. When you initiate a disability, SIL, or Parental Leave claim, an FMLA claim will be opened for you at the same time you report a paid leave.
Q3: What happens if I have a work-related injury — does FMLA apply?
Yes. If a work-related injury or illness requires a leave and results in workers’ compensation benefits, that leave is also considered FMLA leave under federal law. You must report all time missed due to a workers’ compensation claim to Lincoln Financial as FMLA.
Leave of Absence Resources
PERKY can model your maternity and (birthing/non-birthing) parental leave to help you understand how Pearson leave policies, federal benefits, and state benefits interact with each other. Just provide a few pieces of information to model your potential leave.
Read the item below which will help you understand the leave of absence process and your responsibilities during your leave.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the first step before filing a leave claim?
Before initiating a claim, raise a ticket via myHelp (or send an email to [email protected]) and include “LOA Office Hours” in the description. A member of the Benefits team will schedule time to speak with you to ensure your leave is managed successfully.
Q2: Do I notify my manager?
Yes. Inform your manager as soon as possible about your need for a leave. You are not required to disclose any personal health information. You must keep in regular contact with your manager throughout your leave as leave durations may change.
Q3: How do I report my leave to Lincoln Financial?
Visit MyLincolnPortal.com (register using company code: PEARSON for first-time access) or call toll-free at 1-800-213-7327. Initiate your claim 30 days before your anticipated leave date, or as soon as possible if advance notice isn’t feasible. A Lincoln Case Manager will be assigned to determine eligibility, FMLA status, and paid leave entitlements.
Q4: What information do I need when reporting my claim?
Have the following ready: your physician’s name, address, fax, and phone numbers; your manager’s name, phone number, and email; the reason you will be out; and your last day worked, first day absent, and anticipated return-to-work date.
Q5: What documentation is required?
You or your physician must provide the Claim Intake Authorization Form (pdf, 165 kb) if initiating a disability claim. Print the form, sign and date the Authorization to Release Information section, and leave it with your physician. If Lincoln Financial cannot obtain your medical information, benefits may be delayed.
Q6: What happens to my Pearson pay once I report my leave?
Once you report your leave to Lincoln Financial, your status in Pearson’s HR system (Fusion) will be changed to “suspended” and your regular Pearson pay will cease. Lincoln Financial will then pay your leave benefit on a weekly basis beginning with your approved initial date of disability.
Q7: What if my leave request is denied?
If your STD claim is denied, you will be notified by email and have 30 days to file a formal written appeal with Lincoln Financial or submit new medical evidence. During the appeal period, you will not receive disability pay or regular pay. If you do not comply within 30 days, you are considered to have voluntarily resigned. Note: FMLA can be denied while STD is approved, or vice versa.
Q8: What should I do when I return to work?
Create a ticket via myHelp (or send an email to [email protected]) to report your return-to-work (RTW) date on the day you return. This updates your Fusion status and restores your regular pay. Failure to do so will delay your pay.
Q9: Can I use PTO to extend my leave?
No. PTO does not extend disability or any company-provided leave. You must be in an active working status to use PTO.
Q1: What happens to my benefits while I am on leave?
You will be billed by Aptia365 for the same health and welfare benefits as when you were actively working. Benefits billing begins the first of the month following your leave. The amounts shown on the bill reflect monthly amounts and not the per pay period amounts that are deducted from regular pay. As a result, the monthly amounts are higher than the per pay amounts deducted from your pay.
ESPP and 401(k) deductions will cease during your leave and resume when you return to work. If you have a 401(k) loan, Empower will contact you about continuing loan payments.
Q2: Can I access my HSA and FSA while on leave?
Contributions to all the tax-advantaged accounts cease while you are out. You will have access to the funds in your HSA during your leave. However, according to federal regulations, you will not have access to your FSA or Commuter/Parking accounts until you return to work.
Q3: What should I do if I have a new child while on leave?
Log into Aptia365 and add your child to your medical coverage within 31 days of the child’s arrival. If you miss this window, the child will not be covered and you will need to wait until the next annual enrollment period.
Q4: What happens to my life insurance if I go on LTD?
If you are approved for LTD while covered by supplemental life insurance and are under age 60, you will contribute toward coverage costs during the first year of LTD. Lincoln Financial will manage your waiver of premium application. A physical exam may be required. If approved, the waiver is effective as of the approval date.
Q1: Do I need to apply for state disability or family leave benefits separately?
It depends on your state. Employees in Connecticut, Oregon, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts will receive their state benefit directly from Lincoln Financial — no separate filing needed.
Employees in California, Colorado, Puerto Rico, Minnesota, and Rhode Island must apply directly through their state agency.
Hawaii employees are covered under Pearson’s policy and do not need to file with the state.
Q2: How do state benefits affect my Lincoln Financial benefit payment?
STD, Parental Leave, and SIL benefit payments from Lincoln Financial will be reduced to coordinate with state benefits so your total combined benefit does not exceed what Pearson provides — whether or not you have applied for state benefits. Similarly, other income sources (Social Security, no-fault insurance, veterans’ administration, etc.) will be deducted from your disability payment if you are collecting for the same condition.
Q1: What do I need to do before returning to work?
Obtain a medical release from your treating physician. Contact both your manager and your Lincoln Financial case manager in advance of your return-to-work (RTW) date to coordinate the return.
Q2: What must I do on the day I return to work?
Notify Lincoln Financial on your first day back (not before your first day) so your claim can be closed. Also create a ticket via myHelp (or send an email to [email protected]) to report your RTW date — this updates your Fusion status and re-establishes your regular pay. Failure to do so will result in a delay in pay.
Q3: What if I return to work on a part-time basis or with restrictions?
Lincoln Financial will coordinate with your manager to determine if restrictions can be accommodated. If they cannot, you will be placed back on full-time STD or LTD. If you return on a part-time basis, your Fusion status will remain suspended and you will need to report working hours during your time back with restrictions by raising a myHelp ticket (or send an email to [email protected]).
Q4: Will I receive more than one W-2 if I was on leave?
Yes. If you received benefit payments from Lincoln Financial for STD, Parental Leave, SIL, or certain state benefits during the year, you will receive two separate W-2 statements — one from Pearson and one from Lincoln Financial. Both are required to accurately report your earnings and taxes.
Q32: How do I contact Lincoln Financial?
Call 1-800-213-7327 or visit MyLincolnPortal.com. First-time users must register with company code: PEARSON.
Q33: How do I contact the Pearson Benefits team?
Raise a ticket via myHelp (or send an email to [email protected]). A member of the Benefits team will schedule a meeting with you to support you before, during, and after your leave.
Q34: What support resources are available while I’m on leave?
Pearson provides access to Unmind and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional support for you and your family. Family care resources through Care.com are also available, covering everything from childcare and eldercare to financial wellness and home support.
Q35: Where can I model my maternity or parental leave scenario?
Use PERKY, Pearson’s leave modeling tool, to see how Pearson leave policies, federal FMLA, and state benefits interact. Simply provide a few details to model your potential leave.