If you can’t work because of an illness or injury, short-term disability benefits can provide income while you recover. But how long those payments actually continue depends on the disability plan you have through your employer or an individual insurance policy.
If your benefits are ending and you still can’t work, the next stage may involve long-term disability coverage, EI sickness benefits, or another form of support. If your insurer has denied or terminated your benefits, a long term disability lawyer can also help you review the policy and determine what options may be available.
How Long Does Short-Term Disability Usually Last?
In Canada, short-term disability insurance typically provides benefits for up to six months, according to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. However, six months is not a universal entitlement. Your particular plan may provide benefits for a shorter or longer period, depending on its terms.
For employees covered by an employer-sponsored plan, the benefits booklet or insurance policy should state the exact duration.
Your plan may specify:
- A maximum number of weeks of short-term benefits
- A waiting or elimination period before payments begin
- A percentage of your regular income that will be replaced
- Medical evidence requirements
- The definition of disability that applies
- When long-term disability coverage begins
- Circumstances in which benefits may be suspended or terminated
This means two employees working in Ontario can have very different short-term disability periods even if they have similar medical conditions.
Is Short-Term Disability the Same as Sick Leave?
No. Short-term disability insurance and statutory sick leave are separate. Under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, eligible employees are entitled to up to three unpaid, job-protected sick days per calendar year because of personal illness, injury, or medical emergency.
An employer may also provide a separate sick leave program, paid sick days, short-term disability insurance, or a combination of benefits. An employer’s plan terms can provide benefits beyond the minimum requirements under Ontario employment standards.
Therefore, having only three statutory sick days does not necessarily mean that your income replacement ends after three days.
When Do Short-Term Disability Payments Begin?
Short-term disability plans often have a waiting period before benefits become payable. The length of that period varies by policy.
For example, a plan might require you to be continuously disabled for several days before benefits begin. Other plans may coordinate short-term disability with paid sick leave or another employer benefit.
Your policy should explain:
- When your disability is considered to have started.
- How long you must remain disabled before benefits become payable.
- What medical evidence is required.
- How long payments can continue.
- When LTD coverage becomes available, if included.
Reading these provisions is particularly important if your condition is expected to keep you away from work for an extended period.
How Much Does Short-Term Disability Pay?
Short-term disability benefits generally replace only part of your normal employment income rather than your entire salary. The percentage depends on your particular plan. Your policy may calculate benefits using your regular salary, average earnings, or another defined amount. Some employer plans may also have maximum weekly benefit amounts.
Taxes can also affect the amount you actually receive. The tax treatment depends partly on how the disability insurance premiums were paid. For this reason, the benefit shown in an insurance policy should not automatically be treated as the exact amount that will arrive in your bank account.
What Happens When Short-Term Disability Ends?
The end of short-term disability does not necessarily mean that you are medically recovered.
If you remain unable to work, check whether your employer’s benefits package includes long-term disability insurance. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada states that LTD insurance generally begins after short-term disability, employer sick leave, or EI sickness benefits end, although the precise structure depends on the individual plan.
The transition may require a separate LTD application, medical documentation, or other forms from your employer and insurer. Importantly, approval for short-term disability does not automatically guarantee approval for LTD. The LTD policy may use a different definition of disability or impose additional eligibility requirements.
If you are approaching the end of your short-term benefits, contact your benefits administrator and insurer well before the final payment date.
Can You Get EI Sickness Benefits?
If you cannot work because of illness or injury, you may qualify for EI sickness benefits if you meet the program’s requirements.
As of 2026, EI sickness benefits can provide up to 26 weeks of financial assistance. The basic benefit rate is 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $729 per week in 2026. A medical certificate is required to establish that you are unable to work and approximately how long you are expected to remain unable to work.
However, EI sickness benefits do not automatically replace an employer’s short-term or long-term disability coverage. If you have an employer disability plan, you should determine how the programs interact before assuming you can collect both.
What About Long-Term Illness Leave in Ontario?
Income replacement and job protection are separate issues.
Since June 19, 2025, Ontario employees who meet the requirements can take up to 27 weeks of unpaid, job-protected long-term illness leave in a 52-week period because of a serious medical condition. The employee generally must have worked for the employer for at least 13 consecutive weeks and obtain a certificate from a qualified health practitioner confirming the serious medical condition and the period during which the employee cannot perform their duties.
This statutory leave does not itself provide disability payments. An employee may therefore have job protection while still needing to find an appropriate income source.
What If Your Short-Term Disability Claim Is Denied?
A short-term disability insurer may deny a claim if it determines that the medical evidence does not establish disability under the policy, required documentation is missing, or another policy provision applies.
If that happens, examine the insurer’s written decision carefully. Keep copies of your medical records, claim forms, policy documents, correspondence, and employment information.
If the dispute continues into LTD or involves a termination of disability benefits, obtaining advice from a long term disability lawyer may be appropriate. The policy wording, medical evidence, occupation, reason for denial, and applicable limitation periods can all affect your legal options.
How Can You Prepare Before Benefits End?
If you are still unable to work several weeks before your short-term disability benefits expire, do not wait for the final payment before taking action.
Make these checks early:
- Confirm your exact short-term disability end date.
- Request a copy of your LTD policy if you have one.
- Ask your insurer when an LTD application must be submitted.
- Speak with your treating healthcare provider about updated medical documentation.
- Check whether you may qualify for EI sickness benefits.
- Confirm your employment and leave status with your employer.
- Keep copies of every document submitted to your insurer.
- Review any denial or termination letter promptly.
Early preparation can prevent avoidable gaps between one benefit program and another.
What If You Are Still Unable to Work?
If your short-term disability period ends and you remain medically unable to work, the appropriate next step depends on your insurance coverage, medical circumstances, employment situation, and eligibility for government benefits.
Some people transition from short-term disability to LTD. Others may rely on EI sickness benefits, employer-provided benefits, statutory leave, or other available programs. If your disability insurer disputes your eligibility or refuses to continue benefits, legal advice can help you assess the specific policy and circumstances.
A long term disability lawyer can review the insurer’s decision, the wording of your disability policy, and the medical evidence supporting your inability to work. Acting promptly can also be important because insurance policies and legal claims may involve strict deadlines.
Simply put, short-term disability in Ontario commonly lasts up to six months, but there is no single duration that applies to every employee or insurance policy. Your plan determines the actual benefit period, payment amount, eligibility requirements, and transition to any available LTD coverage.