frequently asked questions

They approve your benefits directly, and they do advise Chevron about whether you’re eligible for Short-Term Disability (STD) Plan benefits and job protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). They determine whether you’re eligible based on the medical information you and your doctor provide and the plan’s rules. In addition, if you don’t provide the information needed to certify your disability, you won’t qualify for sick pay benefits.

Reed Group provides weekly updates to your supervisor and time administrator about whether you continue to be disabled according to the STD Plan. Your supervisor uses these updates to determine whether you’re eligible for any STD benefits and to make decisions about how to code your absence time. They also approve Your FMLA benefits concurrently with your STD benefits.

The program does not affect the amount of benefits available to you. It just requires that you certify your absence to demonstrate that you are eligible to receive those benefits, based on your illness or injury.

No. Reed Group does not tell you what your treatment should be. They do, however, review your doctor's treatment plan for you and compare it with generally accepted medical guidelines for your condition.

If there's a discrepancy between what your doctor is doing and what is normally done, they will ask your doctor to explain the discrepancy. If a discrepancy in diagnosis or treatment cannot be explained reasonably, Reed Group may request an independent medical examination. Remember that to be eligible for disability benefits, you must be under appropriate care for your medical condition.

If your doctor releases you for work with accommodations (light-duty work), and work is available, you may be required to return to work and perform that job. If you are still under FMLA job protection and refuse to return to the light-duty position, you will continue to receive FMLA job protection until your FMLA time is exhausted, but you will not get paid.

Reed Group and your Disability Management Advisor will continue to work with you, your supervisor and your HR business partner to develop an appropriate return-to-work plan, which includes monitoring how you're doing when you return. Once you're back to work full-time without restrictions, Reed Group is usually no longer involved. If you still have restrictions or limitations to your job, Reed Group and your Disability Management Advisor will continue to work with you until you are released to return to work without restrictions or limitations or until 365 days have been reached.

Some jobs roles requires these exams to ensure that you're able to safely and effectively perform the physical functions required for your job. For example, some safety sensitive roles require employees to have an FCE or FFD exam before returning to work after they're off for certain medical conditions or off for 30 days or longer due to an illness or injury.

When you call to report your absence, the Nurse Case Manager at Reed Group will ask whether your management requires such an exam. If you're not sure, check with your supervisor or refer to the GO-308 repository.

Reed Group will then let your doctor know about the exam and send him or her the needed information about your job and the exam. Once your doctor releases you to have an FCE, you will be scheduled for the exam, which is conducted by a Chevron-approved facility or an authorized provider in your area. After that, you need to keep in contact with your supervisor and follow any procedures set up at your location.

When Chevron Global Health and Medical department receives the results of the exam, they can then make a recommendation about your ability to return to work. Reed Group will keep in touch with you and your supervisor during this time period.

You don't need a PIN to call. When you call, the representative at Reed Group will ask for your personnel ID number (PERNR) or Social Security number. If someone else calls for you and he or she doesn't know either of these or doesn't wish to supply them, the representative will ask other identifiable questions, such as your address or birth date, to figure out who you are.

Yes. If your absence is work-related, Reed Group will work with the company's Workers' Compensation group, who will work with you to pay any benefits for which you are eligible. Reed Group will also track your time off to ensure it's recorded as protected under FMLA and CA VDI, if you are paid in California. They will continue to work with the Workers' Compensation group to make sure your absence under FMLA is handled appropriately. And if you're disabled for a long period, they'll help ensure that you make a smooth transition from workers' compensation claim to Long-Term Disability Plan benefits, if you're eligible.

If you're disabled under the terms of the STD Plan or LTD Plan while you're receiving physical therapy, you'll continue to receive the benefits you're eligible for. Reed Group will continue to manage your absence. If you've already returned to work and need ongoing physical therapy for medical treatment, you should contact Reed Group for job protection under FMLA. For absences of fewer than five days, your supervisor determines how your time will be coded.

If there is a concern about the information your doctor has provided, Reed Group can require you to have an independent medical examination (IME) by an approved medical provider. If you choose not to go to the doctor they recommend, your absence may not be certified and you may not receive STD Plan (sick-pay) benefits, LTD Plan benefits, or job protection under FMLA.

Yes. If your claim is denied or if you're dissatisfied with a decision, you should let Reed Group know. They will give you more details about the appeals process. You should also refer to the benefits online summary plan descriptions for complete details about the claims and appeals process. You need to follow this process before you can file a lawsuit against the company or Reed Group.

When you first call Reed Group to report your absence, your supervisor receives an initial email from Reed Group and then receives weekly STD and FMLA absence reports thereafter. If your name is not on the report, your supervisor will know that you haven't contacted Reed Group and haven't cooperated by providing required information.

If you want your absence covered by FMLA, then yes, you should call in your request for FMLA when you're absent for any length of time covered by FMLA. This could include absences related to your own serious medical condition, including short-term intermittent absences, or to care for a newborn or to care for a seriously ill family member.

If you are not requesting FMLA, then no. You should call them only if you're absent for more than five consecutive scheduled workdays because of your own injury or illness.

For other absences, such as a Personal Leave Without Pay or to attend college or serve in the military, you should talk to your supervisor and your HR business partner for counsel. You can also refer to the Leaves of Absence information or contact the HR Service Center to get forms and other information.

If you're out because you're ill or injured and you don't contact Reed Group, you may not receive any disability benefits for which you may be eligible. 

If you're out for an FMLA-related reason and you don't call, your absence may not be recorded as qualifying for FMLA. So you lose the job protection offered under the law. 

Also, if you're covered under a local absence control program and your absence does not qualify for protection under FMLA, you may be subject to disciplinary action.

Just send an email with your work or home address to corpidm@chevron.com.

Yes, you still have to call and speak to a ReedGroup case manager, but to manage your absence claim, you may use the LeavePro portal. 

ReedGroup is making it easier for you to know about your claim status and submit requested documentation. Beginning August 2018, Chevron employees will have access to a web based portal 24/7, 365 days a year called LeavePro. 

Register on the new portal at: https://chevron.myleaveproservice.com   

it’s fast, easy & online

You can view and manage your leave from a computer, tablet, or mobile device with LeavePro. Save time by going online to quickly address your basic leave needs.

Available 24/7, you can access the LeavePro portal via the URL link: https://chevron.myleaveproservice.com

more features to better manage your leave

With LeavePro, you can more efficiently manage your leave online at your convenience. Intuitive, streamlined navigation helps you quickly find leave information or complete leave tasks. It’s all at your fingertips – no need to call to complete these actions. 

You can:

• Easily submit a new leave, manage a current leave, and view details of all leaves
• Quickly view and complete your required tasks to keep leave request moving forward
• Receive alerts and notifications, via text and/or email, to keep informed of leave status
• Securely upload documents via computer or mobile device; please have all documentation ready
• to upload at one time
• View leave status and remaining time available
• Add time-off request to an intermittent leave; reporting must be completed as outlined in your
• employer’s internal leave policy
• View and confirm expected date for returning to work

LeavePro portal enhancement overview

Chevron’s Workers’ Compensation is administered by Broadspire, a third party administrator. Broadspire is managed internally by Chevron's Workers' Compensation personnel housed in Treasury-Insurance in San Ramon. A claims examiner is responsible for managing all aspects of workers’ compensation claims. In some states, the law requires that examiners be licensed by the state. A nurse case manager may be assigned to assist with the medical aspect of a claim, depending on the nature and severity of the injury. As needed, the Workers’ Compensation group and Reed Group work together to ensure that absences are handled efficiently. 

If you call Reed Group to report an on-the-job illness or injury, Reed Group will advise you to report your claim. For more information about reporting your claim refer to the Disability Management Program.

Keep in mind that your work-related absence may be protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). And since Reed Group certifies and tracks absences covered under FMLA, they’ll ask you to provide information so that your absence can be certified as protected time off under FMLA. You must provide all of the requested information if you want to have your absence qualify as protected under FMLA. This is separate from any paperwork you need for your workers’ compensation claim.

When you are injured or believe you have sustained an injury that is related to your job, you should immediately make notification as required by your management. You cannot begin to receive benefits until proper notification has been given and a claims analyst has had an opportunity to open a claim. 

All work-related injuries should be reported immediately by your manager or supervisor to Broadspire by calling TelePlus at 1-800-301-2546. The injury can be reported by the employee, supervisor or manager. The person reporting the claim will be asked questions relating to the claim. If the information is not known, please indicate to TelePlus.

Since Chevron Corporation provides non-occupational group health coverage, your personal doctor may treat you for a work-related injury or illness, if both of the following conditions are met prior to the work-related injury for which treatment is sought:

1. You provide your Supervisor and/or Human Resources business partner with written notice, signed by your personal physician, “pre-designating” your personal doctor as your primary treatment physician for work-related injuries or illness, including your physician's name and business address. If you would prefer, a pre-designation form was provided in your employment package, and is available through Chevron's Medical Provider Network contact.
2. Your doctor agrees to be pre-designated as your primary treatment physician for work-related injuries and signs the pre-designation form (or has an authorized employee sign the form on his or her behalf). Alternatively, your physician may provide other written documentation indicating his or her agreement to be pre-designated to treat you for work-related illness or injuries. 

 For further details and whom to contact with questions, please see one of the links below on "What do I need to know about Chevron's California Medical Provider Network?"

Only you can decide that. Please note that if you do predesignate your personal doctor, you will not be able to access the high-quality treatment and care that has been organized within the Chevron Medical Provider Network (MPN).

For further details and whom to contact with questions, please see "What do I need to know about Chevron's California Medical Provider Network?"

Complete form GO-1576.

• Important information about medical care if you have a work-related injury or illness
• What physicians are on Chevron Medical Provider Networks listing for their MPN?

california medical provider network contact information

• For additional information regarding the Chevron California Provider Network, please contact Megan O’Boyle-Paraiso at (877) 684-9450 or MQRD@chevron.com.
• For your convenience, our Medical Provider Network (MPN) provides access to a Medical Assistant that can help you find available MPN physicians of your choice and can assist you with scheduling and confirming physician appoints. The Medical Access Assistant is available to assist you Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (Pacific time) and schedule medical appointments during doctor’s normal business hours. Assistance is available in English and Spanish. Our Medical Access Assistant can be reached at 1-844-752-1143.
• Call (877) 684-9450 or email MQRD@chevron.com for information on  how to obtain a copy of any notification or policy pertaining to the MPN, this includes but is not limited to, second and third opinion process, access standard policy, the complete written MPN employee notifications, continuity of care policy and transfer of ongoing care policy.

Yes. And you’re responsible for paying the entire cost if that happens, but Reed Group may reimburse you or your provider directly for reasonable charges. Also, these charges are not reimbursable under the Health Care Spending Account (HCSA) Plan.

You can get the forms from this site or you can call Reed Group through the HR Service Center.

The forms are needed to support and document the reason for your absence. Sometimes, for example, your absence may qualify you for disability benefits as well as protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). Separate forms may be needed for each purpose.

You’ll need to tell your provider that you have to go to the doctor in order to receive benefits and that you need to have a doctor’s certification of your condition right away.

Several types of leave may apply, depending on your situation. See the Leaves of Absence section for more details.

You can refer to the Leaves of Absence section of this site. Finally, you can download a leave form from this site. If you have questions about eligibility, ask your supervisor or HR business partner.

For questions about benefits, contact the HR Service Center.

Reed Group does not manage Chevron’s leave policy. However, if your time off is for a reason that is also covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), you should inform Reed Group by calling the HR Service Center. If you’re not sure whether the time off qualifies for FMLA, go ahead and call Reed Group.

Chevron Family Leave is available for up to six months in a rolling 12-month period for childbirth, adoption, adding a new foster child, or to care for a member of your immediate family who is seriously ill or injured. Chevron’s Family Leave policy provides more time off from work than is required by FMLA.

The company’s Family Leave policy permits time off to care for your brother or sister, but time off to care for a brother or sister is not covered under FMLA. Contact your supervisor to use your paid family care benefit. Reed Group administers the Chevron Family Leave and you should notify your supervisor, then contact Reed Group to begin this process. If you have questions about eligibility, ask your supervisor or HR business partner. For questions about benefits, contact the HR Service Center.

Generally, no. However, there are some exceptions: You can’t receive Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits until your STD benefits and vacation are exhausted. So if you have remaining vacation when your STD benefits end, you’ll have to use up the vacation. 

Since you’re expected to take your vacation within each calendar year, if you’re out on disability at the end of the year, your supervisor may want to you to be placed on vacation instead of Short-Term Disability (STD) until you use up your remaining calendar-year vacation, and ask your consent to do this. You won’t lose any STD benefits – using vacation will extend your STD benefits.

If you’ve used up your full-pay STD benefits, you can request to use vacation pay instead of half-pay STD, but you aren’t required to do so. Also, you can’t supplement your half-pay benefits with vacation pay to bring yourself up to full-pay status. If you’re a short-service employee and you use up your available STD benefits, you can take vacation until it’s used up, and then you’ll be placed on a leave without pay.

It’s the date you’re first unable to perform the regular duties of your job. Generally, this date is the same date your doctor says you became disabled. However, there are some exceptions.

Chevron’s Payroll Operations group, not Reed Group, pays your STD benefits. Reed Group provides regular updates to your supervisor and time administrator about whether you continue to be disabled according to the rules of the STD Plan and whether your absence qualifies for job protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). Your supervisor and time administrator use these updates to make decisions about how to code your time in the system. You can ask your time administrator or supervisor to find out how much STD benefits you have remaining. Or, if you’re at work, you can find this information on the Chevron U.S. HR intranet under “Time Balance.”

If you’re eligible, you can apply for benefits from the LTD Plan. Plan benefits can begin six months from the date of your disability or when you’ve used up all STD and vacation pay, whichever is longer. If you’re not eligible for the LTD Plan, you may be eligible for a Disability Leave of Absence or a Personal Leave Without Pay if you’re expected to be able to return to work soon; otherwise, your employment may end. If this happens, you’ll get a package of information from the HR Service Center that provides you with details about your eligibility for other benefits. If you’re a short-service employee and have less than six months of STD benefits available, there may be a gap between when your STD benefits end and your LTD benefits begin.

If you’re eligible for the Chevron Disability Leave, you can continue to participate in your other benefit plans. In this case, you’ll be billed for any required premiums. Refer to the Leaves of Absence section for more information about a Disability Leave, including eligibility, pay and how your benefits will be handled while you are on leave. If you resign or your employment ends for another reason, you’ll be eligible for whatever benefits apply when your employment ends. Contact the HR Service Center if you have questions or need more information.

The LTD Plan is designed to ensure that you can receive total disability income of up to 40, 50 or 60 percent of your pay at the time you became disabled, depending on what coverage option you choose. So, LTD benefits are reduced by the amount of income you receive from other sources as a result of your disability, including Social Security and workers’ compensation. This is a standard provision in most disability plans.

The definition of “disability” is not the same in the state plans and the company plans; so, you can be considered “disabled” under one plan and not another.

If you’re receiving STD Plan benefits when your employment ends, your STD benefits will also end. But you may still be eligible for LTD Plan benefits. The elimination period (waiting period) for the LTD Plan is 180 days from the date your disability began or the date when your STD benefits and vacation run out, whichever is later.

You should stay in contact with Reed Group while you remain disabled, so that timely decisions can be made about your LTD claim. Reed Group may send you additional forms that you must complete to allow them to contact your doctor again.

If you are a California employee and your employment ends, you may be eligible for continued payments under the California Voluntary Disability Insurance Plan for up to a maximum total of 52 weeks. Reed Group will continue to manage your claim.

Review this chart that provides details on factors you should consider.

Reed Group determines whether an absence qualifies for protection under FMLA, based on the law. And if you want your absence to be considered for job protection under FMLA, you must contact Reed Group. After they review your absence, they advise Chevron supervisors and time administrators of their determination so that your time can be correctly coded. Company supervisors make the final decisions about how to code your absence in the pay system.

Reed Group will let you know after the required documentation is provided. Also, you can call them in advance and ask questions about eligibility and coverage.

A “serious health condition” is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either of the following: 

• any period of incapacity or treatment connected with inpatient care (an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice or residential medical care facility, and any period of incapacity or later treatment in connection with such inpatient care;
• continuing treatment by a health care provider that includes any period of incapacity (inability to work, attend school or perform other regular daily activities) due to:
  • a health condition (including treatment for or recovery from the condition) that lasts more than three consecutive days, and any later treatment or period of incapacity relating to the same condition that includes one of the following: 
    • treatment two or more times by or under the supervision of a health care provider;
    • one treatment by a health care provider with a continuing regimen of treatment. 
  • pregnancy or prenatal care;
  • a chronic condition which: 
    • requires periodic visits for treatment by a health care provider or by a nurse or physician's assistant under direct supervision of a health care provider; and
    • continues over an extended period of time; and
    • may cause episodic rather than a continuing period of incapacity (for example, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy). 
  • a permanent or long-term condition for which treatment may not be effective (for example, Alzheimer's disease, a severe stroke or terminal cancer). The patient must be under the continuing supervision of, but need not be receiving active treatment by, a health care provider.
  • any absences to receive multiple treatments for restorative surgery or for a condition that would likely result in a period of incapacity of more than three days if not treated (for example, chemotherapy or radiation treatments for cancer). 

Review the overview, Family and Medical Leave – Your Rights and Responsibilities, to learn about what qualifies as a serious health condition under FMLA.

To have any absence considered for job protection under FMLA, you must request a review of circumstances of the absence. You should do this as soon as you're absent, but no later than two days after you return to work. If you report the absence after that, it will not be considered as an FMLA-related absence, and you will not have job protection for the time off.

Yes, most likely. In this case, you probably received STD benefits because you were disabled, and that time is also considered protected time under FMLA. If you decided to take additional time off to care for your baby after you were no longer considered disabled, you could have requested a Family Leave. In this case, the time off for Family Leave would also have been considered protected time under FMLA, up to the maximum time allowed under FMLA — 12 weeks in a rolling 12-month period.

Generally, yes. If the reason for the absence qualifies as a serious health condition under FMLA, the time you are absent as a result of an on-the-job illness or injury will count toward the time and benefits you are entitled to under FMLA. That means you should also promptly notify Reed Group of a workers' compensation absence.

The start of an absence for an FMLA-related reason may be delayed or the continuation of absence may be denied if you don't provide timely, complete and qualifying certification that supports your need to be off.

However, in the case of an absence taken for your own serious health condition, the company cannot require you to return to work early by offering you a “light duty” assignment, provided that adequate certification is received. If your absence is still under FMLA protection and you refuse accommodated work, your STD benefits will end and you'll be placed on an unpaid leave of absence.

You're required, though, to participate in any vocational rehabilitation program that may be available.

No. If you're eligible and you meet the certification requirements, the time off must be granted. Remember that to qualify for job protection under FMLA, you should report your absence as soon as possible, but no later than two days after you return to work.

Generally, no. It's unlawful for a company to interfere with or restrain or deny the exercise of any right provided under FMLA. The company cannot use the taking of FMLA-qualifying time off as a negative factor in employment actions, such as hiring, promotions or disciplinary actions. But the company can still end your employment for cause, and you're still subject to organizational changes, such as transfers and layoffs.

Companies are not required to continue the benefits provided under FMLA or reinstate you if you would have been laid off or otherwise had your employment terminated if you had continued to work during the leave period (for example, a workforce reduction or expiration of a specific job).

In addition, if you give clear notice that you do not intend to return to work, you no longer have the protection of the leave or job restoration. Also, if you're advised that you need to provide a fitness-for-duty certification upon return to work and you don't submit it, your reinstatement may be denied or delayed until you provide the certification. Companies can also deny FMLA protection to employees who have been designated as “key employees.”

Your absence will be treated according to the company's practices and attendance policies. Also, depending on the reason you need time off, you may be able to take a Family Leave under the company's policies, even though the reason for your absence doesn't qualify as FMLA-related.

Yes. If you think Reed Group has made an incorrect determination about whether your absence qualifies under FMLA or a state law, you should let Reed Group know. They will give you more information about the appeals process.

As an employee, you're responsible for both reporting the time and providing any needed information to support the reason for the request for FMLA-protected time. Someone else can call for you to request the protection, if necessary (for example, if you're in the hospital or unable to call).

Employers are responsible for reminding employees that their absence may be FMLA-protected if they follow the correct process. Also, if an employer has knowledge that an absence may qualify for FMLA job protection, the employer is obligated to evaluate it. In Chevron's case, this means the company can report an absence to Reed Group for a determination.

Yes. If you have not already used your available FMLA-protected time, time off for the birth of a child is considered protected time under FMLA. Some of your time off may be paid time off and some unpaid.

For example, if you're disabled and unable to work because of your pregnancy, you'll qualify for available benefits from the STD Plan, which is paid time off, for as long as you're disabled and have benefits available. Then, when you're no longer disabled and you decide to take time off under the company's Family Leave policy, your time on leave would not be paid. However, all of the time off would be considered protected time under FMLA, up to the limits provided under FMLA.

You might qualify for additional job protection under Chevron's Family Leave, which provides job protection beyond what FMLA provides. And, in certain states, you might qualify for job protection in addition to the FMLA period. For more information about state laws, check with your HR business partner.

California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) provides paid sick leave benefits to eligible employees who work in California for 30 days or more in a calendar year to care for themselves or an eligible family member. During the first year of employment, California PSL in the amount of three days or 24 hours (whichever is longer) is available beginning on the 90th day of employment. For subsequent years, paid sick leave will be available for use on January 1.

Eligible employees may use California Paid Sick Leave (PSL) for:

• Themselves or an eligible family member for the diagnosis, care or treatment of an existing health condition or preventive care. 
• Specified purposes for an eligible employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. 

For purposes of California PSL, eligible family members include the employee's parents, children, spouse, registered domestic partner, grandparents, grandchildren and siblings.

No. Unused California PSL cannot be cashed out or carried over from year to year. However, if you leave Chevron and are rehired within one year, previously unused California PSL will be reinstated.

PFL provides partial wage replacement under the SDI program to cover California-based employees who take time off of work (without pay) to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent, sibling or state-registered domestic partner, or to bond with a new minor child due to birth, adoption or foster care placement.

Effective January 1, 2021, PFL covers qualifying events and activities because of a family member’s foreign military deployment. PFL benefits can be used to take time off to attend an event or manage an essential need during a family member’s call to covered active duty. This may include activities such as making childcare or parental care arrangements, attending military sponsored events, or making legal or financial arrangements.

The PFL benefit is up to eight weeks of payments at the SDI rate, which is 60 – 70 percent of average wages paid during the highest quarter of a 12-month period (known as the “base period”), up to a maximum of:

• $1,357 per week in 2021.
• $1,540 per week in 2022.

There is a $50 weekly minimum.

During a 12-month period, an eligible employee may receive up to eight times the weekly PFL benefit amount. For example, the maximum weekly PFL benefit for 2021 is $1,357. Multiplying $1,357 by the maximum of eight weeks of benefit equals a total maximum benefit of $10,856 payable during the 12-month period.

No. A California-based employee can receive PFL benefits intermittently or in blocks of time over the 12-month period as necessary for the care of a seriously ill family member; however, the family member’s physician must certify this care schedule.

The 12-month period is defined as 365 consecutive days rolling forward from the date all requirements for the first period of PFL have been met and the PFL benefit claim has been approved. The 12-month period begins with the first day of the waiting period.

For Chevron voluntary plan members, PFL benefits are paid by Chevron’s payroll once approval of the claim is received from the claims administrator, Reed Group. For SDI program members, benefits are paid by the state.

VDI is disability compensation under the SDI program to cover California-based employees who take time off of work for their own illness or injury.

The VDI benefit is up to 52 weeks of payments at the SDI rate, which is 60–70% of average wages paid during the highest quarter of a 12-month period (known as the “base period”), up to a maximum of:

• $1,357 per week in 2021
• $1,540 per week in 2022

and subject to a $50 weekly minimum.

During a 12-month period, an eligible employee may receive up to 52 weeks of the VDI benefit amount.

For Chevron voluntary plan members, VDI benefits are paid by Chevron’s payroll once approval of the claim is received from the claims administrator, Reed Group. For SDI program members, benefits are paid by the state.