Disability and Leaves

Whether you need time away for your own health, to care for a loved one, or to welcome a new child, we're here to help you understand your options and find the right support.

Lumen provides disability and leave benefits to eligible employees for qualifying medical, family, or personal circumstances. Depending on your situation and eligibility, these benefits may include continued pay, job protection, medical benefits continuation, or support with workplace restrictions. Use the sections below to learn more, open a claim, and find helpful resources.

Need to open a claim?

• Short-Term Disability

  Short-Term Disability (STD) may help provide continued pay to eligible employees who are unable to work due to a qualifying medical condition.

  Important note: To open an STD claim, contact Sedgwick at 844-223-7153 or visit the mySedgwick portal.

  Use the table below to find STD eligibility requirements and plan details based on the employee classification that applies to you.

  Non-Union and Qwest Union Represented Retail/Outside Sales Representative
  You're eligible if:	You are classified as a full-time or part-time employee. You are a Non-Union Employee or Qwest Union Represented Retail/Outside Sales Representative of a Participating Company. You are full-time with standard hours of 30 or more hours per week. You have completed the one-year service requirement and satisfy all other Plan eligibility requirements.
  Plan details:	Review the 2026 Short-Term Disability (STD) SPD for Non-Union Employees and Qwest Union Represented Retail/Outside Sales for more information.
  CenturyLink Union Represented
  You're eligible if:	You are a CenturyLink Union Represented Employee of a Participating Company. You are full-time with standard hours of 30 or more hours per week. You are part-time with standard hours of at least 20 hours per week and your collective bargaining agreement provides eligibility for part-time employees. You have completed the applicable service requirement, generally one year unless your collective bargaining agreement indicates otherwise, and satisfy all other Plan eligibility requirements.
  Plan details:	Review the 2026 Short-Term Disability (STD) SPD for Union Represented Employees for more information.
  Qwest Union Represented
  You're eligible if:	You are a Union Represented Employee of a Participating Company. You are not considered an incidental or occasional employee, leased worker, or independent contractor. You have completed one year of service unless your collective bargaining agreement indicates otherwise. You satisfy all other Plan eligibility requirements.
  Plan details:	Review the 2026 Short-Term Disability (STD) SPD for Qwest Union Represented Employees for more information.

  Helpful Sedgwick videos
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

  The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with job-protected leave when they need time away for certain qualifying reasons. This may include your own serious health condition, caring for a family member, welcoming a new child through birth or placement, or certain military-related needs.

  To open an FMLA claim, contact Sedgwick at 844-223-7153.

  Eligibility requirements

  To be eligible for FMLA, employees must meet all three of the following requirements:

  1. Have at least one year of service.
  2. Have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months.
  3. Have FMLA time available and not already used the full 12 weeks, generally 480 hours, in the past 12 months.

  Types of FMLA leave

  Note: Depending on where you work, state or city leave benefits may also apply.

  • Intermittent incapacity – Applies when you or a family member has a condition that requires leave at different times or on an as-needed basis.
  • Appointments – Applies when you need time away for scheduled appointments. When possible, appointments should be scheduled outside of business hours.
  • Continuous or regular leave – Applies when you need to be away from work for a continuous period of time.
  • Care of a newborn, newly adopted child, or foster child

  • Union-Represented employees: Leave may be available for prescheduled full days or bonding, as defined in your collective bargaining agreement.
  • Non-union employees: Leave may be available in prescheduled full-day increments.
• Long-Term Disability

  Long-Term Disability (LTD) provides partial income protection if you are unable to work for an extended period due to a covered illness or injury. LTD generally applies after your Short-Term Disability (STD) benefit period ends and you continue to meet the LTD plan's eligibility requirements.

  MetLife administers Lumen's LTD benefits.

  • Phone: 833-771-1432
  • Website: metlife.com/mybenefits

  Summary Plan Descriptions

  Long-Term Disability certificates

• Medical Restrictions

  A medical restriction applies to physical or mental impairment that may restrict an employee from fulfilling one or more specific job responsibilities.

  Medical restrictions are obtained from our third-party administrator, Sedgwick, for both Workers' Compensation claims and for "off job" medical restrictions claims.

  • Medical restriction requests for worker's compensation related injuries should be reported to Unicall at 866-864-2255.
  • Non-work-related injuries should be reported to Sedgwick at 844-223-7153.
• Paid Parental Leave

  Paid Parental Leave (PPL) helps eligible employees take time away from work to welcome a new child through birth, adoption, surrogacy, foster care, or another qualifying placement. To be eligible, the birth or placement must occur on or after your Lumen hire date.

  Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave when a new child joins their family. Birth mothers may use PPL after their maternity disability period, if applicable. PPL must be used within 12 months of the child's birth or placement.

  After completing all 12 weeks of PPL, eligible full-time employees may transition back to work for one month on a reduced schedule while receiving full pay. This transition period must begin immediately after PPL ends and is subject to business needs and supervisor approval.

  PPL may be taken as one continuous leave or, with supervisor approval, in full-day increments. Employees may use PPL once per calendar year, even if more than one child joins their family during that year.

  Ready to start? When your need for leave is foreseeable, please notify your supervisor at least 30 days in advance. To open a PPL claim, contact Sedgwick at 844-223-7153 or use the mySedgwick portal.

Important disclaimer

The content on this page is intended to provide general guidance about the employee benefit plans currently sponsored by Lumen. If there is any difference between this guidance and the terms of the official plan documents, collective bargaining agreement, or company policy, the terms of the official plan documents, collective bargaining agreement, or company policy will govern.