Absence Management - A program to control absences due to disability with an emphasis on controlling unexplained or excessive absenteeism. Programs with a broader focus (i.e. not limited to disability-related absence) are often referred to as "total absence management".

Accident, industrial (occupational) - In workers' compensation, an unforeseen, unintended event that occurs in the course of an individual's employment and results in an injury or illness.

Accidental bodily injury - A bodily injury that is the direct result of an accident and not related to any other cause.

Accessibility - As required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, removal of barriers that would hinder a person with a disability from entering, functioning, and working within a facility. Required restructuring of the facility cannot cause undue hardship for the employer.

Active employment - Working for an employer on a permanent full-time basis and paid regular earnings and performing the material duties of a regular occupation. An employee must be working the minimum number of hours as specified in the contract and the employee's work site must be at the employer's usual place of business, an alternative work site at the direction of the employer, or a location to which the job requires the employee to travel.

Actively at work - Performing all the material duties and required hours of a job in the location where the duties are normally carried out.

Activities of daily living (ADL) - The activities an individual needs to perform to live independently. These include bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence and feeding.

Adjudication - In workers' compensation, the process of handling a claim, from first report through final resolution. In group disability benefit plans, the process of determining eligibility for benefit payment.

Adjuster - Person responsible for the adjudication of workers' compensation claims.

Administrative services only (ASO) - An arrangement in which an insurer or other organization provides claims administrative services to a benefit plan but does not assume any of the risk or liability. Also known as administrative services contract.

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) - A 1967 Federal law that prohibits employers with 20 or more employees from discriminating on the basis of age in hiring, job retention, compensation, and benefits. ADEA also sets requirements for the duration of employer-provided Disability benefits.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - A 1990 federal law that prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in the terms and conditions of employment. Employers must provide reasonable accommodation for the physical or mental limitations of a qualified individual to enable him or her to perform the essential functions of a job.

Any occupation - In LTD plans, any gainful work or service for which an employee is reasonably qualified, taking into consideration his or her training, education, and experience. A minimum income standard is not typically specified, but administrative practice commonly requires 60% or pre-disability earnings.

Any occupation period - The period during which employees will continue to receive LTD benefits as long as they cannot perform any job for which they are reasonably qualified by training, education, and experience; usually six to 30 months. See also own occupation period.

Appeals process - As mandated by ERISA, a procedure whereby individuals covered by an employer-sponsored benefit plan can appeal a benefit determination with which they disagree. The appeal must be filed within 60 days of receiving the determination. The employer or its agent (usually an insurance carrier or third-party administrator) must communicate its decision within 30 days of the filing of an appeal.

Attending physician - The physician responsible for the admitting and directing of care and services provided to a patient while in an acute, skilled or rehabilitation facility.

Attending physician statement - A report, filled out the insured's physician documenting current and prior health history. An APS helps the insurance company in the evaluation process of approving an application or a claim.

Average weekly wage (AWW) - In workers' compensation, the wage used to determine the amount of temporary Disability benefits for which an employee is eligible. Calculation varies by state law.