I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4806 
To provide a short-term disability insurance program for Federal employees 
for disabilities that are not work-related, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 16, 2018 
Ms. NORTON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 
A BILL 
To provide a short-term disability insurance program for 
Federal employees for disabilities that are not work- 
related, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Employee 
Short-Term Disability Insurance Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to offer voluntary insur-
ance to Federal employees for protection against the loss 
of pay resulting from— 
(1) short-term injury or disability; 
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(2) short-term leave taken for the purpose of 
caring for a family member; 
(3) the birth of a child of such an employee; or 
(4) making arrangements to adopt a child or to 
become a foster parent. 
SEC. 3. NON-WORK RELATED DISABILITY INSURANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title 5, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after chapter 87 the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 88—NON-WORK RELATED 
SHORT-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘8801. Definitions. 
‘‘8802. Availability of insurance. 
‘‘8803. Contracting authority. 
‘‘8804. Benefits. 
‘‘8805. Premiums. 
‘‘8806. Preemption. 
‘‘8807. Studies, reports, and audits. 
‘‘8808. Jurisdiction of courts. 
‘‘8809. Administrative functions. 
‘‘8810. Cost accounting standards. 
‘‘§ 8801. Definitions 
‘‘For purposes of this chapter— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘Director’ means the Director of 
the Office of Personnel Management; 
‘‘(2) the term ‘employee’ means— 
‘‘(A) an employee defined in section 
8901(1); and 
‘‘(B) an officer or employee of the United 
States Postal Service or of the Postal Regu-
latory Commission; 
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‘‘(3) the term ‘injury or disability’, with respect 
to an employee, means that such employee is unable 
to perform the essential functions of such employee’s 
position of employment with the Federal Govern-
ment; 
‘‘(4) the term ‘member of family’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 8901(5); 
‘‘(5) the term ‘carrier’ means an insurance 
company that is licensed to issue disability insurance 
in all States, taking into account any subsidiaries or 
affiliates of such a company; and 
‘‘(6) the term ‘State’ includes the District of 
Columbia. 
‘‘§ 8802. Availability of insurance 
‘‘(a) The Director shall establish and administer a 
program to make insurance coverage available under this 
chapter— 
‘‘(1) for an injury or disability not covered 
under chapter 81; 
‘‘(2) for leave to care for, or leave to make ar-
rangements to care for, a member of family, includ-
ing the birth of a son or a daughter; and 
‘‘(3) for leave to make arrangements— 
‘‘(A) to become a foster parent; or 
‘‘(B) to adopt a child. 
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‘‘(b) Insurance shall not be available under this chap-
ter if the injury or disability of an employee is— 
‘‘(1) caused by willful misconduct of such em-
ployee; 
‘‘(2) caused by such employee’s intention to 
bring about such injury or disability to himself or to 
another individual; or 
‘‘(3) proximately caused by the intoxication of 
such employee. 
‘‘(c) In addition to the requirements otherwise appli-
cable under section 8801(5), an insurance contract under 
this chapter must be fully insured, whether through rein-
surance with other carriers or otherwise. 
‘‘§ 8803. Contracting authority 
‘‘(a) The Director shall, without regard to any statute 
requiring competitive bidding, contract with one or more 
carriers for a policy or policies of disability insurance as 
described under this chapter. The Director shall ensure 
that each resulting contract is awarded on the basis of 
contractor qualifications, price, and reasonable competi-
tion. 
‘‘(b)(1) Each contract under this section shall con-
tain— 
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‘‘(A) a detailed statement of the benefits of-
fered (including any maximums, limitations, exclu-
sions, and other definitions of benefits); 
‘‘(B) the premiums charged (including any limi-
tations or other conditions on their subsequent ad-
justment); 
‘‘(C) the duration of the enrollment period; and 
‘‘(D) such other terms and conditions (includ-
ing procedures for establishing eligibility for insur-
ance under this chapter) as may be determined by 
the Director, consistent with the requirements of 
this chapter. 
‘‘(2) Premiums charged under a contract under this 
section shall reasonably and equitably reflect the cost of 
the benefits provided, as determined by the Director. 
‘‘(c)(1) Each contract under this section shall require 
the carrier— 
‘‘(A) to provide payments or benefits described 
in section 8804(c) to an employee if such employee 
is entitled thereto under the terms of the contract; 
and 
‘‘(B) with respect to disputes regarding claims 
for payments or benefits under the terms of the con-
tract— 
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