Voluntary benefits are becoming increasingly important to employees as they focus on their physical, mental, social and financial health. As a result, many employers have expanded their voluntary benefits offerings to address employees’ needs and improve their attraction and retention efforts. Because some of these offerings are disability benefits, it’s more important than ever to understand the differences between short- and long-term disability insurance and COBRA. What are disability benefits? Disability benefits provide guaranteed income or job protection to employees who are unable to work due to serious illness or injury. The most common disability benefits are STD and LTD insurance. However, understanding the differences between short- and long-term benefits and other laws, such as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act , can be complicated and difficult for employers to navigate. This article provides a general overview of STD, LTD and COBRA and explores how both