ARTICLE 4.      BENEFIT AND LEAVE PROGRAMS                      EFFECTIVE DATE:  05/04/98
RULE 404.        SHORT-TERM DISABILITY PROGRAM               REVISED DATE:  06/05/03

A.    GENERAL: Regular and probationary employees who are scheduled to work at least 32 or more 
        hours per week who have completed six (6) months of continuous service are eligible for participation 
        in the Short Term Disability Program (STD) effective January 1, 2003.   This is currently provided at 
        no charge to employee. Short Term Disability provides income replacement at 60% of weekly earnings 
        for approved non-occupational personal illness or injury starting on the thirty-first (31st) continuous full 
        calendar day of disability.  Short-term disability benefits are provided according to the terms of the group 
        policy plan document of which copies are available from the Superior Court Personnel Office.

B.      DEFINITIONS:

    1.     Disability or disabled means that because of an illness or injury an employee is limited from performing 
            some or all of the material and substantial duties of his/her regular occupation and has at least a 20% 
            loss of his or her pre-disability earnings.

    2.     Disability benefit means the money that is paid as a weekly benefit when an employee's claim for disability 
            has been approved.

    3.     Material and substantial duties means duties that are normally required for the performance of the 
            occupation and cannot be reasonably omitted or changed.

C.     USE OF STD:

    1.     STD begins on the thirty-first (31st) full calendar day of illness with physician's verification and may 
            extend for a maximum of 26 weeks.

    2.     Employees can supplement their disability payment first with EIB credits in accordance with Rule 403(B)(1),
            comp time if available and then PTO leave up to 100% of their base salary.

    3.     Employees must submit a physician's illness verification; a completed STD application, and other 
            appropriate forms to the Carrier.

D.    VERIFICATION: The STD Carrier may require an employee to be examined at the Court's expense by an 
        independent physician specialist. Employee's who fail to comply with such examination may receive an 
        interruption in or suspension of STD benefits. STD benefits may also be suspended if the results of the 
        independent examination determine that the employee is not disabled under the definition of the Plan. 
        Employees, at their own expense, will be required to provide periodic proof of their continued disability.

E.     LEAVE ACCRUALS: Employees who are receiving approved short-term disability benefits do not
        accrue PTO leave during the time that they are on short-term disability, unless they are supplementing
        STD benefits with EIB, comp time, and/or PTO leave.