Healthy Working Life® Program

If you are enrolled in a New York Life Group Benefit Solutions disability plan through your employer, you may benefit from vocational coaching.

Healthy Working Life vocational coaches are trained professionals who provide counseling and technical assistance to people who are experiencing challenges at work because of an illness or injury.

There is no additional cost to you, and within certain limits New York Life Group Benefit Solutions may pay for new equipment or devices the coach may recommend (depending on your employer’s plan).

How can a Healthy Working Life vocational coach help me?

The coach will talk with you about concerns and challenges you may be experiencing at work because of an injury or illness, excluding any workers’ compensation-related conditions. The coach may assess your needs related to your health condition and give you suggestions on ways to safely perform your job. The coach may also recommend new tools or equipment that New York Life Group Benefit Solutions may pay for once your employer confirms it is safe for the worksite. If you are enrolled in a New York Life Group Benefit Solutions Disability plan through your employer, you may benefit from vocational coaching.
 

How do I sign up?

Talk to your manager, Human Resources representative, or New York Life Group Benefit Solutions representative (if you are on an active disability claim or leave) for more information. 

Healthy Working Life Frequently Asked Questions

1. What information will New York Life Group Benefit Solutions share with my employer? 

If it is necessary to implement a recommendation, the coach might speak with your employer in partnership with you. The coaches abide by the rule of sharing only “minimally necessary” information with your employer, and only after we have spoken with you first.

2. Why do I need to sign an authorization form? 

A signed authorization form allows the coach to communicate any potential recommendations that may impact the workplace with your employer. Privacy laws require a signed authorization before we can implement a safe solution. The coach will let you know if he or she needs to contact another entity and the reasons why. The authorization is valid for one year, but it can be canceled at any time.

3. Will my employer or supervisor know I’m speaking with a coach? 

Your employer may be aware that this program has been offered to you. In some circumstances, the coach may work with you directly without involving your employer or supervisor. In other situations, the coach will discuss his or her recommendations for helping you to work with your employer. If the coach recommends a certain piece of equipment or other modifications for you, the coach will form a plan with you on speaking with your employer or supervisor about your needs. Additionally, the coach will not discuss any information about your health condition unless that information has already been shared by you.