We all expect to miss the occasional day or two of work because of illness or injury. But sometimes health issues can lead to extended leaves of absence and even lost income. For some people, a disability would seriously deplete their savings. Group short term disability insurance allows employees to continue to receive a percentage of their salary while they are out of work for up to 26 weeks. These benefits are typically voluntary with no cost to employers, but offer the convenience of their premium being payroll deducted.