I am currently on short term disability and am planning to begin a gradual return to work before my short term disability ends. My gradual return to work will extend beyond the end of my short term disability period and into a long term disability period. I am guaranteed my job once returning to work if it's withing the short term disability time frame, but not when returning from long term disability.

My question is, since I'll begin my gradual return to work while still on short term disability, could my place of work terminate me if my gradual return to work goes into the beginning of my long term disability? Or is my job "safe" because I began my gradual return to work during my short term disability period?