The insurance program for all school personnel who are eligible shall be determined by the annual school budget as first approved by the Board of Education.

There may be years in which the amount determined by the Board to be set aside for personnel insurance benefit will not equal the total amount required by the coverage carrier. The employee must pay the difference or elect not to participate in the program

If the employee elects not to take the Board benefit, the Board is not obligated to reimburse the employee an equal amount of the benefit not taken.

The final date for notification of participation in the health benefit by the employee is the date set by the insurance company.

Group insurance benefits are made available to full-time personnel, as defined by the District and/or the insurance provider. For purposes of health coverage, a "full-time employee" is one who is credited with an average of 30 hours of service or more per week or 130 hours of service per month.

In general, when the district reasonably expects that an employee new to the district will be a full- time employee, the district will provide access to health coverage when the employee begins the position, after the appropriate waiting period. However, it is not always clear whether an employee will work full-time for the district. In those situations, for employees who are salaried or hourly, the district will use the look-back measurement method to regularly determine whether the employees are eligible for health coverage and whether they will continue to be eligible for health coverage.

Hours of Service

An hour of service is each hour for which an employee is paid, or entitled to payment, for the performance of duties for the district, and each hour for which an employee is paid, or entitled to payment by the district, for a period of time during which no duties are performed due to vacation, holiday, illness, incapacity (including disability), layoff, jury duty, military duty or leave of absence as detained by law. An hour of service does not include services performed by bona fide volunteers, as defined in the law.

Look-Back Measurement Method

In accordance with law, the district will set a measurement period to give the district an opportunity to evaluate the employees' hours. Employees who are credited with an average of 30 hours of service per week or 130 hours of service per month during the measurement period will be offered access to district-sponsored health coverage during a stability period.

Standard Measurement, Administrative and Stability Periods

For ongoing employees, the standard measurement period begins on May 1 and ends on Apri130.

Immediately following the standard measurement period is a standard administrative period that begins on May 1 and ends on June 30. During the standard administrative period, the district will analyze the number of hours the employee worked during the standard measurement period and contact the employee regarding his or her eligibility to join the district's health coverage.

If the employee is eligible, the employee will be given an opportunity to enroll in and remain on the district's health coverage for the standard stability period that begins on July 1 and ends on June 30, as long as the employee continues to be employed by the district, regardless of the number of hours of service credited to the employee during that time period.

Initial Measurement, Administrative and Stability Periods

For new employees, the initial measurement period begins on the first day of the month immediately following the first day of employment; however, if the employee begins employment on the first day of a month, that date will be used. The initial measurement period ends on a date 12 months later. New employees who are subject to the measurement period will not be offered district-sponsored health coverage during the initial measurement period.

Immediately following the initial measurement period is an initial administrative period that lasts one calendar month. During the initial administrative period, the district will analyze the number of hours the employee worked during the initial measurement period and contact the employee regarding his or her eligibility to join the district's health coverage.

If the employee is eligible, he or she will be given an opportunity to enroll in and remain on the district's health coverage for the initial stability period that lasts 12 months, as long as the employee continues to be employed by the district. Once an employee has completed the initial measurement, administrative and stability periods, the standard measurement, administrative and stability periods will be used to determine the full-time status of the employee.

Employment Break Periods and Special Unpaid Leave

Employment Break Period – An employment break period is a period of at least four consecutive weeks during which an employee is not credited with hours of service for the district, excluding special unpaid leave.

Special Unpaid Leave - Special unpaid leave is unpaid leave that is 1) subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act, 2) subject to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) or 3) due to jury duty.

The district will determine the average hours of service f or a measurement period by first excluding any period of time attributed to any special unpaid leave or employment break period during the measurement period. The district will then calculate the average hours of service per week during the remaining period of time. The district will multiply that average weekly rate by the number of weeks of special unpaid leave and credit the employee with those hours of service. The district will also multiply that average weekly rate by the number of weeks in any employment break period and credit the employee with those hours of service up to 501 hours. The district will then add the hours of service credited to the employee tor any period of special unpaid leave and employment break period to the hours of service accumulated during the measurement period and divide this number by the number of weeks or months in the entire measurement period to determine the average hours of service for the measurement period and the employee's eligibility for health coverage.

Other Breaks and Absences

In accordance with law, the district will use the following rules in determining the full- time employment status of a professional stall member:

Rule of Parity - If a new  employee  is  employed  by  the  district  for  less  than eight consecutive weeks and then does not provide an hour of service for eight consecutive weeks or more, the district may consider the employee terminated and rehired once the employee has returned. The number of weeks initially employed is calculated after application of averaging methods related to employment break periods and special unpaid leave when applicable.

Termination Rule -·If an employee is not credited with an hour of service for a period of at least 26 consecutive weeks and then resumes providing services to the district, the district may consider the employee as having terminated employment during the break and been re- employed as a new employee for the limited purpose of determining eligibility tor health coverage. Applicable waiting periods for insurance may apply.

Special Rule for Employees Who Transition from Full-Time to Part-Time Positions or Status

For any full-time employee who transitions to a part-time position or status, including employees who retire from the district and return on a part-time basis, after the initial three full calendar months following the change in position or status, the District will use the monthly measurement method to determine whether the employee continues to quality as a full-time employee. The monthly measurement method will be used until the end of f irst full measurement period and the subsequent administrative period in the new position or status. This rule is limited to employees who work on average less than 30 hours of service per week in the new position or status.

Payroll Deduction Administration Voluntary Deductions 9 Month Employees

Voluntary payroll deductions are limited solely to ensuring that the employee's requested deduction is disbursed to the designated authorized vendor. Voluntary deductions are payroll deductions that an employee can authorize to be taken from their net pay and have it paid directly to an authorized vendor. All voluntary deductions must be approved by the Payroll Office.

Employees that do not receive a check each month, but do have insurance deductions that need to be paid for 12 months of the school year will have additional premium(s) withheld as a separate payroll deduction, and escrowed until disbursed to vendors.

Example: An employee's monthly deduction for health insurance is $100.00. The individual receives a full pay check for only nine out of the 12 months (October through June). The cost for three months of premium(s) will be payroll deducted over nine months (October through June).

The monthly cost of the premium will be payroll deducted as three additional deductions each of the nine months, and will be held in escrow until the July, August, and September premium(s) are disbursed to the vendor. In June of each year, the employee's escrow deductions are subject to change due to open enrollment, and premium dollar amount changes. All open enrollment changes are effective as of July I of each year. The BCBS and Guardian June payroll deducted premium(s) are for the July payment. Employees with insurance coverage(s) that do not receive a check each month, and who terminates employment with the District will have coverage through the end of the month that employment is terminated.

Example:

Note: New Hires that are nonexempt full time employees (regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week) will become eligible for benefits on the first day of the month following the 60th day after commencing active work with the District. Therefore, insurance benefits and deductions will not be escrowed their first year of employment.