FILE:  EGA

Cf:  DJED, GBRIB

STAFF INSURANCE COVERAGES

HEALTH INSURANCE

The Vermilion Parish School Board shall contract with a health care provider for health, hospitalization, and life insurance benefits for its eligible employees, retirees, and/or their spouses and children.  The School Board may pay any portion of an employee's premium it so designates.  Employees and retirees shall be responsible for any portion of the employee’s health care premium not paid by the School Board.

Any employee or retiree, together with dependents, is eligible to participate in the hospitalization and health care coverage selected by the School Board.  Any employee who terminates his/her employment with the School Board shall not be covered by the School Board's health care plan as of the date of termination.  However, any employee who terminates employment with the School Board may apply for continued health care coverage in accordance with regulations of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).

Retirees

The School Board pays a portion of the group health insurance premiums for retirees. To be eligible for retiree coverage, an individual must be enrolled for coverage as an employee at the time of retirement.

For those individuals beginning participation or rejoining prior to May 1, 2005, a retiree’s premium and School Board’s portion of a retiree’s premium shall be the same as that of an active employee.  For those employees beginning participation or rejoining on or after May 1, 2005, the School Board’s portion of a retiree’s premium shall be based on the number of years that individual has participated in the School Board’s group health insurance program as of the date of that individual’s retirement.  This is called vesting, and also applies to dependents beginning coverage after May 1, 2005.

The following vesting schedule describes the portion of the School Board’s share of an active employee’s premium that the School Board shall pay for retirees beginning participation or rejoining on or after May 1, 2005:

Employees hired after May 1, 2005 who were previously employed by another Louisiana public school system(s), and are able to provide proof of health insurance coverage of at least ten (10) years with said employer(s) and are then members of Vermilion Parish School Board’s group health insurance plan for five (5) or more years, shall be given credit for the years in the previous school system’s health insurance plan, in addition to the years in Vermilion Parish School Board’s health insurance plan, when calculating participating years for retiree vesting purposes.  Any newly hired employee wishing to take advantage of the provisions of this paragraph shall assume the responsibility of furnishing documented verification of coverage from another public school district within ninety (90) days of the date of hire.

Those retirees who were participants in the group health insurance program at the time of retirement and chose not to participate in the program upon or after retirement, shall be eligible to rejoin the program after May 1, 2016 if it can be shown that the retiree maintained continuous credible coverage for the entire period since terminating coverage with the School Board’s plan.  The School Board however, shall not be responsible for contributing to the cost of the group health insurance premium for that retiree.  The entire cost of plan participation shall be paid by that retiree.  Any retiree wishing to take advantage of the provisions of this paragraph shall assume the responsibility of furnishing documented verification of continuous credible coverage within thirty (30) days of the loss of that coverage.

Retirees who are enrolled in the School Board’s group health insurance program who are 65 years of age or older, and qualify for Medicare A and B, shall be required to enroll in both plans.

Supplemental Health or Life Insurance

All voluntary employee supplemental health and life insurance coverages that may be offered though the School Board shall be administered through a third party.  Voluntary employee supplemental health and life insurance may include, but is not limited to, cancer, heart, dental, vision, disability, life, and long-term care insurance.  Voluntary employee supplemental insurance should be limited to health and life insurance.  The School Board’s Insurance Committee, at its discretion, may add to or remove from the list of voluntary employee supplemental health and life insurance.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

The School Board shall use the reimbursing employer method of participating in financing the School Board's share of unemployment compensation as permitted by state law.

AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY INSURANCE

The School Board shall require personnel within the school district, who use their own vehicles while on official school business during the course of their employment, to carry automobile liability insurance.  The amount of coverage shall be at least that required by state law or a minimum which may be set by the School Board.

Revised:  January, 2016

Revised:  April 21, 2016

Ref:    29 USC 2601 et seq. (Family and Medical Leave Act)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:1201, 17:1233, 23:1034, 23:1081, 23:1472, 32:861, 32:862, 32:863, 32:864, 32:865, 32:900, 42:821, 42:851

Israel v. Gray Ins. Co. 720 So.2d 803 (98-525 La. App. 3 Cir. 10-28-98)

Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 32, Employee Benefits, Louisiana Division of Administration

Board minutes, 10-18-01, 11-18-04, 11-6-08, 11-19-15, 4-21-16

Vermilion Parish School Board