10.1 Retirement Programs. The Employer shall continue contributions to the several retirement programs available to employees at the rate authorized by law, and employees shall continue to be eligible for those retirement benefits and allowances permitted by law.
10.2 Health Insurance
A. The College shall implement and continue to make available to bargaining unit members, and their eligible dependents, the BluePPO Option H group health insurance plan, with no co-payment for inpatient hospitalization, and with three-tiered premium rates.
B. For bargaining unit members hired prior to September 1, 1988, the College shall pay 100% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent health insurance coverage, based on the cost of the Blue PPO Option H, and the member shall pay 0% of said premium cost. For bargaining unit members hired on or after September 1, 1988, the College shall pay 78% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent health insurance coverage, based on the cost of the Blue PPO Option H plan and the member shall pay 22% of said premium cost.
C. The College shall continue to make available to bargaining unit members the current self-insured Maxor Plus Plan with $5/$30/$45 co-payments for retail pharmacy services and $10/$60/$90 for three (3) months via mail order. Specialty medications will be received through MAXOR specialty pharmacy only. Prescriptions filled generic unless medical necessity as determined by physician.
D. For bargaining unit members hired prior to September 1, 1988, the College shall pay 100% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent prescription drug coverage, and the member shall pay 0% of said premium cost. For bargaining unit members hired on or after September 1, 1988, the College shall pay 80% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent prescription drug coverage, and the member shall pay 20% of said premium cost.
E. The College shall continue to make available to bargaining unit members, and their eligible dependents, the Guardian Dental plan.
F. For bargaining unit members hired prior to September 1, 1988, the College shall Pay 100% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent dental insurance coverage, based on the cost of the Guardian Dental plan and the member shall pay 0% of said premium cost. For bargaining unit members hired on or after September 1, 1988, the College shall pay 80% of the premium cost for individual and any form of dependent dental insurance coverage, based on the cost of the Guardian Dental plan and the member shall pay 20% of said premium cost.
G. Changing job titles or transfers within the bargaining unit does not constitute rehiring with regard to 10.2.
H. The College shall maintain the aforesaid health insurance coverage unless the parties mutually agree to change such coverage. During the term of the agreement the parties shall establish a Joint Committee to study and make recommendations for possible alternative insurance carriers and/or coverage. Such recommendations, if mutually acceptable to the parties to this agreement, may be implemented at any time. The added costs of any change in carriers and/or coverage, savings as the result of any changes in carriers and/or coverage, the rate of contribution by employees, and the designation of unit employees making such contributions, if any, shall be subject to negotiation. This committee shall consist of three(3) members appointed by the President of the Association, and three (3) members appointed by the College President.
I. Upon ratification of this agreement, the College shall extend benefits to domestic partners under the same terms as Sections 10.2.A, 10.2.B, 10.2.C, 10.2.D, 10.2.E, 10.2.F, 10.2.G, subject to plan provisions and no later than January 1, 2013.
J. The College shall provide a health insurance waiver payment for Association members who opt out of the College health insurance plan. Such payment shall be $1,000 for the family plan, $800 for a 2-person plan and $500 for the individual plan. All individuals who wish to participate in the waiver may be required to provide proof of alternative insurance to the College. To qualify for the reimbursement for the health insurance waiver, the employee must have been off the health insurance plan for eleven (11) months and not be enrolled in the dental plan.
K. Effective January 1, 2007, those employees, and only those employees, who were hired on or after September 1, 1988, and who had 2-person coverage under either the MVP plan or CDPHP plan as of December 1, 2006, shall receive a contribution from the College for their health insurance coverage equal to, but no more than, 80% of the premium cost for full family coverage under the traditional Excellus Health Plan. At such time that the traditional Excellus Health plan is discontinued by the insurance carrier, the above costs will be based upon the cost of the Blue PPO Option H plan.
10.3 Indemnification. The Employer shall provide insurance coverage to protect the employee from financial loss arising out of any claim, demand, suit, or judgment by reason of the alleged negligence of such employee provided the employee, at the time such damages were sustained, was acting in the course of their official duties and within the scope of their employment, and such act did not result from the willful act or gross negligence of the employee and, provided further, that the employee, within five (5) days of the time they are served with any summons, complaint, process, notice, demand, or pleading, will deliver the original or a copy of the same to the Vice President for Administrative Services.
10.4 Death Benefit. The named beneficiary or the estate, as the case may be, of an employee who dies while in service shall receive that benefit payable by the retirement program in which the employee participated.
10.5 Employees in the Health professions and the Student Health Center who are required to obtain malpractice insurance shall be reimbursed up to one hundred dollars ($100.00) toward the annual premium cost.
10.6 Required Procedures. The College may require and, if so, will pay for the post-deductible uninsured cost of physical examinations, lab or diagnostic tests, and immunizations.
10.7 Retirement Benefits
A. Eligibility. Employees fifty-five (55) years of age at the time of retirement and/or eligible to retire under their retirement program, and who have at least ten (10) years of service at the College, and who hold academic rank of Professor or Associate Professor or promotional level of Level IV or Level III, are eligible for the benefits provided herein. Employees who have achieved the rank of Level II by September 1, 2007 shall be grandfathered into this provision.
B. Limitation. During a fiscal year the College shall make the provisions of this section available to no more than ten (10) bargaining unit members on the basis of length of service in the bargaining unit . Such total sum length of full-time service in the bargaining unit need not be continuous.
C. Effective with the 2012-2013 fiscal year of notice as referenced in Section 10.7(E), as a supplement to the retiree health insurance benefit referenced in Section 10.8 of this Agreement, a sum of money equal to $416.67 for each unused, accumulated day of sick leave, but not to exceed $50,000, shall be credited to the account of the retiree to pay the retiree’s share of health insurance premiums, until the sum is exhausted. If such a retiree should die before this benefit is exhausted, the remainder of the benefit shall continue to be applied to the health insurance premiums of any eligible dependent of the retiree who was covered under the College’s health insurance plan at the time of the retiree’s death but only until the remaining benefit is exhausted or said dependent(s) is/are no longer covered under the College’s health plan for any reason. There shall be no payment made to the estate of a retiree or dependent under any circumstances. Furthermore, an employee who is eligible to receive the benefits in this Section 10.7 may apply donated sick leave days under Section 11.2(B) toward the $50,000 maximum sum above, provided the employee satisfies the criteria for, and is granted donated sick leave, subject to the conditions of Section 11.2(B). Any retiree who receives health care from a spouse or domestic partner’s plan or through Medicare can submit evidence of a paid premium for reimbursement. Reimbursement will be made quarterly based on a submission deadline determined by the college.
D. Employees who wish to retire under this provision shall notify the Executive Director of Human Resources in writing no later than the close of business on April 1 of the fiscal year preceding an intended fiscal year of retirement. The decision to retire shall become irrevocable once the retiree and the College have concluded a separate contract. The employee shall have 15 working days after receipt to accept and sign the contract. Failure to execute and return the contract within that period shall constitute withdrawal of notice.
F. Retirement Date. The retirement date for an eligible employee shall be December 31 or May 31, at the discretion of the bargaining unit member, of the fiscal year following the fiscal year of notice of retirement unless the College and the employee agree upon another date
G. Disability. An employee who meets the eligibility requirements of 10.7.A and who fails to give notice of retirement by the first business day of September and who is subsequently forced to retire during that fiscal year because of disability shall be allowed to submit notice after the first business day of September. If the limitation specified in 10.7.B has not been reached for that fiscal year, the employee shall receive the benefits specified in this section on the employee’s date of retirement. If the limitation specified in 10.7.B has been reached for that fiscal year, the employee will be in the pool of employees considered for the benefits in the next fiscal year for which the benefit is available.
The College, at its option, may require proof of disability. Proof shall consist of medical documentation satisfactory to the College of the nature of the disability requiring the employee’s retirement and/or, at the option of the College, examination of the employee by a health care practitioner chosen by the College. The cost of such examination shall be borne by the employee.
H. The College shall have no responsibility to notify bargaining unit members of their potential eligibility for this benefit nor of the date by which notice is due.
10.8 Upon retirement the retiree shall have the health insurance benefit provided under Board of Trustees Policy 2022.
A. Retired employees will be allowed the option to remain on the health insurance plans they had as active employees through August 31 of the year in which they retire, or to elect such coverage effective June 1 of the year in which they retire, together with a base salary payout.
10.9 Tuition Waiver. Employees who retire after September 1, 2002, but not their dependents, shall be provided the same tuition waiver benefits subject to the same conditions and limitations as active bargaining unit member employees.
10.10 Benefit Fund
A. Effective September 1, 2002, the Association will establish a Benefit Fund for the purpose of providing a program of benefits.
B. Effective September 1, 2024, the College’s annual contribution to the Fund shall be $500 per bargaining unit member.
C. Number of bargaining unit members is defined as the number of employees employed in unit titles on the first business day of September of each year commencing September 1, 2002.
D. The payment schedule will be on the first business day on or after:
October 1 50%
January 15 50%