FILE:  EGA

Cf:  DJED, EDBB, GBRIB

 

STAFF INSURANCE COVERAGES

 

 

HEALTH INSURANCE

 

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall offer health and hospitalization benefits for its eligible School Board members, employees, retirees, and/or their eligible spouses and children.  The School Board may pay any portion of an employee's premium it so designates provided the School Board’s portion meets the minimum contribution by the Louisiana Office of State Group Benefits.   Employees and retirees shall be responsible for any portion of the employee’s health care premium not paid by the School Board.

 

For the purpose of determining eligibility for employee insurance, an active employee shall be:  (1) any School Board employee whose membership in either the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) or the Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) is mandatory; (2) any School Board employee who elects to participate in another qualified state retirement system in lieu of the LSERS/TRSL; or (3) an elected Lafayette Parish School Board member.

 

Any employee currently covered outside these criteria shall be allowed to continue coverage until termination of active employment or until other loss of eligibility.

 

Any qualified employee, retiree, School Board member, together with eligible dependents, shall be eligible to participate in the hospitalization and health care coverage offered 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 in accordance with the provisions of the plan document.  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).

 

The School Board may contribute a portion of an employee's premium of any health care coverage selected by the School Board.  For active employees, the Lafayette Parish School Board shall pay a portion of the active employee's portion of the premium for health care coverage, as determined by the School Board.  Adjustments may be made with the increase in premiums on a year-to-year basis.  For retired employees, the Lafayette Parish School Board shall pay a portion of the retired employee's portion of the premium for health care coverage for retirees, as determined by the School Board.  Adjustments may be made with the increase in premiums on a year-to-year basis.

 

To be eligible for the above retired benefits, an employee must have been employed by the School Board at the time of retirement for a minimum period of employment as determined by the School Board and must meet all other stipulations and be a retiree of the Lafayette Parish School Board.

 

Employees on Approved Leave Without Pay

 

Any Lafayette Parish School Board employee who is granted leave without pay by the School Board shall be obligated to pay 100% of the premium during the period of leave.  The Lafayette Parish School Board shall not continue contributions towards the premium.  Employees using sick leave for maternity leave purposes, extended sick leave for maternity purposes (teachers only), sabbatical leave, or persons on sick leave that receive pay through accumulated sick leave shall not be affected by this provision and the School Board shall continue to pay the necessary premiums.

 

Change in Coverage

 

It shall be the responsibility of the employee to notify the Insurance Department of the Lafayette Parish School Board of any change or error in classification of coverage or any other error affecting his/her contribution amount toward the payment of premium for an employee benefit administered through the School Board.  Such a change in classification may be due, but not limited, to a change in marital status, a change in a dependent’s eligibility, a change in classification due to a change in premium structure which grants a refund to qualified employees, or a change in classification due to the death of a spouse or other dependent.  Any failure to report such a change in classification within thirty (30) days after the change occurs shall be corrected on the first of the month following the date the change is reported to the Insurance Department.  All refunds of contributions shall be limited to three (3) months from the date the notice is received by the Insurance Department.

 

Requests to cancel coverage for the employee under any or all of the insurance programs administered through the Lafayette Parish School Board must be received within thirty (30) days of the requested effective date of cancellation.  Once an employee requests cancellation of coverage for any or all insurance plans, the effective date of the cancellation shall be no earlier than thirty (30) days prior to the date the signed, written request is received in the Insurance Department.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH OR LIFE INSURANCE

 

All voluntary employee supplemental health and life insurance approved by 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.  The School Board, 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.

 

Adopted prior to 1975 Revised:  August 19, 1998
Revised:  September 1, 1975 Revised:  November 4, 2015
Revised:  January 20, 1982  

 

 

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, 9-1-75, 1-20-82, 8-19-98, 11-4-15

 

Lafayette Parish School Board