ARTICLE 18

Fringe Benefits

A. Payroll Deduction Plans

The District and the Association agree to study any additional payroll deduction plans which the Association desires to implement at a time mutually agreeable to both parties, if such plans can be handled on existing equipment in the District, in an economical manner, and are legally permissible.  No payroll deduction initiated by a teacher shall be processed in an amount less than One Dollar ($1.00) per check.

B. School Function Passes

Each teacher shall be granted, on request, a pass for school functions in the District for which admission is charged.  Passes shall be available through each school office.

C. Health and Dental Benefits

1. The District will provide health benefit coverage for eligible employees pursuant to the Syracuse City School District Health Insurance Program.   

The employee payroll deductions are based on the premium equivalent rate (PER) established for each school year and the corresponding wage level.

The actual PER will be established for each year (2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012) on September 1st.

The health insurance rates will be published in the Administrative Bulletin and posted on the SCSD and STA’s web pages.

The employee payroll deductions for 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 are stated as the maximum amount on Schedule A.

2. Retiree health benefit eligibility shall be fifteen (15) years in the Syracuse City School District effective July 1, 2010 for members hired after September 28, 2007. Members hired prior to September 28, 2007 shall continue to be eligible for the Retiree Health Benefit after ten (10) years in the Syracuse City School District.

Individual benefits – under 65 Medicare B Rate to the District
Individual 65 or older Medicare B Rate to Medicare
Family benefits – all under 65 Medicare B Rate to the District
Family benefits with at least one 65 or older Medicare B Rate to Medicare

a. Retirees under the age of 65 must pay a premium cost equal to the cost of the Medicare B rate directly to the District.  As the Medicare B rate changes, so will the retirees’ contribution to the Health Plan;

b. Retirees over the age of 65 are responsible to apply for and pay for Medicare B coverage (primary) with the Medicare B provider.  At such time, district provided coverage under its plan will become secondary.

Employees will contribute payroll deductions to the cost of District provided health care benefits based upon the employee’s wages as of July 1 (see Appendix H – Health Insurance Rate Chart).

3. Vision Care: effective July 1, 2008 the District will pay $185 per employee per year to the STA Benefit Fund.  Effective July 1, 2011 the District will pay $195 per employee per year to the STA Benefit Fund.

4. Prescription Coverage: a $6, $18 and $35 generic/brand/non-preferred co-payment shall be charged on the District’s mail order prescription drug plan.

5. Office Visit Co-Pays: The co-pay on medical provider visits will be $9.00.

6. Annual Deductibles:  The current deductible of $75 for individual and $225 for family shall remain in effect.  The current emergency room co-pay of $35 shall remain in effect. The in-patient co-pay of $100.00 shall remain in effect.

7. Dental Benefits: The District will provide dental benefits as negotiated by the parties for eligible employees pursuant to the Syracuse City School District Dental Assistance Plan.  With regard to the Plan, the District will assume all costs of such a program except for the following employee monthly contributions:

8. Colonoscopy Screening: Partial payment for colonoscopy screening for members age 55-64 years of age will be covered beginning July 1, 2006 and will continue through
June 30, 2009. The District plan will be amended to include 50% payment up to $500 for one (1) screening every ten (10) years per covered eligible person. This benefit will be reviewed annually. Other colonoscopy testing under conditions acceptable to the plan will continue to be covered. (For informational purposes, this benefit is covered under Medicare).

9. Domestic Partner Benefit is described in the Summary Plan Document.

10. Review Committee: Representatives of the District and the Association shall meet periodically with the District's current Benefits Plan Administrator and consultant for the purpose of agreeing on matters relative to claims administration, benefits structure, levels of contributions, and such other concerns as may be brought before the group for resolution and which are considered essential to the welfare of the program.  This group shall also study and research other benefits that could be cost effective and/or beneficial to employees.

11. Eligibility for coverage: For any teacher hired before July 1, 1978, eligibility shall be determined under the administrative regulations of the benefit plans and no teacher who fails to qualify under the rules of the plan shall have the benefits of the health and/or dental insurance program.  Any teacher hired after July 1, 1978, must, in addition to these eligibility requirements, be employed in the bargaining unit to regularly work twenty-five (25) or more hours per week.  No grievance shall be entertained, nor shall any arbitrator have the power to award redress, which would require the District to pay any health or dental insurance benefit which is disallowed by the present Plans or any successors thereto.  This provision shall in no way be construed as preventing the teacher from taking such action as may be deemed necessary against the plan if the teacher feels any determination made by the plan regarding eligibility is inappropriate.

12. Dual Employee Family Benefit Coverage: In the event that both husband and wife are eligible employees of the District, the rate of contribution for family benefits shall be based upon each employee’s contribution level as determined above in Article 18C1 (Fringe Benefits). 

13. Coordination of Benefits: In the event any member of the Unit, or his/her dependent, is eligible for benefits under another health plan and receives benefits there under, and the current plan or any future plan of the District insurance has a coordination of benefits provision, the District shall not be liable to make duplicate payments of benefits which have already been paid by such other plan and which the District's plan did not pay.

D. Flexible Benefit Plan

The District will maintain, at no cost to the employee, a flexible spending benefit plan pursuant to Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code, with operating procedures determined by the District in accordance with IRS regulations. This plan may be used for favorable income tax treatment of the employee’s health and dental premium contributions, deductibles, co-insurance amounts, other unreimbursed medical expenses, and dependent care assistance.

E. Retirement Stipend(s)

1. Teachers who upon retirement under the terms of the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System shall receive a stipend of Thirty-Seven dollars ($37.00) times the number of accumulated sick days.

2. A teacher who is age 55 during the school year in which he/she retires, and is eligible to retire under the New York State Teachers' Retirement System, shall be granted a retirement stipend of Eleven Thousand Dollars ($11,000) or a subsidy as written in the above paragraph whichever is greater.

F. Free Tuition in District for Children of Employees

Members of the Unit actively employed in full-time employment positions, may have their children or legal wards attend schools within the Syracuse City School District without payment of tuition regardless of the legal residence of the employee.  This privilege shall be extended to all children of legal school age who have not graduated from an approved high school and shall be continued unless it is determined through due process that the student's enrollment is not in his/her best interests.  School assignment will be consistent with the District's regular student assignment policies.  Transportation to and from school shall be the sole responsibility of the individual student's parent or legal guardian and not subsidized by the District.

G. District Child Care

The District agrees to continue its current level of support toward the operation of early childhood education centers for pre-school-age children of Unit employees.  Such support is contingent on enrollment sufficient to justify the center(s).  Subject to the foregoing, the Syracuse Teachers Association, the District, and the pre-school provider shall enter into an annual agreement regarding the operation of the center(s) and rules and regulations related thereto.