Negotiations update
Oct. 17, 2010
The PSTA Bargaining Team is seeking your input as we prepare for this year's negotiations. There are 4 ways to get involved:
1. Please attend the PSTA General Meeting on October 19 at James Workman at 4:00 p.m. This is a chance for you to hear about the negotiations process and to give feedback directly to us.
2. Participate in your site surveys. Site Reps have been asked to complete a site survey for your school as a whole. The purpose of this survey is to alert the Negotiation Team to specific needs of your school, particularly if there is a pattern of repeated problems.
3. Participate in the individual phone survey. The Bargaining Advisory Committee and the Negotiations Team are calling PSTA members randomly to solicit feedback. Please be thinking about any concerns you have. What issues should be our priorities? If you are not called or are unavailable to talk when we do call, please contact us at your convenience.
4. Contact us. Please use the e-mail or phone number below to send the Negotiations Team any information you believe we should know. It could be issues you are experiencing or your views on what our priorities should be this year.
Sincerely,
Richard Bomar
PSTA Negotiations Chair
sosciman@aol.com
760-409-4210
FYI: Federal Funds NEWThere are several events that have recently occurred of which you should be aware.
PSUSD received approximately $4.5 million from the federal government under the Education Jobs Bill program. This money was sent to the states specifically for districts to begin recalling employees or restoring cuts that may have been taken to stimulate the economy by keeping folks working.
PSUSD decided to utilize the money in several different areas. PSTA offered suggestions, some of which were taken, some that were not.
1. The district has decided to recall teachers to fill 9 positions not filled this summer. These positions at a variety of sites were flown last summer and no teachers were chosen to fill those positions. These 9 teaching positions have been filled with subs since the beginning of school. As of October 11, laid-off teachers were placed in them.
2. The projected student enrollment in the district is down 550 students. That means we have 17 teachers over the ratios the district is contractually required to maintain. PSUSD was not interested in cutting these 17 positions, allowing for little or no disruption to students by involuntarily transferring teachers. They will continue to keep the 17 teachers.
3. The state of California was once again trying to balance the state budget with deep cuts to education. The target in the 2010 budget was the state preschool program. These cuts would have resulted in 17 of our preschool teachers losing their jobs and several hundred children no longer having a classroom. Last Tuesday at the PSUSD School Board meeting it was voted to fund this program, avoiding cuts for 17 of our members.
4. The last program that the district wanted to continue was the placement of 9 intervention teachers funded from the remaining American Reinvestment Recovery Act (ARRA) money the district has received last year. These funds were in a "use it or lose it" status for 2010-2011 school year and would have been returned if not used.
To facilitate the process, the district requested PSTA waive the contract transfer language (16.2) for these positions and allow the placement of laid-off teachers to occur. The reasoning was that if these positions had been flown and members would have applied, interviewed and received the intervention position, it would have set up a domino effect possibly resulting in no one actually being placed until January. It is district policy that teachers do not assume new positions until someone has been hired to fill the position soon to be vacated.
I signed a Memo of Understanding (MOU) allowing for this action to be taken as your representative for the Association. This was not a decision made lightly, but after seeking timely opinions from the executive board and the bargaining team. While they are not in total agreement with this decision with some not responding at all to my email requests, I made a choice to move forward. This was a time sensitive decision in which I weighed the importance of bringing back our laid-off peers as quickly as possible and in a manner that would be least disruptive to our students. We have members at 8 elementary schools that are ready to track off as 1/3 of their year has already passed. I also thought of students who could benefit for intervention that will start immediately as well as the additional support the intervention teachers will provide to the schools in which they will teach.
However, you need to be aware that in this decision, I limited the options some of you may have wanted to exercise in this situation. I made a decision to move quickly as I felt that it would be in the best interest of our members who would be recalled and for the students we all serve. We have now brought back nearly every teacher PSUSD has laid-off going back 2 years. While these expenditures may be a short term fix for this year only, it was the manner in which the money was intended to be used.
PSUSD was given $4.5 Million and has used approximately half of the available money plus the ARRA funds for the intervention positions.
If you have concerns or would like more information, please feel free to contact me at the office or through psta@verizon.net.
Insurance Info
Questions: Sandy Christensen Benefits Dept. (760)416-6192
In addition to the increased plan choices, there are changes in our coverage COSTS of which you should be aware. Recent negotiations closed with NO CHANGES to the contract. That means the insurance cap of $13,215 was not raised. This is the amount the district pays for certificated employee benefits. When the cost of insurance exceeds the insurance cap, out-of-pocket costs are incurred by the certificated employee.
The differences in these plan options are shown in categories.
· The first set of numbers are the deductible shown as $250/$500. The first number is for individual and the second is for family.
· The second set of numbers refers to the amount the insurance will pay AFTER deductible is met with a plan provider/or an out-of-plan provider- 90/70.
· The third number is for RX - first number generic on the formulary/brand on the formulary/non-formulary meds- $5/$25/$40.
The costs are shown below...
Effective May 1, 2010 outpatient surgery services received at a non-participating provider facility on the PPO plans will be limited to a maximum payment of $350 each time you have outpatient surgery at an ambulatory surgical center. The HSA plans already have this limit in place.
1. PPO $250/$500, 90/70, $5/$25 = $15,876
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total plan $16,847
Out-of-pocket yearly - $3632
2. PPO $500/$1,000, 80/60, $5/$25/$40 = $14,460
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $15,431
Out-of-pocket yearly - $2,216
3. PPO $750/$1,500, 80/60, $10/$30/$60 = $13,090
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $14,061
Out-of-pocket yearly - $846
Health Savings Accounts receive $2,400 a year from the district. Members will set up a Mellon Bank Account in which money is deposited. If coverage is for more than 1 person, the family deductible must be met for insurance co-pay to begin. When meeting deductible, you will pay FULL price for prescriptions; the lower price amount begins only AFTER deductibles have been met.
HSA $1,200/$2,400, 90/70, $10/$30 = $12,887
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $13,858
Out-of-pocket yearly - $643
HSA $3,000/$6,000, 90/70, $10/$30 - $11,869
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $12,840
Out-of-pocket yearly - $0
Anthem or PacficiCare HMO plans offer identical coverage and cost the same amount. You may pick either company to provide your insurance coverage. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for any of the HMO options.
A. $15 office visit, $100 ER, $5/$25.
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $12,773
B. $25 office visit, $100 ER, $5/$25/$40.
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $12,457
C. $30 office visit, $100 ER/$250 in patient, $10/$30/$60
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,878
D. $25/$35, $100 ER/IP, $1,500 IP, $250 Out patient Surg, $10/$30/$60
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,763
Kaiser $15 office visit, $10 RX
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,245
In addition to the increased plan choices, there are changes in our coverage COSTS of which you should be aware. Recent negotiations closed with NO CHANGES to the contract. That means the insurance cap of $13,215 was not raised. This is the amount the district pays for certificated employee benefits. When the cost of insurance exceeds the insurance cap, out-of-pocket costs are incurred by the certificated employee.
The differences in these plan options are shown in categories.
· The first set of numbers are the deductible shown as $250/$500. The first number is for individual and the second is for family.
· The second set of numbers refers to the amount the insurance will pay AFTER deductible is met with a plan provider/or an out-of-plan provider- 90/70.
· The third number is for RX - first number generic on the formulary/brand on the formulary/non-formulary meds- $5/$25/$40.
The costs are shown below...
Effective May 1, 2010 outpatient surgery services received at a non-participating provider facility on the PPO plans will be limited to a maximum payment of $350 each time you have outpatient surgery at an ambulatory surgical center. The HSA plans already have this limit in place.
1. PPO $250/$500, 90/70, $5/$25 = $15,876
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total plan $16,847
Out-of-pocket yearly - $3632
2. PPO $500/$1,000, 80/60, $5/$25/$40 = $14,460
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $15,431
Out-of-pocket yearly - $2,216
3. PPO $750/$1,500, 80/60, $10/$30/$60 = $13,090
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $14,061
Out-of-pocket yearly - $846
Health Savings Accounts receive $2,400 a year from the district. Members will set up a Mellon Bank Account in which money is deposited. If coverage is for more than 1 person, the family deductible must be met for insurance co-pay to begin. When meeting deductible, you will pay FULL price for prescriptions; the lower price amount begins only AFTER deductibles have been met.
HSA $1,200/$2,400, 90/70, $10/$30 = $12,887
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $13,858
Out-of-pocket yearly - $643
HSA $3,000/$6,000, 90/70, $10/$30 - $11,869
+ Delta $693
+ VSP $278
Total Plan $12,840
Out-of-pocket yearly - $0
Anthem or PacficiCare HMO plans offer identical coverage and cost the same amount. You may pick either company to provide your insurance coverage. There are no out-of-pocket expenses for any of the HMO options.
A. $15 office visit, $100 ER, $5/$25.
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $12,773
B. $25 office visit, $100 ER, $5/$25/$40.
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $12,457
C. $30 office visit, $100 ER/$250 in patient, $10/$30/$60
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,878
D. $25/$35, $100 ER/IP, $1,500 IP, $250 Out patient Surg, $10/$30/$60
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,763
Kaiser $15 office visit, $10 RX
Total costs with Delta and VSP = $11,245
"Disability Insurance" Info
Benefit Waiting Period:
lesser of 7 consecutive regular days of required attendance or extra duty days, or 30 calendar
Benefit Period:
(With 5 or more years in STRS) - the period for which you are eligible to receive fully paid sick leave and the following 2 benefit years
(less than 5 years with STRS) - the period for which you are eligible to receive fully paid sick leave and the following 2 benefit years plus the following:
59 or younger - to age 65
60-64 years - 5 years
65-69 - to age 70 or 1 year
70 - 1 year
Benefits:
during sick leave: $25 per day
1st and 2nd benefit years: up to 75% of regular daily contract salary, reduced by deductible income payable for each regular required attendance day. Minimum benefit $30 per day of required attendance
After 2nd benefit year: (less than 5 years with STRS) 50% of regular monthly contract salary reduced by deductible income. Min benefit $500 per month.
Additional Features:
$35 per calendar day while in a hospital as a result of your disability - no waiting period
Up to 75% of extra duty pay lost to disability, reduced by deductible income
Covers disabilities occurring on or off the job
No premium required during disability
Dependent education benefit - monthly benefit to help pay post-secondary costs for children, souse.domestic partner
$10,00 accidental death and dismemberment coverage
Child care expense up to $1000 year
lesser of 7 consecutive regular days of required attendance or extra duty days, or 30 calendar
Benefit Period:
(With 5 or more years in STRS) - the period for which you are eligible to receive fully paid sick leave and the following 2 benefit years
(less than 5 years with STRS) - the period for which you are eligible to receive fully paid sick leave and the following 2 benefit years plus the following:
59 or younger - to age 65
60-64 years - 5 years
65-69 - to age 70 or 1 year
70 - 1 year
Benefits:
during sick leave: $25 per day
1st and 2nd benefit years: up to 75% of regular daily contract salary, reduced by deductible income payable for each regular required attendance day. Minimum benefit $30 per day of required attendance
After 2nd benefit year: (less than 5 years with STRS) 50% of regular monthly contract salary reduced by deductible income. Min benefit $500 per month.
Additional Features:
$35 per calendar day while in a hospital as a result of your disability - no waiting period
Up to 75% of extra duty pay lost to disability, reduced by deductible income
Covers disabilities occurring on or off the job
No premium required during disability
Dependent education benefit - monthly benefit to help pay post-secondary costs for children, souse.domestic partner
$10,00 accidental death and dismemberment coverage
Child care expense up to $1000 year