FRINGE BENEFITS

10.1                        BASIC MEDICAL PLAN.  Effective August 1, 2001 the District shall contribute $353.50 tenthly toward payment of the premium of a medical plan selected by the full‑time employee.  The medical plan chosen shall be one of those offered by PERS under the Public Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act.  This basic contribution by the District shall be increased August 1st each year by five percent (5%) of the previous year's premium for Kaiser Medical Plan two‑party coverage.

10.1.1 Those full-time faculty eligible for health benefits who can prove other health care coverage may elect to decline coverage by the District.

Any such faculty member will be paid $2,000 per year; this money may be used for any purpose and will be taxable to the employee.  This money will be paid one-half at the end of each semester in a lump sum payment.  Once health benefits are declined, no change may be made during the benefit year unless authorized under PERS approved exceptions to open enrollment period elections.

Any faculty member who declines coverage MUST renew that declination each year during the open enrollment period and provide proof of continuing health coverage.

10.2                        SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS PLAN.  The District shall provide as a supplemental benefit plan for full‑time employees an amount equal to the difference between the basic medical plan and the total cost of a medical, dental, and vision insurance care plan selected by the employee for the employee and his/her dependents. 

10.3                        Probationary and tenured faculty employed less than full time shall receive a prorated share.  The portion not paid by the District shall be reflected in the Supplementary Benefit Plan payment.

10.4                          PERS medical plan premiums shall be converted from monthly to tenthly by multiplying the monthly rate established each August by 12 and dividing by 10.  The resulting rate shall be used for payroll reporting purposes starting in October and ending in July.  Actual enrollment dates and termination dates are to be as required by PERS on a twelfthly basis.

10.5                        Hourly Employees

10.5.1 Hourly employees who are members of the unit, who have been employed two previous semesters within the last six semesters, and as of Monday of the third week of the semester who have teaching assignments of five hours or more per week for the semester, or as of Monday of the fifth week of the semester are assigned the equivalent of five hours or more per week of a non- teaching assignment shall be eligible to receive Kaiser medical insurance.  The District shall contribute an amount equal to the single‑party Kaiser Health Maintenance Plan premium not under PERS.  In lieu of the Kaiser plan, eligible employees may elect a composite dental or vision plan. Employees who lose non-District-provided coverage as a result of divorce or death of a spouse shall be allowed to change their election; otherwise changes to election of Kaiser or dental or vision plans are limited to the open enrollment period.

10.5.2         In the event that during the college year a covered employee's load drops below the number of hours stated in 10.5.1 but is at least three hours per week during that semester, the employee's coverage shall continue through that college year, except in cases where the employee requests the reduction in load.

Effective with the fall 2000 semester, once a part-time faculty member becomes eligible for health benefits as set forth in section 10.5.1, if the part-time faculty member falls below the required 5 hours (except when a reduction in hours is voluntarily requested by the faculty member) he/she shall retain eligibility for at least two semesters.

10.5.3 This benefit does not apply to full‑time employees of the District who teach overload classes.

10.6                        Tenured faculty members who retire from the District will be eligible to be covered under the PERS medical plan for retirees.  Each year the contribution by the District shall equal the amount allocated for the Basic Medical Plan for active full-time employees as described in section 10.1, converted to a 12-month basis.

10.7                 As part of an early retirement plan, tenured faculty members who retire at or after the age of 55 years, and have at least 10 years of paid service with the District immediately prior to retirement, will participate until they are eligible to purchase or receive Medicare, in the supplementary benefit plan provided to active full-time faculty members and their dependents or domestic partner, as described in section 10.2.

10.8                "Retiree" shall be interpreted to include the surviving spouse or domestic partner of the retiree in the event the retiree dies while covered by this provision.  If a spouse survives the retiree and is covered other than under the STRS unmodified option, the surviving spouse will receive benefits described in 10.6.

10.9                        Faculty members hired after January 1, 1989, must have ten years of paid service with the District in order to be eligible for the District's retiree medical plan.  In the case that this provision is in conflict with existing state law, it shall be held in abeyance.

10.10                        Bargaining unit members will be permitted to participate in IRS Code Section 125 plans.  Seminars and enrollments shall be conducted each November for the forthcoming year. Times and dates for such seminars and enrollment period shall be convenient for faculty members and shall be approved by the Association.  Timely notice will be provided by the District.

10.11                         Faculty shall be allowed to audit up to two courses per year at Santa Monica College provided the instructor of the class agrees and a regular student is not displaced.  Audit fees for the class shall be waived.

10.12               The District will provide an opportunity for eligible employees to elect Medicare coverage as provided by Assembly Bill 265.  The election must be made prior to June 30, 1995 and will be irrevocable.  The District and the employee will each contribute 1.45% into Medicare coverage for those faculty who properly elect and are eligible for this benefit.

10.13               Life Insurance

10.13.1 The District will provide $50,000 term life insurance coverage for each full-time faculty member during the period of his/her employment only.  Life insurance policies will become effective on October 1, 1997.

10.13.2 A District-wide committee shall be formed to review proposals from life insurance companies.  The Faculty Association shall have the right to appoint faculty to this committee.  The District committee will present a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.  The District reserves right to make final selection of the life insurance company to provide this life insurance benefit.

10.14           Domestic Partner Coverage:  Health, Dental and Vision:

The District will fully implement the provisions of Chapter 588, Statutes of 1999, pertaining to domestic partner enrollment under PERS health plans offered by the District. In addition, the District will permit domestic partners to enroll as dependents under any non PERS health plan (e.g. Kaiser) and Dental and Vision.  For purposes of enrollment in non PERS health, dental and vision plans, the definition of domestic partner will be as established pursuant to Chapter 588, Statutes of 1999.  Domestic partners will be eligible for any benefits in the retirement period to which spouses or surviving spouses are eligible under the provisions of this Agreement.