FRINGE BENEFITS

10.1 BASIC MEDICAL PLAN. Effective January 1, 1994, the District shall contribute $199.67 tenthly and effective August 1, 1994 the District shall contribute $219.24 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 Effective Fall, 1995, 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. Effective January 1, 1994 , 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, have been employed three (3) previous semesters within the last six (6) semesters, and as of Monday of the third week of the semester who have teaching assignments of five (5) 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 (5) 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 (3) 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.

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 active full-time faculty members, as described in section 10.2.

10.8 "Retiree" shall be interpreted to include the surviving spouse 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 STRS option 1, 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 Parking permits and parking spaces shall be made available to faculty per the provisions of Article 13 of this Agreement.

10.12.1 A District campus-wide committee will be formed to develop short and long range solutions to parking problems that may arise from construction projects and community issues.

10.12.2 Part-time faculty members may elect to pay for parking permits via payroll deduction over four (4) pay periods, without paying interest or an increased fee. Full time faculty may elect to pay for parking permits via payroll deduction over ten (10) pay periods without paying interest or an increased fee.

10.12.3 Part-time faculty members who purchase an annual permit and who request but who do not receive a spring assignment shall be refunded 50% of the annual fee paid, by submitting a written request for such a reimbursement to the Chief Personnel Officer, and surrendering the permit and access card.

10.12.4 Parking permits are for use by the faculty person to whom the permit is issued only.

10.12.5 The District will strive in negotiating with long-term vendors to limit parking permit issuance to the absolute minimum, and will charge appropriate fees for permits of any time period.

10.13 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.