(a) The City shall provide eligible employees with the same medical insurance (health plan) as provided to other City employees under a group insurance plan. Such group insurance may be provided through a self-insured plan or an outside provider. Cost containment measures may be adopted by the City in consideration of projected costs, marked availability of coverages and utilization.
(b) The City agrees to pay 80% of the premium/contribution costs for health coverage for each eligible full-time employee enrolled in any of the health coverage plan offered by the City. The election of single or family coverage rests with the eligible employee. Any premium/contribution cost in excess of the 80% established herein shall be the responsibility of the eligible employee.
(c) Any eligible full-time employee may waive health plan coverage and be paid one hundred twenty dollars ($120.00) per month in lieu of such coverage. The waiver must be requested in writing, from the Finance Director thirty days prior to the beginning of any billing cycle. Applicable waiver amounts shall be payable by the City to the eligible employees in June and December of each year. Employees who have waived health plan coverage may enroll in the health plan pursuant to the requirements of the County. Upon re-enrollment, such employees shall forfeit the waiver.
(d) The City, at its sole cost and expense, shall provide each full-time employee with group life insurance coverage in the face amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000). Employees aged 65 years and over may receive a lowered face amount, depending on the carrier's benefits schedule.
(e) Where an employee is on personal sick leave, his or her medical insurance shall be continued for a period that he or she receives payments for accumulated sick leave and vacation time. Where an employee continues to be disabled, due to a line-of-duty illness or injury, and after using all accumulated sick leave and vacation time, medical insurance costs as provided in this section will be paid by the City for up to 6 additional months of disability. Upon exhaustion of those benefits, medical insurance may be continued as provided by statute, at the option of the employee, by his or her paying the full premium cost on a monthly basis directly to the City.
(f) Part-time employees, elected officials and former employees eligible under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) may participate in the insurance program. However, this shall be at no cost to the City, and discretion with reference to such employees is given to the Finance Director.
(Ord. 114-03. Passed 7-14-03.)