(A) Health insurance.
(1) A medical plan is available to all full-time county employees upon employment with the county. The county shall pay the premium for single coverage for each employee. The employee may purchase family coverage at group rates.
(2) All participating employees are subject to the terms and conditions of the group insurance plans provided by the county.
(B) Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA). The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act requires employers sponsoring group health plans to offer employees and certain eligible dependents the opportunity to purchase a temporary extension of health coverage, at group rates, in certain instances when coverage under the plan would otherwise end. The following information is intended to give employees of the county information regarding their rights and obligations under this federal legislation.
(C) Qualifying events. Employees and eligible dependents provided health insurance by the county are entitled to purchase continuation coverage if a “qualifying event,” as described below, occurs:
(1) An employee and his or her eligible dependents can purchase up to 18 months of COBRA coverage if the employee (and his or her dependents) lose health coverage as a result of the employee terminating employment (other than as a result of gross misconduct) or reducing the employee’s hours of employment; or
(2) An employee’s eligible dependents can purchase up to 36 months of COBRA, coverage if the dependents lose health coverage because of the employee’s death, divorce/legal separation or entitlement to Medicare; or because the dependent ceases to be an eligible dependent under the plan.
(D) Eligible dependent. A dependent is eligible to purchase COBRA coverage if the dependent was covered under the group plan on the day before a COBRA event and will lose coverage as a result of the COBRA event. Each affected employee and dependent can make a separate election whether or not to purchase COBRA coverage. An employee or dependent cannot, however, elect COBRA if he or she was entitled to receive Medicare on the day before the COBRA event.
(E) Employer notification of employee/dependent eligibility. Upon an employee being hired into a position that is provided health insurance by the county, the employee shall be provided notification of the COBRA program and its applicability to the employee. Additionally, within 14 days of a qualifying event, the county will provide the employee and eligible dependents with notification of the opportunity to purchase COBRA coverage.
(F) Timeframe for selecting coverage. The deadline for making a COBRA election is 60 days after the later of the date the required COBRA notice is sent or the date coverage would otherwise end if COBRA coverage is not elected.
(G) Premium for COBRA coverage. Employees or eligible dependents who elect to purchase COBRA coverage will be charged 102% of the cost of providing the coverage. Under certain circumstances, employees who are determined by the Social Security Administration to be disabled when their employment is terminated are entitled to extend their coverage from 18 months to 29 months. In such cases, the premium for the additional nine months of coverage may be as much as 150% of the cost of providing coverage.
(H) Payment of premium. The first premium payment must be made within 45 days after the date the employee or dependent elects to purchase COBRA coverage. Beginning with the second month after the election date, all premiums must be paid on a monthly basis and each monthly premium is due on the first day of the month. Payments can be paid no later than the thirtieth day of the month.
(I) Termination of coverage. The COBRA coverage period will end on the first to occur of the following dates:
(1) The date the 18-, 29- or 36-month maximum coverage period ends;
(2) The date the employer terminates all group health plans;
(3) The first day an employee or dependent fails to timely pay the COBRA premiums;
(4) The date the employee or dependent is covered under another group, health plan, unless the other group plan excludes or limits coverage for a preexisting condition affecting the employee or dependent; or
(5) The first date the employee or dependent is entitled to Medicare benefits.
(J) Workers’ compensation insurance.
(1) Workers’ compensation insurance provides medical and hospitalization expense benefits as well as partial payment in lieu of salary for workers injured on the job. The county pays 100% of this form of insurance.
(2) Employees receiving benefits from the worker’s compensation program shall be allowed to utilize accrued sick leave and accrued vacation leave to make up the difference between the employee’s regular compensation and the compensation received under the program.
(K) Unemployment insurance. All employees are covered under this program. The county pays 100% of the cost for this coverage. An individual who terminates his or her employment with the county may or may not be eligible to receive payments under this program, depending upon the circumstances involved in the termination.
(L) Social security. The county and the employee both contribute to the Social Security program, at rates specified by the U.S. Congress.
(M) Liability insurance. The county maintains comprehensive liability insurance for all employees.
(N) Life insurance. The county provides regular full-time employees with a life insurance policy containing a death benefit of $10,000.
(O) Disability insurance. The county pays 100% of the cost for a disability policy for regular full- time employees.
(2001 Code, § 31.114) (Ord. passed 1-14-2000)