115.03 FRINGE BENEFITS AND OTHER COMPENSATION FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES NOT INCLUDED IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES.
   (a)    Major Medical/Hospitalization/Life Insurance and Dental Benefits and Coverage Provisions. Major medical, hospitalization, dental and life insurance total coverage and benefits, as defined in the City’s master policies, shall be equal to the coverage and benefits provided to any employee bargaining units or employee(s) not covered under collective bargaining agreements, also as defined in the City’s master policies. This provision shall not apply to coverage and/or benefits provided to employees or employee groups at City expense through a third party, such as a union health and welfare fund. Each full-time employee shall receive life insurance in the amount specified in the City’s master policy.
   The City shall provide and each full-time employee of the City of Stow shall be entitled to participate in non-cancelable major-medical hospitalization, life insurance and dental coverage with full paid premiums by the City which shall include monthly premium contributions by all City employees through payroll deduction commencing January 1, 2015 and thereafter as follows:
TABLE 1
EMPLOYEE MONTHLY PREMIUM CONTRIBUTION RATES
(REVISED)
Calendar Year
Percent of City COBRA Rate
Minimum Contribution
Maximum Contribution
1/1/2015
11.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$125.00 Family
$62.50 Single
1/1/2016
12.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$145.00 Family
$72.50 Single
1/1/2017
13.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$165.00 Family
$82.50 Single
1/1/2018
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$180.00 Family
$90.00 Single
1/1/2019
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$195.00 Family
$97.50
1/1/2020
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$210.00 Family
$105.00 Single
1/1/2022
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$235.00 Family
$117.50 Single
1/1/2023
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$255.00 Family
$127.50 Single
1/1/2024
15.0%
(50% of Family Rate)
$50.00 Family
$25.00 Single
$275.00 Family
$137.50 Single
The above monthly contribution rates effective January 1, 2023 may be delayed administratively (and the former rates shall continue and apply) if necessary to coordinate the implementation of the new rates for all bargaining employees(subject to approval for inclusion of the new rates in the labor agreements) and non-bargaining employees.
Effective January 1, 2019 new Stow Employees hired on or after January 1, 2014 will be subject to a monthly spousal surcharge in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per month for a working spouse of any employee covered under the Stow Health Care Plan when such spouse has health care coverage available at the spouse’s place of employment or though retirement, regardless of cost, but chooses Stow’s health care coverage as primary. Such spousal surcharge shall be paid by the employee and is in addition to any other premium or other costs or charges under the Stow Plan for the employee or spouse.
Effective January 1, 2019 existing Stow employees hired before January 1, 2014 will be subject to a monthly spousal surcharge in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) per month for a working spouse of any employee covered under the Stow Health Care Plan when such spouse has health care coverage available at the spouse’s place of employment or through retirement, regardless of cost, but chooses Stow’s health care coverage as primary. Such spousal surcharge shall be paid by the employee and is in addition to any other premium or other costs or charges under the Stow Plan for the employee or spouse. Major-medical hospitalization/life insurance/dental total coverage and benefits shall be equal in all aspects to the coverage and benefits provided to any other employee bargaining units or non-contract employee(s) not covered under this Ordinance. This provision shall not apply to coverage and/or benefits provided to employees or employee groups at City expense through a third party, such as a Union Health and Welfare Fund.
Effective on January 1, 2020 the individual and family calendar year deductibles will increase to four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00) and nine hundred dollars ($900.00) annually; the individual and family calendar year co-insurance (80%-20%) will increase to three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00) and seven hundred dollars ($700.00) annually; and the individual and family out-of-pocket maximums will increase to eight hundred dollars ($800.00) and one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600.00) annually. Effective January 1, 2005 “steering” provisions will be included in the plan, whereby in-network reimbursement will remain at eighty percent (80%) and out-of-network reimbursement will be paid at sixty percent (60%). Effective January 1, 2009, the additional penalty for out-of-network charges will be five hundred dollars ($500.00) per calendar year for individual covered persons and one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per calendar year per family. A tax-free premium conversion program in conformance with applicable Internal Revenue Service rules and regulations will be established by the City effective January 1, 2006.
Effective January 1, 2009, the individual and family dental plan calendar year deductibles will increase from twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per individual and seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per family to fifty dollars ($50.00) per individual and one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) per family.
Effective January 1, 2009, all non-union employees covered by the General Payroll Ordinance and the City’s full-time elected officials will be entitled to participate in the Ohio AFSCME Care Plan Vision Care (1) and Hearing Aid benefits, or any other City approved alternative plan at City expense if they so elect and are accepted by the plan. In addition, the Mayor is authorized to contract for Life Insurance benefits for non-union employees at the maximum amount of forty-six thousand dollars ($46,000.00) including the additional level of twenty-six thousand dollars ($26,000.00) per employee which is the current amount provided by the Ohio AFSCME Care Program, or any other City approved alternative plan.
Any seasonal or permanent part-time employee hired after January 1, 1995, will not be eligible for or receive major medical, hospitalization, dental, life insurance, accidental death or dismemberment insurance
   (b)    Medical Exams and Physical Exams. A medical examination may be requested or required by the City, at the time of initial hiring or, as a result of an accident, injury or serious illness involving an employee. Said exam, if requested or required by the City, shall be at no loss of pay or benefits or cost to said employee. The employee and the City shall be given, within forty-eight (48) hours of an examination, a full copy of said exam and complete access to its results and interpretations. The provisions of this article shall not interfere with the requirements of employees to provide substantiation of sick leave use.
   (c)    Call-In Pay. Any employee called into work during their normal off-duty hours shall be guaranteed at least two (2) hours’ work at the appropriate rate of pay; provided that he works the same. If work is completed and the employee chooses to go home before the two (2) hours, he will be paid for the actual time worked or a minimum of one (1) hour, whichever is greater.
   (d)    Workweek, Shift Assignments and Work Hours.
      (1)   General. It is hereby provided that the standard work week for non-dispatcher employees shall be Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday as consecutive day off. For dispatchers, see the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. The establishment and makeup of new shifts shall be the prerogative of the City. The City shall continue day shifts and hours in conformance with those previously established. All shifts for all covered employees shall be for a period of eight and one-half (8 ½) hours with one-half (1/2) hour unpaid lunch period. Assignments to shifts shall be made by the Department Manager based on seniority and personal preference.
   (e)    Military Leave With Pay. Full-time employees of the City who are members of the Ohio organized militia or members of other reserve components of the armed forces of the United States, including the Ohio National Guard, are entitled to a leave of absence from their respective positions without loss of pay for the time they are performing service in the uniformed services, for a period of up to one month, not to exceed 176 hours, for each calendar year, measured from January 1 to December 31, in which they are performing service in the uniformed services. All full-time employees are entitled to receive one month, not to exceed 176 hours, of leave without loss of pay for each subsequent calendar year in which uniformed service is performed. All full-time employees will continue to earn any sick leave and/or vacation time for which they are eligible for a period of up to one month for each calendar year in which they are performing service in the uniformed services.
   Any permanent employee who is called or ordered to the uniformed services for longer than one month for each calendar year, because of an executive order issued by the president of the United States, because of an act of congress, or because of an order to perform duty issued by the governor is entitled to a leave of absence and to be paid, during each monthly pay period of that leave of absence, the lesser of:
      (1)   The difference between the employee’s gross monthly wage or salary as a employee and the sum of the employee’s gross uniformed pay and allowances received that month;
      (2)   Five hundred dollars ($500.00).
   Except that in no event shall an employee receive payments from the City for a period exceeding one month in a calendar year if the sum of the employee’s gross uniformed pay and allowances received in a pay period exceeds the employee’s gross wage or salary as an employee.
   Employees are required to submit to the appointing authority the published order authorizing the call or order to the uniformed services or a written statement from the appropriate military commander authorizing that service, prior to being credited with that leave.
   (f)    Uniform Allowance. Each full-time employee required by the City to wear a uniform on a daily basis shall be entitled to the following uniform allowances annually payable on or about June 1 of each year or as indicated:
 
CLASSIFICATION
AMOUNT PAYABLE
DATE
Chief of Police
Police Captain
Annual Allowance
$1,359.00
On or About June 1st (Annually) - Paid as Payroll Check
Chief of Fire
Assistant Fire Chief
Annual Allowance
$1,359.00
On or About June 1st (annually) - Paid as Payroll check
Police & Fire Departments
Records and Information
Supervisor
$656.00
On or About June 1st (annually) - Paid as payroll checks
Safety Education Specialist
Annual allowance -
$1,359.00
On or about June 1, or When Hired Paid as payroll check
   (g)    Benefits for Retirees. Those employees whose last immediately employment was with the City of Stow and who are resigning for the purpose of applying for a bona-fide retirement under the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, the Police and Firemen’s Disability and Pension Fund of Ohio or other recognized State of Ohio pension fund, whether for regular or disability retirement benefits, shall be entitled to continue to receive and participate in the group health, accident, medical and dental insurance programs under the master policies of the City of Stow until the effective date of the receipt of health care coverage retirement benefits under the respective state retirement system or until such time as the application for retirement is officially denied by the respective pension fund boards, whichever date occurs first.
   Such extended group health, medical, and dental insurance coverage, as defined in Section 4.01 herein, shall terminate no later than ninety (90) days after the end of the month during which the employee terminated employment with the City of Stow.
   Life insurance premiums shall be paid by the City for bonafidely retired personnel whose last immediate employment was with the City. Such premiums for the life insurance shall be for the amount of insurance the employee was entitled to at their retirement date in accordance with the Master Insurance Policy of the City and shall continue until such personnel attain the age of seventy (70).
   It is the responsibility of the employee who has resigned in order to apply for such retirement, to proceed with the retirement application without undue delay. The Finance Director shall have the authority to terminate City health care coverage for such employee if the Finance Director determines that the employee is not eligible for bona fide retirement or has not proceeded to apply for and secure, in a timely manner, such retirement benefits.
(Ord. 2023-081. Passed 9-28-23.)