1. MEDICAL HEALTH INSURANCE
All full-time teachers will have the option of enrolling in the mutually agreed upon medical plans as modified below.
Effective September 1, 2011 through October 31, 2012, the System shall offer the Personal Choice 25/35/70 Plan and the Keystone 10 Plan with $25/35 doctor co-pays without co-pays for inpatient hospital deductible and outpatient surgery deductible. There will be no change in emergency room co-pays.
Effective September 1, 2011 through October 31, 2012, the prescription drug co-pay for the Personal Choice Plan and the Keystone HMO Plan shall be $10 generic, $25/40 brand.
If the composite rate increases by less than twelve percent (12%) for the November 2012 renewal or less than ten percent (10%) for the November 2013 renewal, there shall be no change in the medical plans.
If the composite rate increases by twelve percent (12%) or more for the November 2012 renewal or by ten percent (10%) or more for the November 2013 renewal, the Personal Choice medical plan shall be changed in accordance with Appendix B. With this change, the Keystone HMO Health Plan shall also be changed so that the Inpatient Hospital Co-Pay, Outpatient Co-Pay, Primary Care and Specialist Co-Pays and Prescription Drug Co-Pays are the same as the Personal Choice Plan.
The System reserves the right to self-insure the medical plans or to adopt a retrospective funding arrangement for the medical plans.
In the event of any change in the manner in which the medical plans are administered, the coverage under the plans shall be equal to or better than the coverage agreed to for that plan year.
The System reserves the right to directly contract with a pharmacy benefit manager to provide prescription plan benefits with the plan design agreed upon by the System and the Association.
The System and the Association will work together to promote wellness programs provided by the medical plan providers.
Health Care Legislation: If national or state health care legislation requires any change in health insurance and related provisions set forth in the Agreement, the Agreement shall be amended to conform with governing federal and state law.
1a. Where the participating member of the Medical Health Plan has a spouse who is employed and covered under another group insurance program, and where said spouse is also “head of household” then individual coverage only will be supplied to the participating member.
1b. All teachers enrolled in the mutually agreed upon medical plans shall contribute toward the monthly premium cost.
Effective November 1, 2011, the teachers’ medical contributions will be thirteen and one-half percent (13.5%) for the Personal Choice Plan and eleven and one-half percent (11.5%) for the Keystone Health Maintenance Organization Plan.
If the composite rate increase for the November 2013 renewal exceeds fifteen percent (15%), the teachers’ medical contributions will be fourteen percent (14%) for the Personal Choice Plan and twelve percent (12%) for the Keystone Health Maintenance Organization Plan.
The Association and the System reserve the right to allocate Health & Welfare funds of up to one-half of one percent (.5%) to subsidize the employee contributions for Personal Choice coverage for two (2) or more persons if the composite rate increases by fifteen percent (15%) or more for the November 2013 renewal. If the cost of the plan selected is higher than the Personal Choice Plan, the teachers shall also pay any difference in cost between the premium for that plan and the Personal Choice Plan.
Pre-Tax Basis: Payments by teachers toward premium costs may be made on a pre-tax basis as long as the law permits.
Deductions for medical insurance cover the plan year beginning on November 1 and ending the following October 31. New permanent teachers will not be charged medical contributions for the months of September and October.
In addition, teachers who retire or leave the System will not be entitled to a refund of contributions which they have paid for the months of September and October.
Medical contributions will be deducted from November through June for those on a ten-month payroll and November through August for those on a twelve-month payroll.
1c. Effective September 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, a teacher who has twenty-five (25) or more years of service and who is between the ages of fifty-five (55) and fifty-nine and one-half (59 ½) and who is eligible for and elects to begin receiving an early retirement pension under the terms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan, shall have the option at the time of his/her retirement of having the full cost of the medical insurance premium paid to a maximum of $10,000 per year, net of the medical contribution listed in Section 1c3, up to the beginning of the month the teacher reaches age sixty-five (65) or of receiving $5,000 per year as a supplement to his/her early retirement pension. Teachers wishing to exercise this option must notify the Office of Catholic Education in writing of their decision to retire by May 1, 2012. Their retirement date would be effective on July 1, 2012.
Effective September 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012, a teacher who has twenty-five (25) or more years of service and who is between the ages of fifty-nine and one-half (59 ½) and sixty-five (65) and who is eligible for and elects to begin receiving an early retirement pension under the terms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan, shall have the option at the time of his/her retirement of having the full cost of the medical insurance premium paid to a maximum of $10,000 per year up to the beginning of the month the teacher reaches age sixty-five (65) or of receiving $5,000 per year as a supplement to his/her early retirement pension.
1c1. A teacher who notifies the System of his/her intention to retire after May 1, 2012 and who has twenty-five (25) or more years of service and who is between the ages of fifty-nine and one-half (59 ½) and sixty-five (65) and who is eligible for and elects to begin receiving an early retirement pension under the terms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan, shall have the option at the time of his/her retirement of having the full cost of the medical insurance premium paid to a maximum of $10,000 per year, up to the beginning of the month the teacher reaches age sixty-five (65) or of receiving $5,000 per year as a supplement to his/her early retirement pension.
1c2. Effective September 1, 2011, a teacher who has twenty-five (25) or more years of service and who is between the ages of fifty-five (55) and sixty-five (65) and who is eligible for and elects to begin receiving a disability retirement pension under the terms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan, shall have the option at the time of his/her retirement of having the full cost of the medical insurance premium paid to a maximum of $10,000 per year net of the medical contribution listed in Section 1c3, up to the beginning of the month the teacher reaches age sixty-five (65) or of receiving $5,000 per year as a supplement to his/her disability retirement pension.
1c3. A teacher who has twenty-five (25) or more years of service and who retires between the ages of fifty-five (55) and fifty-eight (58) as set forth in Article XIII, Sections 1c and 1c2 and who elects to continue coverage in the medical plan shall be responsible for paying the monthly medical contribution set forth in Article XIII, Section 1b. The contributions will change annually based on the cost of the plan selected and the provisions of Article XIII, Section 1b. The contributions for medical coverage will end the month the teacher reaches age fifty-eight (58).
1c4. The payment of the $5,000 supplement per year as set forth in Article XIII, Sections 1, 1c1, and 1c2 shall begin in the January following the teacher’s retirement and shall be pro-rated in the first year of the teacher’s retirement and in the last year to the month the teacher reaches normal retirement age as defined by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan.
The teacher shall have the option of changing his/her election of coverage one (1) time during the period in which the teacher retires and subsequently attains the normal retirement age.
1c5. The teacher must complete the retirement application and be approved by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan for an early or disability retirement pension in order to remain eligible for the provisions of Article XIII, Sections 1c, 1c1 and 1c2.
1d. Retired teachers who are not yet eligible for Medicare and are not covered by Article XIII, Section 1c shall have the option of continuing on the Medical Health Plan. The cost of the plan shall be borne by the teacher.
Retired teachers who are eligible for Medicare shall have the option of participating in one (1) of three (3) medical plans which are to be mutually agreed upon by the System and the Association. The cost of the plan shall be borne by the teacher.
The System and the Association have mutually agreed to offer the following medical plans to retirees who are eligible for Medicare:
The plan choices will remain in effect unless the plans are no longer available from the carriers or either party proposed a change to the choices offered by September 1st of each year and such proposed change is mutually agreed upon.
A retired teacher who is eligible for Medicare and whose spouse is not eligible for Medicare, shall have the option of covering his/her spouse in the Medical Health Plan until said spouse is eligible for Medicare. The cost of the Plan shall be borne by the teacher.
1e. If a teacher, teacher's spouse or dependent would lose medical coverage for any of the following reasons, continuation coverage will be offered at the teacher's expense for the following periods of time:
| Voluntary Termination of Employee | 18 months |
| Involuntary Termination of Employee (except for gross misconduct) | 18 months |
| Disability of Employee as Determined under the Social Security Act | 18 months |
| Dependent Child no longer qualifies as dependent under group health plan | 18 months |
1f. In the event of the death of an employee, the System will, at its expense, continue the medical insurance coverage for the surviving spouse and dependent children for a period of three (3) years from the date of the employee's death provided that the spouse is not eligible for other coverage.
2. The teachers, members of the bargaining unit, shall, without cost to themselves, continue to be entitled to the benefits of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan as set forth in the official pension plan. Said Pension Plan is not otherwise a subject matter of this Agreement. However, in the event that said Pension Plan is discontinued for any reason during the term of this Agreement, the Association may immediately request collective bargaining on the subject of a pension.
A representative of the Association selected from a list of two (2) nominees submitted by the Association will be appointed to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Board of Trustees.
2a. Each year of the Contract, the Association of Catholic Teachers may make recommendations to the Board of Trustees of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan. The Secretary for Catholic Education agrees to promptly transmit these recommendations to the Board for consideration, and he or she will promptly forward the Board’s responses to the Association.
2b. Any teacher who is eligible for and elects to begin receiving an early retirement pension under the terms of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan will, upon request, be offered a position, subject to Article XIII, Section 2b1, as service period assistant at the last school at which he/she was employed as a teacher for not more than nineteen (19) hours per week at the rate of thirteen dollars ($13.00) per hour. Service period assistants hired under the provisions of this Section shall be employed for no more than four (4) years after their retirement. Any individual employed under this Section shall not be covered by any other terms or provisions of this Agreement, nor shall he/she be entitled to any other benefits provided for in this Agreement with the exception of a lunch at no cost on the days he/she works.
The retired teacher may accept a service period assistant position in another school if there is an opening.
2b1. Schools having 1,000 or more students shall be required to employ no more than five (5) service period assistants. Schools having under 1,000 students shall be required to employ no more than three (3) service period assistants.
New service period assistant positions shall be offered only to individuals who retired during the last school year, in order of school seniority. Notification of employment will be made by July 30 of each year.
Any openings in service period assistant positions that occur during the school year will remain open until the end of the school year.
3. A Group Life Insurance Program shall be continued by the System. This plan shall provide group life insurance for each full-time lay teacher in the amount of $50,000. The cost of this plan shall be borne by the System.
Teachers shall have the option to purchase up to an additional $100,000 of life insurance in increments of $10,000 subject to all terms and conditions imposed by the carriers. The cost of the additional insurance shall be borne by the teacher.
4. The System shall provide one (1) lunch at no cost for the lay teachers on all regularly scheduled school days.
5. All staff members shall have equitable parking privileges.
5a. The System agrees to pay the deductible on the comprehensive portion of a teacher’s motor vehicle policy if vandalism occurs at a school function as long as the vandalism on school property can be substantiated.
6. The System will provide excess automobile liability coverage applicable to teachers transporting faculty members and/or students on or as part of school activities. The Master Contract of such coverage shall be sent to the Association.
7. In order to offer the opportunity for the improvement of professional competence, the System shall set aside a fund of $60,000 each year to assist some of the lay teachers in their pursuit of an approved educational goal which shall be relevant to a teaching position in the System.
Fifty percent (50%) of the tuition costs incurred by the teacher will be reimbursed by the Archdiocese. The maximum study grant shall be $1,800 each year for undergraduate level courses, $2,100 for graduate level courses taken toward a Master’s Degree and $2,400 each year for courses taken toward a Doctoral Degree. After one (1) year of satisfactory teaching with the System, a teacher will be eligible to receive this grant. Teachers who have received a study grant for two (2) consecutive years are not eligible to receive it for the following year. Regulations affecting this Section shall be subject to mutual agreement between the Association and the System.
Applications for a study grant shall be posted in all schools no later than September 15. Applications for a study grant shall be submitted no later than October 15. The teachers selected and the Association shall be so notified by November 1.
8. The System will provide a disability income plan with voluntary teacher participation providing long-term disability income benefits for sickness and accidental injury. One-half (1/2) of the cost of this program will be borne by the System and one-half (1/2) by the teacher. Any change in the plan or carrier shall be by mutual agreement of the System and the Association.
Teachers must utilize all accumulated sick days prior to disability leave. Teachers may, at their option, retain a bank of thirty (30) sick days, provided that the thirty (30) day elimination period has been met.
9. The System will continue the existing dental plan for full-time teachers. The total cost of this program will be borne by the System. Any change in the plan or carrier shall be by mutual agreement of the Association and the System and both parties have the right to be present at and will be notified in advance of any meetings with the carrier(s).
10. The System shall continue the voluntary Tax Deferred Annuity Program. The Association has the right to be present at and will be notified in advance of any meetings between the System and the carrier(s). Any changes in the carrier(s) shall be by mutual agreement of the System and the Association. There shall be a total of four (4) companies designated as Tax Deferred Annuity Companies.
10a. All monies shall be remitted to the companies within three (3) working days of each pay date.
11. Any full-time lay teacher who has dependent children attending the Secondary Schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia shall not be expected or required to pay Diocesan Registration Fees, Tuition, and School Fees for such children. Children of a teacher who dies while he/she is an employee of the System shall not be expected or required to pay Diocesan Registration Fees, Tuition and School Fees.
11a. Dependent children of a teacher who retires from the System shall not be expected or required to pay Diocesan Registration Fees, Tuition and School Fees.
12. Teachers on approved leaves (Article VI, Section 16) or teachers and their dependents as described in Article XIII, Section 1e who wish to remain in the group medical, dental or life insurance plans shall remit the premiums for such plans thirty (30) days in advance of the due dates.
Retired teachers (Article XIII, Section 1d) and laid-off teachers (Article VII, Section 1f) who wish to remain in the group medical or dental plans shall remit the premiums for such plans thirty (30) days in advance of the due dates.
13. The System shall provide the Association utilization reports on the Medical Health Plan and the Disability Plan annually as soon as they become available. An annual meeting with representatives of each of these plans shall be held, if requested.
14. It is understood that if Unemployment Compensation is discontinued by the System for any reason, the System shall continue to follow the guidelines and shall replace the compensation program with comparable coverage.
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