3420 - BENEFITS

Cabell County Schools

Bylaws & Policies

3420 - BENEFITS

The State of West Virginia, through the Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), shall offer all eligible professional personnel staff members with the following benefits:

	A.	Hospital and Medical Care Benefits

		Through a flexible benefits program, all employees shall have the opportunity to enroll in hospitalization, surgical, prescription drug, and other medical care benefits.

	B.	Life Insurance

		A basic $10,000.00 decreasing term life insurance policy is provided at no additional cost if enrolled for health benefits. If an employee is not enrolled for health benefits, s/he may enroll for basic life insurance at no cost. Optional life insurance is available up to $500,000.00 with the cost based upon age. If an employee enrolls for more than $100,000.00, a statement of health must be completed and approved. Dependent life insurance is available for an employee’s spouse in amounts of $5,000.00 to $20,000.00 and child(ren) in amounts of $2,000.00 to $10,000.00.

The following are other benefits provided by the State of West Virginia:

	A.	Holidays

		The following days are designated by the State of West Virginia as holidays for school employees if the days are within their contract period: Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s birthday, Memorial Day, and West Virginia Day.

	B.	Personal Leave

		Full-time employees shall be eligible for personal leave equal to one and one-half (1 1/2) days per month, three (3) which may be taken without regard to the cause of absence. Unused leave shall be accumulative without limitation and shall be transferable within the State.

	C.	Outside of School Environment Days

		Six (6) days shall be designated by the county board to be used by the employees outside the school environment.

	D.	Tuition Reimbursement

		Tuition reimbursement is available through the West Virginia Department of Education for professional personnel who hold a continuing contract, are required to renew his/her certificate, and are taking courses required and approved for renewal of certificate or holds a valid West Virginia Certificate or First Class Permit for full-time employment and is seeking an additional endorsement in a shortage area and resides in the state or is employed regularly for instructional purposes in a public school in the state.

	E.	Early Notification of Retirement

		Any classroom teacher who gives written notice to the County Board on or before the first day of December of the school year of their retirement from employment with the Board at the conclusion of the school year shall be paid $500.00 from the "Early Notification of Retirement" line item established for the Department of Education for this purpose, subject to appropriation by the legislature. If the appropriations to the Department of Education for this purpose are insufficient to compensate all applicable teachers, the Department of Education shall request a supplemental appropriation in an amount sufficient to compensate all such teachers. Additionally, if funds are still insufficient to compensate all applicable teachers, the priority of payment is for teachers who give written notice the earliest. This payment shall not be counted as part of the final average salary for the purpose of calculating retirement.

	F.	Liability Coverage

		The State Board of Risk and Insurance Management (BRIM) shall provide appropriate professional or other liability insurance for the County Board of Education, teachers, supervisory and administrative staff members, service personnel, volunteers, County Superintendent of Schools and School Board members.

	The insurance shall cover any claim, demand, action, suit, or judgment by reason of alleged negligence or other acts resulting in bodily injury or property damage to any person within or without any school building, if, at the time of the alleged injury, the teacher, supervisor, administrator, service personnel employee, County Superintendent, School Board member, or employee was acting in the discharge of his/her duties, within the scope of his/her office, position of employment, under the direction of the Board of Education or in an official capacity as a County Superintendent or as a School Board member.

	The insurance coverage shall be in an amount to be determined by the BRIM, but in no event less than $1,000,000 for each occurrence.

The following benefits are provided by Cabell County:

	A.	Excess Liability Coverage

		In addition to the liability insurance provided by the State, the County Board of Education shall purchase, through the Board of Risk and Insurance Management, excess coverage of at least $5,000,000 for each occurrence. The cost of this excess coverage will be paid by the County Board of Education. Any insurance purchased under this section shall be obtained from a company licensed to do business in this State.

		The insurance policy shall include comprehensive coverage, personal injury coverage, malpractice coverage, corporal punishment coverage, legal liability coverage as well as a provision for the payment of the cost of attorney’s fees in connection with any claim, demand, action, suit or judgment arising from such alleged negligence or other act resulting in bodily injury under the conditions specified in this policy.

		The County Superintendent and other school personnel shall be defended by the County Board or an insurer in the case of suit, unless the act or omission shall not have been within the course or scope of employment or official responsibility or was motivated by malicious or criminal intent.

	B.	Workers' Compensation

		West Virginia State Law requires Workers' Compensation to be provided to all employees of the Board.

	C.	Retirement

		All regular professional personnel employees are required to join the Teachers' Retirement System administrated by the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board. The retirement system has three plans. The Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) Plan 1 was established on July 1, 1941, and closed for membership on June 30, 1991. Six percent (6%) of their salary is deducted as the employee's contribution to their retirement plan and the employer contributes fifteen percent (15%). The Teachers' Defined Contribution Retirement System (TDC) Plan 2 is a multiple employer covering full time employees who were hired for the first time between July 1, 1991, and June 30, 2005, and those TRS members who voluntarily elected to transfer to TDC. This plan has commonly been referred to as the "new plan". This system closed to new members on June 30, 2005. Employees in this plan contribute four and one half percent (4.5%) of their salary to the plan and the employer contributes seven and one half percent (7.5%).

		All new employees hired for the first time on or after July 1, 2005, and Teachers' Defined Contribution (TDC) members who selected to transfer to Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) are required to be members of TRS-Plan 3. Six percent (6%) of their salary is deducted as the employee's contribution to their retirement plan and the employer contributes seven and one half percent (7.5%).

	D.	Leave Donation Program

		In accordance with Leave Donation Program established by the County Board, employees are authorized to transfer accrued personal leave days to designated employees under certain conditions. This benefit provides an opportunity for employees who have exhausted available leave and who experience a catastrophic medical emergency to obtain additional personal leave.

	E.	Personal Leave Bank

		The Board shall establish a personal leave bank or banks to which employees may contribute days of personal leave per school year. The bank or banks may be established either jointly or separately for both professional and school service personnel and that a bank may be available to all school personnel. Such personal leave bank or banks shall be established and operated pursuant to rules adopted by the Board.

	F.	Vacation

		All full-time, 261 day employees shall be eligible for vacation leave.

	G.	Employee Assistance Program

		Employee Assistance Program which, through outside instructional counseling, may provide help for instructors and their families in areas including, but not limited to, emotional disorders, chemical (alcohol or drug) abuse, and/or marital, financial, family, legal, or occupational problems. The program shall be reviewed by the Superintendent and a recommendation for these services shall be made to the Board for approval.

	H.	Dental/Optical Insurance

	I.	Long-Term Disability Insurance

	J.	403(b) Tax-Deferred Retirement Programs

	K.	Short-Term Leave of Absence

		The Superintendent or his/her designee shall have the authority to grant a short-term leave of absence for 1-49 days to an employee in any school year.


	L.	Long-Term Leave of Absence

		The board shall have the authority to grant a long-term leave of absence for 50-261 days.

	M.	Leave Time for Organ Donation

		A full-time employee shall receive leave with pay for donation of kidney, portion of a liver or bone marrow.

WV Code 29-12-5a
WV Code 5-16-1, et seq.
WV Code 18-5-45
WV Code 18A-5-2
WV Code 18A-4-10
WV Code 18A-4-10a
WV Code 18A-4-10c
WV Code 18A-4-10d
WV Code 18A-4-10f

Revised 1/6/09
Revised 3/15/10