It is the policy of the Seattle School Board that the district may make available health, dental, vision, life and accidental death, long term disability or salary protection insurance, and may contribute all or part of the cost of such insurance.  The district may also offer additional employee benefits, to include an employee assistance program, a flexible spending account plan, a retirement program, voluntary tax-deferred savings, leaves, and a wellness program. 

The district will utilize a Joint Insurance Committee (JIC), which includes representatives from Seattle Public Schools administration and labor partners, to provide health benefits recommendations to the district, by way of the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. 

Unemployment Insurance 

The district will participate in the program lawfully available for fulfilling its unemployment insurance obligation that is most financially and administratively efficient.  

Those who are eligible under the terms of the unemployment compensation pool agreement with the district will be provided with the unemployment benefits to which they are entitled. The district will maintain the records required by the state employment security department and retain them for not less than four years. 

Medical Insurance 

Medical plans are offered in the district on a payroll deduction plan. Staff may select from among those plans that are made available by the district. The district will make a contribution toward approved insurance premiums for each full-time staff member each month in an amount that is determined by the state legislature. The district may provide prorated contributions toward premiums for staff who work less than full-time. In the event of any legislative changes in funding for employee benefits, such funding changes will be applied automatically. 

When a staff member is on leave and the staff member’s accumulated paid leave has been exhausted or Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has expired, benefits eligibility will end.  The district will notify the staff member that insurance benefits are terminated.  When allowed by the insurance carrier contract, the District will notify the staff member that he or she may voluntarily continue coverage by self-paying the premiums. The district will accept the premium from the staff member and remit it to the carrier each month during the term of an approved leave of absence, but not for longer than 12 consecutive months. 

In compliance with the federal COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) law, the district will offer continuing health care coverage on a self-pay basis to staff members and their dependents following a qualifying loss of benefits eligibility.  The district will comply with all aspects of the federal COBRA rules, including but not limited to notifications, eligibility and enrollment, premium payments, and terminations.