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Home My WebLink About23-Personnel ,- ---~-~--:-.......,..---,,~-~--~-- ,.,....---~_...._-_.- "-~~'-'-------~-'--~-'-"-'~'--~C---~----"-'-~~~""""-""""-";.- "~'('""'J.._-':'] . . CI. OF SAN BERNARD8IO - REQ~T FOR COUNCIL ActiON From: M.J. Perlick Dept: Personne 1 Subject: Health Plan Continuation for Surviving Spouses of Employees vs. Surviving Spouse of Retirees Date: Synopsis of Previous Council action: Accepted Council Personnel Committee minutes of 8-10-84. which recommended that the three-year continuance policy in the Blue Cross plan for surviving spouses of em- ployees remain unchanged. Recommended motion: None ~&'L Signature Contact person: M.J. Perlick Phone: 5161 Supporting data attached: Yes Ward: nfa FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: Sou ree: Finance: Council Notes: 75-0262 Agenda Item No02. J,; ~ . CI'" OF SAN BERNARDI~ - REQU'" FOR COUNCIL ACitoN STAFF REPORT During the tirst part ot the Fiscal Year 1984/85, the City's current POliCY ot Surviving Spouse Health Plan continuance was discussed tor possible IDoditication by the Council Personnel COIDIDittee. The prograID allowed a surviving spouse Of an eIDployee who died While eID~loyed by the City to continue on in the Blue Cross plan ot the City tor a three (3) year period. An extension of the three (3) year period was discussed and then not recomIDended. During this discussion, the subject of providing such continuation for the surviving spouse of a retiree, who dies during retireIDen~, was also discussed. Although this benetit is ~ provided, it was discussed via clarification ot the continuance policy itself. The attorney representing the Police Safety unit indicates that, at SOIDe point in the past, retiree spouses retained City health plan coverage when the retiree died. We can tind no evidence of this. We have asked the attorney it he has such evidence, but have received no response. The subject of bereaved-retiree-spouse health plan continu- ance is not a IDeet and confer iteID, as it is not a "wage, hour or working condition". In addition, it cannot be established that such continuance for the bereaved-retiree- spouse is a "past practice". It thus becoIDes a request for a new benefit, but it is not a "negotiable" iteID. There ~ costs associated with such a benetit. Medical claiIDs for retirees and their spouses are proportionally higher than tor eIDployees and their spouses. Higher claiIDs drive up the plan cost/plan rates. EID~loyees react to higher plan rates by negotiating for a larger City contribution towards health plan costs. In addition neither current re~irees nor bereaved eIDployee spouses pay the "full" cost of the Blue Cross Plan. The preIDiuID costs ~ paid by the IDeIDber, but the IDonthly adIDinistration/stop loss fee ot $17.74 per enrolled faIDily group is paid by the City. Should CounCil, however, favorably consider the request of the Police Satety bargaining unit, it is strongly recoID~ended that such plan continuance be approved for a (1) year period only.. Such a period of tiIDe would give the bereaved spouse of the deceased retiree ~iIDe to get his/her affairs in order and locate a health plan to IDeet their needs. MJ:jr 75~0264 , . ,';.',. 'jj:' " . ".."" ~ . . .-- . . COUNCIL PERSONNEL COMMITTEE , August 10, 1984 Councilman Ralph Hernandez - Chairman Councilman Jack Reilly Councilman Dan Frazier City Administrator - Jack Matzer Personnel Director - Mary Jane Perlick Chief Benjamin Gonzales - Police Department Capt. P. Bonanno - Police Department Central Library Director - Bob Ewing Public Buildings Superintendent - Wayne Overstreet Council Executive Assistant - Olen J. Jones Council Executive Secretary - Estella Jarvis , 1. DISPATCHER SALARY SURVEY - After discussion, the Committee re- quested Personnel Director Perlick tq meet with Fire Chief and Police Chief concerning differences of duties and workloads of Police and Fire Dispatchers and bring a report with further data to the Committee for consideration. This item was continued. 2. . RECLASSIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS - The Committee reviewed and recommended reclassification of Custodial Supervisor from the current salary R-2l00 $1477-l801/month to R-2l07 $16ll-l962/month/; Junior Typist Clerk (Cultural Center) from current salary of R-1049 $874-l065/month to Intermediate Typist Clerk R-1057 $965-ll76/month; Principal Librarian from the current salary R-2l28 $2088-2544/month to Assistant City Librar- ian (U) R-2l38 $2363-2878/month; Principal Library Clerk from R-1073 $1176-l434/month to Clerical Operations Supervisor R-2094 $1372-1672/ month; Methods and Standards Technician Trainee from R-1080 $1283-1562/ month to Methods and Standards Technician R-1090 $1452-l768/month and if future vacancies occur, request permission to hire at Trainee level and, upgrade in the future upon department verification and personnel depart- ment job audit. . 3. DEPENDENT SPOUSE COVERAGE - BLUE CROSS - The Committee reviewed the City's Blue Cross program for providing the dependent spouse, of a deceased City employee, and recommended continued participation in the expanded Blue Cross contract remain at the present limitation of three years. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted, ~~ IL Councilman Ralph Her~ Chairman Council Personnel Committee RH:ej r ~ -~-~ --- -~..~ - - -7"'''~ ---~~~ '''''-~'--,:1!:>-~'~.;C; ~,,~--"rrf'-' '-''---'''-','''\P'' . . . . . . STEPHEN H.81LYER RtdHARD M. KREISLER CHARLES A.GOLDWASSER GEOAGEW.SHAEFFER,.JR. J. LEONARD STERN STEVENE.KAYE EDWAADQ.PEU "MfOUA R. SAFAR WlWAM J. HADDEN DAVID J. DUCHROW SUSAN SILVER NANCY P. CULVER SILVER. KREISLER. GoLDWASSER & SHAEFFER R.. - A pROfJE8SK)NAL LAWCQRPORATION EC D. - ADMIN. OFFWasECONDSTREET,SUITE200 SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA 1lO401 1985 JUN I 7 Pt), 3' 43 TELEPHONE(213)383-148S TELEPHONE(213)8~ COMMERCEBANK BUILDING 181 DOVESTREET.IUlTEIOO NEWfIC'JfT BEACtt.CAUFOANIA I2eeO TlLlPHONI(714)1U-1871 .l June 11,' 1985 OP'COUNSE\. NORMAN "SILVER . a\ "::l1I m C') m ~ <: m '=' -- I ~ C') :::::; :J:>> -< co C') .- .. m -- co :::a ::0;. PCASONALINoIURY 01' CllUN8E\. 8HALE....KAEPACI( Shauna Clark, City Clerk City of San Bernardino 300 North "0" Street San Bernardino'CA 92418-0138 Re: Health Plan Continuation for Surviving Spouses of Deceased Employees. Dear Ms. Clark: This office represents the San Bernardino Police Officer's Association. We have been contacted by our clients as a result of claims submitted by the dependents of retirees covered under various insurance plans maintained by the City for the benefit of those retirees and their dependents. In a number of recent cases when the retiree has passed away the City has indicated that it would no longer provide coverage for the surviving spouse. I am writing to request that this matter be placed on the agenda for consideration. by the Mayor and Common Council at their next regularly scheduled meeting. I am enclosing for your'review copies'of correspondence ex~hanged between this office and M.J. perlick, Director of Personnel for the City of San Bernardino. Please advise when this matter will be considered. very truly yours, ~ CAGlcs Enclosures cc: Lt. Bashaw (Encl.) r :f1'p:'^ ~ . ','.~' ;; ,'q -1!' ,"f.? r"',:.<~' '),l- ; -yt - 1;/<< f .,-, ~- '_"=,.~,-- . . c-- .4a... S'L"<> _.:~.. _.. F.IC"";=O M. JIl,;:i'S~E:t CH"Pl..!:3 .to. riCL:l....".SSi:=l Gc.O~!iE V'J. Sr!.lE?,~;:;l:. JR. J. ~C"'..li=lO S';E~N StE',!.... e.I<,.l'1! :::w.t.~:t 3. P'!LL CYN...!", ill. SAF~iR W!LU.lM .;. !-4),CCi?::"t SILVER. KREIA:R. GoLDWAS4 & SHAEFFER ~CF:SS:C...a.L ~'N COFl~"ArICN ,.~! SC:~::;ND S7?E:i. SUITE zrA S,1,~'j'A MONIC':', CA.LJFO~NIA :iO.tOl TE~?"'iCN= 12'~) 393-1486 TE~F'MO"i :2'31 870~ . CO~",!aCE!aNK eUII.D'HG t2Ql OCV! 5iFie:r, S..,IT! iOO NE'.....-.:lAf eveH, ~L.IFCPiNIA 9ztJ6a TaLl~QN' .714. 9!6-1i71 March 23, 1985 O....".O...OCCH,CW SUS"N !ILV!!\ ~"'NcY :3. e1.:l'/t:"' 0;: CCUhSc:" :lIORM.aN I. S".V5~ JtCJtSQ:.,AL iH,JUFl'f OF COUNSiL SHALt: 1'.I(;IEPACK M.J. Per lick Director of Personnel City 0= San Bertiardino 300 N. "0" S:reet San Bernardino CA 92418-0138 Re: Continuing Insurance for Retirees' Deoendents Dear Ms. Perlick: Tnis office represents the San Bernardino Police Officer~ Association. We have been contacted by the Association wi th .l;",~"'.L:;l t.:. .::~::.i:::: ~~lJm!. ~tec. by the dependants of retirees covered under various insurance plans maintained by the City for the benefit of those retirees and their dependents. It is my understanding that the City mai~tains certain insurances for retired employees and their dependents. In a number of recent cases when the retiree h~s passed away the City has ir.dicated that it would no longer provitie coverage for the s~rviving spouse. The original agreement providing for retirees' and dependents' coverage entered into a number of years ago provided that the surviving spouse of a retiree wou~d continue to receive benefits under the various insurance plans. This approach is both reasonable and practical. Understandably a surviving spouse of a retired employee will be of advanced ag~ and might therefore f~nd it very hard to obtain a policy of insurance. Since I understand that the cost of the insurance is borne by the retiree, i: does not appear that the City would suffer any finar.cial harm in a=i~i~g ~7 i~s previou~ ~greereent. Please review this matter and contact me so that we rr~y clarify the rights of a surviving spouse to continued coverage. Very trUlY~OUrS' U" J - :".' l.f ,I ~ tll.: ll.,:, /},....vt .,,:~:.:'.._ CHARLES 1... GOLD\'ASSER r~r:I,..c: ,.."'. 'O::.n1 'R:lI~'h"'M "' '~i:l"'.r '!.- ,~-,...,._._.- -""'7~'r':!;'~"",.~~'T-- "-'(-.~;~-~' <_.":"",,"-;,.~"1iii- - . . . . .' '-,' '., . . . .' . ',_I. CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO '..j!:? .~ - - '-\- 300 NORTH "0" STREET, SAN BERNARDINO. CALIFORNIA 92418.0138 April 19, 1985 ~"':'::Ii' ."" ~. - ., ... ,~ t.. . . / .. ....." ~ . /" .' ... 't.:. .1 ..' \_~ ~ ~ ~__ ~, ! :'""\ h:- ... .;;i ... ,.;:~.> !=;"i .En .. . . --'-"'j:"',, '~~..".._. ., . . '.0 "",... ... -- ,. , . ...... . PERSONNEL OEPARTMENT M.J, PER LICK DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL Mr. Chatles A. Goldwasser, Attorney at Law Silver, Kreisler, Goldwasser & Shaeffer 1428 Second Street, Suite 200 Santa Monica, CA 90401, Re: Blue Cross Health Plan Continuation for Surviving SpoQses of oeceased Employees Dear Mr. Goldwasser: We are in receipt of your letter of March 28, 1985 on the above matter. Council currently authorizes continuance on the Blue Cross health plan for a dependent spouse of a deceased City employee, for a period not to exceed three years following the death of the employee. No authorization exists for such continuation for the surviving spouse of a retiree who subsequently becomes deceased. We are not unaware of the Association's desire to extend continu- ances as above to bereaved spouses of retirees and would also like to clarify this matter. In your letter you refer to an .original agreement. which provided for such continuance. We have tried to secure a copy of the Connecticut General contract, which Paul Bashaw thinks will contain any prior continuance language. The City does not have a copy of this document and Connecticut General has been unable to provide us with same. If you have a copy, or can obtain one, please send it to us, along with any other documentation you think helpful and we will certainly take it under advisement. Your letter indicated that because of a surviving spouses' probable advanced age, a policy of insurance might be hard to obtain. Please .=." " ... (cont inued) .. ~:;.;;.. ./ __J r" "', :< , ~':-"""''' ~ "'~-' """,,,,,~"':~''''''-''ffl~c.'''':'Ij~...,,,. ~;:;':.:i" ,.;::;." ~ r'~:~'~.,,_ ^. . . . . . . Mr. Charles A. Goldwasser, Attorney at Law April 4, 1985 Page 2 be advised that Blue Cross is required to provide conversion policy information and a conversion policy to suc~ persons, upon that person's request, and such persons cannot be rejected for coverage. I look forward to receiving ,any documents you may have which contain information On spouse health plan continuance. Very truly yours, ./j~~ MARY JANE PERLICK Director of Personnel MJ:jr