May is Open Enrollment Month for the Classified Sick Leave Bank – All Classified employees will receive a yellow enrollment packet in district mail for bank membership effective July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. The packet should arrive at your work site during the week of May 1st.
All current membership ends 6/30/2015. Any Classified employee, who wishes to join, or to retain membership in the bank, must donate at least one day of sick leave by returning the completed, signed enrollment form prior to the final deadline of Friday, May 29, 2015.
Here’s how enrollment works:
- Each Classified employee will receive a yellow enrollment packet in the district mail.
- Didn’t get a form? You can make a copy of a co-worker’s blank form, and send it, or deliver it to Human Resources. (There’s a box at the HR front desk)
- After reading the rules, fill out and sign the form, fold it in half, put one small piece of tape, or put one staple in the center, and put in district mail or deliver to the box in Human Resources.
- Please do not put the form in an envelope. Follow the directions above, and it will be “self-addressed” and easy to identify.
- Please do not contact Human Resources if you have questions or problems regarding the sick leave bank. Contact me or one of the committee members:
Diana McElhinney ext. 7679
Debbie Phillips ext. 7780
Linda Warner ext. 4727
Corey Rusco ext. 5700
Jo Ann Smith cell: 541-912-5593
Classified Sick Leave Bank Questions & Answers:
Q: Can I donate more than one day to the bank?…and I only work four hours. Is that a “day?”
A: You may donate up to two days at open enrollment. However, it’s not required or recommended – it only takes one day for full bank membership. The additional day provides no extra benefit to the donor. …and yes, one “day” is considered one regular work day for you.
Q: I’ve run out of all my sick leave – how can I join the bank?
A: Your sick leave donation will take place around the new allotment of your bank credit for next school year. This should allow almost anyone to join the bank – go ahead and send in the form.
Q: I’m a new employee. I didn’t receive an enrollment packet. When can I join?
A: May open enrollment is the only time when Classified employees may join the bank. Go ahead and send in a form before the deadline. Any new employee hired after the May open enrollment, or who misses the enrollment deadline, will need to wait until May 2015 open enrollment.
Q: I have very little sick leave. Why would I want to join the bank?
A: People in this situation are the most vulnerable to loss of income, if there’s a long-term illness or injury that prevents them from being able to do their job. All 4 hour and above employees do have some income protection with our Long-Term Disability insurance. However, there’s a 90-day wait for coverage to begin, and after that, income is replaced at 66%. The Classified Sick Leave Bank can provide income replacement during that 90-day waiting period.
Q: I have several months of personal sick leave. Why would I want to join the bank?
A: In some cases, you have rights to use your personal sick leave to care for an ill dependent. If that occurs, your personal sick leave could become depleted. You would then have the “insurance” of the bank to protect your income against personal serious illness or injury. (Note: Sick Leave Bank time can only be used for the employee’s long-term incapacity)
Q: I have over three months of personal sick leave. Why would I want to join the bank?
A: If you have many months worth of sick leave, you may not receive any benefit from the bank. It’s important to remember that your situation could change, as noted above. At the minimum, donating to the bank will help those who are in serious medical situations, and who need bank support.
Prescription Coverage with Haggen Food & Pharmacy
The Albertsons stores at 3075 Hilyard and 1675 W. 18th in Eugene, and the Safeway at 5415 Main St. in Springfield have now been converted to Haggen stores. If you have prescriptions that you filled at these locations, you should be able to continue to do so without interruption. Haggen stores are in network pharmacies for OEBB. As long as Haggen Food and Pharmacy continues its pharmacy contract with Moda, there should be no issues with continued service. If you decide you’d like to transfer an existing prescription to a new location, you should start by calling the new pharmacy. Give your new pharmacy your personal information and the prescription(s) you’d like to transfer and it can work with your previous pharmacy to make the change.
You can search for an in network pharmacy when you log into your myModa account. (https://www.modahealth.com/oebb/members), or by calling Moda Pharmacy Customer service at 866-923-0411.
PEP Fund Request Deadline
The following deadline is in place for applications for the Classified Professional Education Program (PEP) fund:
Form must be in HR by Friday, May 17. Normal program rules allow one request per school year, up to $300 for workshops, classes, books, or other expenses related to professional development.
♦Funds are still available if you would like to submit a 2nd request.
Need a PEP fund request form? Please use the current form from the 4J web pages at:
♦Human Resources
♦Forms
♦Under employee
♦ (PEP) Fund Request
OEBB Healthy Futures
Completing the required Health Assessment deadline is fast approaching. You must complete your Health Assessment by May 31, 2015. As you prepare to take your health assessment having some of your personal health information handy will help you to get the most accurate score.
To get started, log into your myModa account (https://www.modahealth.com/oebb/members/) and click on the myHealth tab. From that tab, click the link at the bottom of the page “Visit Momentum now”. From there you will find the link to complete your confidential online Health Assessment.
Open Enrollment Preview
OEBB has announced that the 2015-16 Open Enrollment will require mandatory participation from all members.
Mandatory (required by law or rules) enrollment doesn’t take long to ensure you and your dependents are enrolled in the plan selection you want and your contact information is correct.
EVERYONE will be required to log in (even if you waive health insurance coverage). I hope to have additional high lights to share in the June newsletter.
PERS 2014 Annual Statements
PERS is scheduled to mail member annual statements for 2014 by the end of May 2015.
If you are currently employed in a PERS-covered position, your annual statement will be mailed to your address that 4J has provided to PERS. This is just one more reason why it’s important to keep your address up to date with 4J. PERS questions should be directed to PERS. You can reach PERS by phone at 888-320-7377.
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This newsletter is reviewed and edited each month by the District 4J and OSEA representatives of the Classified Joint Benefits Committee (JBC). The information in this newsletter is summarized, and is not intended as advice or counsel.
