13. INSURANCE AND INJURY BENEFITS

13.1 INSURANCE SOLICITATION

13.1.1 Because of the individual responsibility and competitive nature of insurance selection, no solicitation of any type (in person, by hand-out, by mail, etc.) will be allowed on School Board property by any representative of an insurance company, insurance agency, or any organization which makes insurance of any type available.

13.2 HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE COVERAGE

13.2.1 The School Board agrees to pay the premium for the employee for a comprehensive medical insurance program.

13.2.2 The employee may insure his/her dependents with the School Board's comprehensive medical insurance program, provided that he/she pays the additional premium and provided they are enrolled within the first thirty-one days of employment or within the first thirty-one days of a change in dependent coverage. Evidence of insurability will be required during other times.

13.2.3 The School Board agrees to pay the premium for employee coverage for term life insurance. The employee shall designate a beneficiary for the payment of such coverage.

13.2.4 Teachers on leave or on retirement may continue insurance coverage by paying the total premium on a quarterly basis to the school system.

13.2.5 The Board shall continue to provide the employee's health and life insurance when the employee is granted any extended health or maternity leave. However, this obligation shall not extend past the end of the fiscal year in which the health leave was initially granted. Illness beyond accrued sick leave shall not be classified as a health leave.

13.3 PRE-TAX BENEFIT PROGRAM

13.3.1 The Board shall make available to employees a pre-tax benefit program that will allow employees to purchase insurance and other benefits through pre-tax payroll deduction.

13.4 TAX SHELTERED PROGRAMS

13.4.1 The Board will identify the companies authorized to sell programs to teachers so long as they qualify and operate under the adopted policies and procedures.

13.4.2 Any amendment to employee contracts for annuity purposes shall be made in the period from August 18 through March 31 of any given year.

13.5 INCOME PROTECTION AND CANCER INSURANCE

13.5.1 The Board will continue the income protection and cancer plans which have been available with the teacher bearing the expense, as long as the two companies continue to allow reasonable group rates, have enrolled a reasonable number of employees which justifies the cost of the deduction, and abide by item 13.1 (Insurance Solicitation) of this contract.

13.6 PERSONAL INJURY BENEFITS RESULTING FROM ASSAULTS/BATTERIES

13.6.1 Whenever a teacher is temporarily absent from school and temporarily unable to perform his duties as a result of an assault/battery incurred in the scope and course of his employment and not the result of his own negligence, he will be paid his full salary less the amount of any workers' compensation payment or award made for temporary disability due to said assault/battery for the actual period of such temporary absence, as verified by a doctor, for a total period of up to 12 months from the date of such assault/battery. Such pay shall not exceed the amount an employee is entitled to receive under their contract. Absences directly attributable to an assault/battery will not be charged to sick leave. See Section 15.2 for additional requirements.

13.6.2 The Board shall have the right to have the teacher examined by a physician designated by the Board to assist it in determining the length of time during which the teacher is temporarily unable to perform his duties, and that the disability is attributable to the injury involved. In the event there is an adjudication of the period of temporary disability in the appropriate workers' compensation proceeding, the Board may adopt such adjudication.

13.7 REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSSES DUE TO ASSAULTS/BATTERIES

13.7.1 Whenever a teacher's personal property is soiled, damaged, or destroyed by students or non-students as a result of personal physical assaults, and when such losses occur in the performance of his school duty and if recovery by the Board is not possible through legal means, the teacher may obtain reimbursement by submitting a memo to the Risk Management Department explaining the circumstances. An additional memo from the principal recommending reimbursement is also required. Estimates for damages must be attached to the claim. All such assaults must be reported in accordance with the teacher assault policy (Section 4.2).

13.8 WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS (Also see Section 12.11)

13.8.1 If payment of salaries by the Board and payment of workers' compensation benefits results in double payment for any period of service, such overpayment shall be returned to the Board. Board payments will cover up to the first ten workdays of absence for each approved injury or illness with a maximum of ten such paid days each fiscal year. To receive more than one paid day for an on-the-job injury, an employee must submit a written excuse from work from a doctor or a medical facility. After the employee goes off the payroll of the Board, the compensation insurance shall be paid to the employee.

13.9 NOTICE OF INJURY REPORT

13.9.1 All employees shall report on-the-job injuries to their supervisor immediately. A Notice of Injury report shall be completed in detail by the administrator or supervisor and forwarded to the Supervisor of Risk Management and Safety in the next school mail.

13.9.2 If medical treatment is required, the injured employee shall be given a "Referral for Medical Treatment" form which will enable him/her to report to a doctor or hospital for treatment under Workers' Compensation benefits. The supervisor shall complete the top half of the form. The injured employee is responsible for insuring that the bottom half of the "Referral for Medical Treatment" form is completed by the doctor or hospital at the time of treatment and is forwarded to Risk Management and Safety in the next school mail. This form is proof of medical treatment and/or excuse from work by a doctor. Workers' Compensation benefits will be delayed until this proof is received by Risk Management and Safety.

An employee needing care from a doctor will be assigned such medical care as per Statute 440.13.

If an in-the-line-of-duty injury results in an employee missing work after the day of injury, the work location shall call Risk Management and Safety by phone and inform them of the date the employee returns to work.