Skilled Care in a Nursing Facility This plan covers skilled nursing services in a skilled nursing facility if: • the services are prescribed by a physician: • your condition needs skilled nursing services, skilled rehabilitation services or skilled nursing observation; • the services are provided by or supervised by licensed technical or professional medical personnel; and • the services are not custodial care, respite care, day care, or for the purpose of assisting with activities of daily living.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT A. The Board of Education agrees to pay the actual tuition costs of courses taken by a teacher at accredited colleges or universities up to three courses per two (2) year fiscal periods from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2008 and July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010 respectively, except as follows:
1. No teacher may be reimbursed for courses taken during the first year of teaching in Vineland.
2. Teachers taking courses in the second and third years of employment in Vineland will not receive remuneration until tenure has been secured. The remuneration will then be retroactive and will be paid to the teacher in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the teacher has secured tenure.
3. All courses must be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee subject to the following requirements:
(a) A teacher must provide official documentation that he/she has obtained a grade of B or better;
(b) Reimbursement shall be paid only for courses directly related to teacher’s teaching field which increase the teacher’s content knowledge and are related to the teacher’s current certification, as determined by the Superintendent or his/her designee in his/her sole discretion; no reimbursement shall be paid for courses leading to a post graduate or professional degree in a field other than education or teaching. Further, effective September 1, 2010, all newly hired teachers shall not be eligible for reimbursement until they are tenured, and they shall not be eligible for retroactive reimbursement upon gaining tenure for courses taken prior to being tenured.
(c) The maximum total payments to be made by the Board shall not exceed $130,000.00. Courses shall be applied for no earlier than the following dates: Summer Session - April 1 Fall/Winter Session - June 1 Spring Session - October 1 Courses must, as set forth hereinabove in this sub-article 18.A.3, be pre-approved by the Superintendent or his designee, prior to the teacher commencing the course(s); and
(d) Teacher taking courses shall sign a contract requiring them to reimburse the Board for all tuition paid for a course if the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board within one (1) full school/academic year of completion of said course, except that reimbursement shall not be required when the teacher shall voluntarily leave the employ of the Board due to a significant, documented life change.
4. Tuition reimbursement costs shall be a sum not to exceed the actual cost of college credits charged in an accredited public State college/University of the State of New Jersey.
B. When the Superintendent initiates in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs designed to improve the quality of instruction, the cooperation of the Vineland Education Association will be solicited. Notwithstanding the above, the initiation of in-service training courses, workshops, conferences and programs shall be determined solely at the discretion of the Board.
C. One professional leave day may be granted to a teacher upon request, according to the following guidelines:
1. The professional day may be for attendance at a workshop, seminar or visit to another school for the expressed purpose of self professional improvement for the job.
2. The request shall arrive in the office of the Superintendent of Schools at least ten (10) working days prior to the date requested and shall be reviewed by the immediate supervisor prior to submission. The Board reserves the right to deny a professional leave day before or immediately following a holiday or on a day which by its nature suggests a hardship for providing a substitute.
3. No more than two teachers from any one elementary school or from any one department in the secondary schools may be granted a professional leave for a given day.
4. The teacher may be required to submit a report to the Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, supervisor (s), principal and staff regarding the activity of the professional day.
5. Costs incurred by the teacher for the professional day authorized under this Section shall be the teacher’s responsibility.
6. A maximum of 90 professional leave days may be authorized for the school year which shall be apportioned as follows: elementary, 35; grades seven and eight, 20; and high school, 35.
D. If the Board initiates a teacher’s attendance at a professional workshop, seminar or visit, the expenses shall be the responsibility of the Board. Further, this day shall not be subtracted from the 90 professional leave days granted to teachers of the Association.
E. The Board agrees to pay the full cost of courses taken by secretaries related to skills and knowledge improvement when such courses are required and approved by the Board.
F. The Board and the Association agree that it is important to communicate when developing and implementing current and future learning technologies, including but not limited to distance and on-line learning.
Durable Medical Equipment (DME), Medical Supplies, Prosthetic Devices, Enteral Formula or Food, and Hair Prosthesis (Wigs) This plan covers durable medical equipment and supplies, prosthetic devices and enteral formula or food as described in this section. DME is equipment which: • can withstand repeated use; • is primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; • is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury; and • is for use in the home. DME includes supplies necessary for the effective use of the equipment. This plan covers the following DME: • wheelchairs, hospital beds, and other DME items used only for medical treatment; and • replacement of purchased equipment which is needed due to a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty, or cannot be repaired. DME may be classified as a rental item or a purchased item. In most cases, this plan only pays for a rental DME up to our allowance for a purchased DME. Repairs and supplies for rental DME are included in the rental allowance. Medical supplies are consumable supplies that are disposable and not intended for re- use. Medical supplies require an order by a physician and must be essential for the care or treatment of an illness, injury, or congenital defect. Covered medical supplies include: • essential accessories such as hoses, tubes and mouthpieces for use with medically necessary DME (these accessories are included as part of the rental allowance for rented DME); • catheters, colostomy and ileostomy supplies, irrigation trays and surgical dressings; and • respiratory therapy equipment. This plan covers diabetic equipment and supplies for the treatment of diabetes in accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-30. Covered diabetic equipment and supplies include: • therapeutic or molded shoes and inserts for custom-molded shoes for the prevention of amputation; • blood glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, external insulin infusion pumps and accessories, insulin infusion devices and injection aids; and • lancets and test strips for glucose monitors including those with special features for the legally blind, and infusion sets for external insulin pumps. The amount you pay differs based on whether the equipment and supplies are bought from a durable medical equipment provider or from a pharmacy. See the Summary of Pharmacy Benefits and the Summary of Medical Benefits for details. Coverage for some diabetic equipment and supplies may only be available from either a DME provider or from a pharmacy. Visit our website to determine if this is applicable or call our Customer Service Department. Prosthetic devices replace or substitute all or part of an internal body part, including contiguous tissue, or replace all or part of the function of a permanently inoperative or malfunctioning body part and alleviate functional loss or impairment due to an illness, injury or congenital defect. Prosthetic devices do not include dental prosthetics. This plan covers the following prosthetic devices as required under R.I. General Law § 27-20-52: • prosthetic appliances such as artificial limbs, breasts, larynxes and eyes; • replacement or adjustment of prosthetic appliances if there is a change in your medical condition or if the device is not functional, no longer under warranty and cannot be repaired; • devices, accessories, batteries and supplies necessary for prosthetic devices; • orthopedic braces except corrective shoes and orthotic devices used in connection with footwear; and • breast prosthesis following a mastectomy, in accordance with the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 and R.I. General Law 27-20-29. The prosthetic device must be ordered or provided by a physician, or by a provider under the direction of a physician. When you are prescribed a prosthetic device as an inpatient and it is billed by a provider other than the hospital where you are an inpatient, the outpatient benefit limit will apply. Enteral formula or food is nutrition that is absorbed through the intestinal tract, whether delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. Enteral nutrition is covered when it is the sole source of nutrition and prescribed by the physician for home use. In accordance with R.I. General Law §27-20-56, this plan covers enteral formula taken orally for the treatment of: • malabsorption caused by Crohn’s Disease; • ulcerative colitis; • gastroesophageal reflux; • chronic intestinal pseudo obstruction; and • inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Food products modified to be low protein are covered for the treatment of inherited diseases of amino acids and organic acids. Preauthorization may be required. The amount that you pay may differ depending on whether the nutrition is delivered through a feeding tube or taken orally. When enteral formula is delivered through a feeding tube, associated supplies are also covered. This plan covers hair prosthetics (wigs) worn for hair loss suffered as a result of cancer treatment in accordance with R.I. General Law § 27-20-54 and subject to the benefit limit and copayment listed in the Summary of Medical Benefits. This plan will reimburse the lesser of the provider’s charge or the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. If the provider’s charge is more than the benefit limit, you are responsible for paying any difference. This plan covers Early Intervention Services in accordance with R.I. General Law §27- 20-50. Early Intervention Services are educational, developmental, health, and social services provided to children from birth to thirty-six (36) months. The child must be certified by the Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) to enroll in an approved Early Intervention Services program. Services must be provided by a licensed Early Intervention provider and rendered to a Rhode Island resident. Members not living in Rhode Island may seek services from the state in which they reside; however, those services are not covered under this plan. Early Intervention Services as defined by DHS include but are not limited to the following: • speech and language therapy; • physical and occupational therapy; • evaluation; • case management; • nutrition; • service plan development and review; • nursing services; and • assistive technology services and devices.
Leave for Medical and Dental Care (a) Where it is not possible to schedule medical and/or dental appointments or appointments with a registered midwife outside regularly scheduled working hours, reasonable time off for such appointments for employees or for dependent children shall be permitted, but where any such absence exceeds two hours, the full-time absence shall be charged to the entitlement described in Clause 20.12. "Medical, dental and/or registered midwife appointments" include only those services covered by the BC Medical Services Plan, the Public Service Dental Plan, the Extended Health Benefit Plan and assessment appointments with the Employee and Family Assistance Program.
(b) Employees in areas where adequate medical and dental facilities are not available shall be allowed to deduct from their credit described in Clause 20.12 the necessary time including travel and treatment time up to a maximum of three days to receive medical and dental care at the nearest medical centre for the employee, their spouse, dependent child and a dependent parent permanently residing in the employee's household or with whom the employee permanently resides. The Employer may request a certificate of a qualified medical or dental practitioner, as the case may be, stating that treatment could not be provided by facilities or services available at the employee's place of residence. An employee on leave provided by this clause shall be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable receipted expenses for accommodation and travel to a maximum of $510 effective April 1, 2019, $520 effective April 1, 2020, and $530 effective April 1, 2021 per calendar year.
(c) An employee otherwise entitled to leave pursuant to (b) above who chooses to travel on a vacation day or a day of rest or to remain at work and not accompany their spouse, dependent child or dependent parent, as provided in (b) above, may claim the reimbursement of receipted expenses under the conditions stipulated.
(d) Employees in receipt of STIIP benefits who would otherwise qualify for leave under this clause shall be eligible to claim expenses in the manner described above.
(e) Where leave pursuant to (b) above would be reduced, the Employer may approve airfare payment for the employee in lieu of the $510 effective April 1, 2019, $520 effective April 1, 2020, and $530 effective April 1, 2021 reimbursement, once per calendar year.
(f) For the purpose of this clause, "child" includes a child over the age of 18 residing in the employee's household who is permanently dependent on the employee due to mental or physical impairment.
State Facilities If the State makes space available to the Party in any State facility during the term of this Agreement for purposes of the Party’s performance under this Agreement, the Party shall only use the space in accordance with all policies and procedures governing access to and use of State facilities which shall be made available upon request. State facilities will be made available to Party on an “AS IS, WHERE IS” basis, with no warranties whatsoever.
TEACHER FACILITIES A. The Board shall provide for each actively employed teacher:
1. A serviceable desk, chair and computer.
2. Access to a dining table.
3. A lockable desk, file cabinet or closet in which teachers may store instructional materials and supplies.
4. An appropriately furnished room to be reserved for the exclusive use of staff as a faculty lounge. Said room will be regularly cleaned by the custodial staff and will be in addition to the other teacher work areas. However, staff will be expected to keep the lounge reasonably neat and orderly.
5. Access to well-lighted and clean employee restrooms, separate from the students' restrooms with appropriate supplies.
6. Storage facilities for special instructional personnel.
7. In accordance with applicable food and nutrition guidelines, the principal, at request by a majority of the teachers, may arrange for the installation of a maximum of two faculty vending machines in each faculty lounge. All proceeds from the machines shall be used in such manner as the majority of teachers and educational support employees of that building shall determine. Cost, if any, of installation shall be borne by the teachers and educational support employees of each school.
B. Where feasible in existing buildings, and in all new buildings, the following will be provided.
1. A teacher work area containing adequate equipment and supplies to aid in the preparation of instructional materials.
2. A communication system so that teachers can communicate with the main office from their classrooms, provided that such system is used only for emergency announcements during class periods.
3. Space for teachers' dining in a faculty lounge or other room unavailable to students with tables and chairs sufficient to accommodate teachers during their lunch period.
C. Teachers shall report in writing to the principal any condition considered unsafe or hazardous. The principal shall take action(s) as appropriate and shall notify the teacher in writing of such action(s) taken within five (5) days.
D. A telephone will be made available for teachers to use for school business. Teachers and principals shall arrange this use to provide reasonable privacy during the call. During the workday, teachers may make personal phone calls only if the calls cannot be made at any other time.
E. Teachers who need access to a telephone for school business after the workday ends shall arrange this access with the principal. Teachers with supervisory responsibilities will also have access to the building.
F. An adequate portion of the parking lots at each school will be reserved for teacher parking. Effective July 1, 2012, newly hired employees assigned to the South East Street Central Office location will be required to pay a fee of $45 per month if they elect to park in designated BOE parking areas. Twelve-month employees may elect payroll deduction to allocate payments over 24 equal paychecks. Eleven-month employees may elect payroll deduction to allocate payments over 22 equal paychecks. Ten-month employees may elect payroll deduction to allocate payment over 20 equal paychecks.
G. The Board will take steps to ensure teachers have access to their classrooms when custodians unlock the buildings in the morning and up to one (1) hour before custodial shifts end on weekdays during the school year, provided rooms are not being utilized by outside user groups. Teachers shall have access to their rooms during summer operating hours during summer months unless there is scheduled maintenance, outside user groups or FCPS programs occurring.
Professional Development and Training The Company shall pay for or reimburse the Executive for any reasonable professional development or training.
Surgery Services This plan covers surgery services to treat a disease or injury when: • the operation is not experimental or investigational, or cosmetic in nature; • the operation is being performed at the appropriate place of service; and • the physician is licensed to perform the surgery. This plan covers reconstructive surgery and procedures when the services are performed to relieve pain, or to correct or improve bodily function that is impaired as a result of: • a birth defect; • an accidental injury; • a disease; or • a previous covered surgical procedure. Functional indications for surgical correction do not include psychological, psychiatric or emotional reasons. This plan covers the procedures listed below to treat functional impairments. • abdominal wall surgery including panniculectomy (other than an abdominoplasty); • blepharoplasty and ptosis repair; • gastric bypass or gastric banding; • nasal reconstruction and septorhinoplasty; • orthognathic surgery including mandibular and maxillary osteotomy; • reduction mammoplasty; • removal of breast implants; • removal or treatment of proliferative vascular lesions and hemangiomas; • treatment of varicose veins; or • gynecomastia.
Chiropractic Services This plan covers chiropractic visits up to the benefit limit shown in the Summary of Medical Benefits. The benefit limit applies to any visit for the purposes of chiropractic treatment or diagnosis.
Employee Facilities Employee Facilities. Restrooms and attendant facilities shall be provided as required in the orders and regulations of the State of Washington Department of Labor and Industries. A good faith effort will be made by the Employer to provide facilities for employees’ personal belongings.
