Common use of Death of a Unit Member Clause in Contracts

Death of a Unit Member. Should a unit member die while in paid status, the District shall pay the cost of the unit member's health insurance program through the fringe benefit year in which the unit member’s death occurs. The insurance carrier permitting, the District shall allow the unit member’s spouse or dependent to purchase continued health insurance for up to two (2) fringe benefit years subsequent to that in which the unit member died, provided that during that time the spouse or dependent has not remarried or become eligible for health insurance coverage with a different employer. Either remarriage or employment that has health insurance as a benefit shall provide sufficient reason to end all access to District benefits for the unit member’s spouse or dependent. If the spouse or dependent is neither remarried nor employed where health insurance is available through the employer at the end of the second year subsequent to that of the unit member’s death, and the spouse or dependent is in a state of economic hardship, the District will request that the carrier continue to allow the District to sell to the spouse or dependent for one more year the coverage previously sold. The District shall be the sole determiner of economic hardship. All purchases of health insurance coverage under this provision shall be made annually and in advance. Unused portions of such payment shall be refunded to the purchaser. Date and method of payment and other implementing procedures shall be determined by the District.