Disability Separation A. An employee with permanent status may be separated from service when the Employer determines that the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of the employee’s position due to a mental, sensory, or physical disability, which cannot be reasonably accommodated. Determinations of disability may be made by the Employer based on an employee’s written request for disability separation or after obtaining a written statement from a licensed physician or licensed mental health professional. The Employer can require an employee to obtain a medical examination, at Employer expense, from a licensed physician or licensed mental health professional of the Employer’s choice. Evidence may be requested from the licensed physician or licensed mental health professional regarding the employee’s limitations.
B. When the Employer has medical documentation of the employee’s disability and has determined that the employee cannot be reasonably accommodated in any available position for which they qualify, or the employee requests separation due to disability, the Employer may immediately separate the employee.
C. The Employer will inform the employee in writing of the option to apply to return to employment prior to their separation due to disability. The Employer will provide assistance to individuals seeking reemployment under this Article for two (2) years. If reemployed, upon successful completion of the employee’s probationary period, the time between separation and reemployment will be treated as leave without pay and will not be considered a break in service.
D. A disability separation is not a disciplinary action. Disability separation at the employee’s request is not subject to the grievance procedure in Article 30.
Long-Term Disability (Employee Paid Plans)
a) All permanent Teachers shall participate in the long term disability plan (LTD Plan) as a condition of employment, subject to the terms of the LTD plan.
b) The Board shall cooperate in the administration of the LTD Plan. It is understood that administration means that the Board will co-operate with the enrolment and deduction of premiums and provide available necessary data to the insurer, upon request. The Board will remit premiums collected to the carrier on behalf of the Teachers.
c) Where the plan administrator implements changes in the terms and conditions of the LTD Plan or the selection of an insurance carrier, the Board shall, for administrative purposes, be advised of changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the date the changes are to be implemented.
Disability Leave a. An employee who has suffered possible injury in the performance of assigned duties shall immediately undergo such medical examination as the appointing authority deems necessary. He or she shall not be considered absent from duty during the time required for such examination.
b. A regular employee who is unable to perform any appropriate work assignment because of disability incurred in the performance of assigned duties shall be entitled to the following disability leave benefits, in addition to those provided pursuant to the California Worker's Compensation Insurance Act.
(1) During any period of disability for which payment is not provided under Worker's Compensation Insurance, the employee shall be placed on disability leave with pay to the extent of any leave with pay which he or she has accrued. Such disability leave with pay shall be charged against the employee's accrued leave with pay.
(2) During any period of disability for which payment is provided under Worker's Compensation Insurance, the employee shall elect either:
(a) Retain any Workers' Compensation Benefits received during the pay period and receive full pay. The employee shall use their accrued sick leave, vacation CTO and HIL on an hour- for-hour basis to cover all hours the employee is absent from duty due to the work-related disability during the applicable pay period. Or,
(b) Retain any Workers' Compensation Benefits received during the pay period and receive a partial paycheck in an amount so that the partial pay and the Workers' Compensation Benefits added together are equivalent to the employee's full pay. The employee shall use their accrued sick leave, vacation, CTO, and HIL in an amount equal to one-half of the number of hours the employee was absent from work during the pay period due to the work-related disability. If, however, the amount of the Workers' Compensation Benefits is subtracted from the employee's full pay for the time off due to the disability, and the remainder is less than one-half of the amount of such full pay, then only the number of leave balance hours necessary to equal that remainder shall be charged.
(3) The choice of either (2)(a) or (2)(b) above shall be an irrevocable choice for the duration of the disability leave resulting from the work- related injury. However, if the employee returns to work for a period of at least thirty (30) calendar days, the employee may again elect to choose either option b.(2)(a) or b.(2)(b) for any subsequent disability leave taken as a result of (or relating to) the same injury.
c. All disability leave provisions of this section shall terminate when the employee uses all accrued sick leave, vacation, CTO or HIL balances, or upon the date of the employee's recovery from disability, receipt of permanent disability under Workers' Compensation Insurance, retirement, termination from County employment, or death.
Pregnancy Disability Leave
A. Leave for pregnancy or childbirth related disability is in addition to any leave granted under FMLA or WFLA.
B. Pregnancy disability leave will be granted for the period of time that an employee is sick or temporarily disabled because of pregnancy and/or childbirth. An employee must submit a written request for disability leave due to pregnancy and/or childbirth in accordance with agency policy. An employee may be required to submit medical certification or verification for the period of the disability. Such leave due to pregnancy and/or childbirth may be a combination of sick leave, vacation leave, personal holiday, compensatory time, exchange time and leave without pay. The combination and use of paid and unpaid leave will be the choice of the employee.
Long Term Disability Insurance Plan The Employer shall provide a mutually acceptable long-term disability insurance plan, a copy of which shall appear in Appendix “A” – Long-Term Disability Insurance Plan. The plan shall provide post-probationary regular employees with salary continuation as per Appendix “A” until age sixty-five (65) in the event of a disability. The cost of the plan shall be borne by the Employer.
Special Maternity Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees (a) An employee who:
(i) fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.02(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents her from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan maternity benefits, and
(ii) has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.02(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.02(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of maternity allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay and the gross amount of her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
(b) An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.02 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which she would have been eligible for maternity benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan had she not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance maternity benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).
– DISABILITY INCOME PROTECTION PLAN i) The Disability Income Protection Plan of the designated employer will be in accordance with the collective agreement.
ii) There will be no break in coverage and/or waiting period prior to being able to receive the Disability Income Protection Plan so long as the waiting period has already been served.
Disability Plan The City and the Union agree to the following changes to the Medium Term Disability (MTD) and Long Term Disability Plans as defined in Schedule “J”, Letter of Intent (all other provisions of Schedule “J” Letter of Intent continue to apply):
a) Conditions of Payment Medium Term Disability as defined percentages of regular gross earnings for MTD benefits for any claim and continuing for a maximum period of 50 weeks as specified below: Effective July 1, 2013 95% of regular gross earnings all MTD hours Effective Jan. 1, 2015 90% of regular gross earnings all MTD hours Effective January 1, 2013, Long Term Disability at 67% of regular gross earnings to a maximum benefit of $4,500 per month commencing on the expiry of MTD (52 weeks from date of disability); such benefit to be indexed annually in accordance with annual general increases in wage rates for the appropriate group from which the claimant is a member. In all instances, benefits cease on the employee ceasing to be disabled, death, or the employee’s minimum retirement age (60 for all employees), or that age when the employee can retire without reduction in his/her accrued pension benefit (55 and 35 years’ service for all employees). The maximum benefit payment period is twelve (12) years from the commencement of disability and is inclusive of Short Term Sick Leave, Medium Term Disability and Long Term Disability Benefits. Existing LTD claims will be “grandfathered”. If an employee in receipt of Short Term Sick Leave or Medium Term Disability returns to full-time employment then the disability will be considered as a new disability if it occurs one hundred and twenty (120) or more calendar days after he/she has returned to work.
b) Disabled Employees The City and the Union recognize that certain employees who are physically disabled are unable to continue in their regular position. Such employees may be able to work on a part-time or full-time basis in light work positions. The City and the Union encourage a cooperative effort between Management and Union representatives and the Burnaby Municipal Benefit Society and have agreed to form a committee to review the cases of such employees. The four-member committee shall consist of the Director of Human Resources, the Department Head of the Department in which the affected employee is currently employed, the President - Local 23, and the Chairman of the Union Division in which the affected employee is currently a member, or their designates; and any decisions of the committee must be unanimous. The committee may decide that a disabled employee be placed in a light duty position, as agreed to by the committee; however, any resulting increase in staff budget costs is subject to the approval of the City Manager.
Requiring Health Benefits for Covered Employees Contractor agrees to comply fully with and be bound by all of the provisions of the Health Care Accountability Ordinance (HCAO), as set forth in San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 12Q, including the remedies provided, and implementing regulations, as the same may be amended from time to time. The provisions of section 12Q.5.1 of Chapter 12Q are incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement as though fully set forth herein. The text of the HCAO is available on the web at xxx.xxxxx.xxx/xxxx. Capitalized terms used in this Section and not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Chapter 12Q.
a. For each Covered Employee, Contractor shall provide the appropriate health benefit set forth in Section 12Q.3 of the HCAO. If Contractor chooses to offer the health plan option, such health plan shall meet the minimum standards set forth by the San Francisco Health Commission.
b. Notwithstanding the above, if the Contractor is a small business as defined in Section 12Q.3(e) of the HCAO, it shall have no obligation to comply with part (a) above.
c. Contractor’s failure to comply with the HCAO shall constitute a material breach of this agreement. City shall notify Contractor if such a breach has occurred. If, within 30 days after receiving City’s written notice of a breach of this Agreement for violating the HCAO, Contractor fails to cure such breach or, if such breach cannot reasonably be cured within such period of 30 days, Contractor fails to commence efforts to cure within such period, or thereafter fails diligently to pursue such cure to completion, City shall have the right to pursue the remedies set forth in 12Q.5.1 and 12Q.5(f)(1-6). Each of these remedies shall be exercisable individually or in combination with any other rights or remedies available to City.
d. Any Subcontract entered into by Contractor shall require the Subcontractor to comply with the requirements of the HCAO and shall contain contractual obligations substantially the same as those set forth in this Section. Contractor shall notify City’s Office of Contract Administration when it enters into such a Subcontract and shall certify to the Office of Contract Administration that it has notified the Subcontractor of the obligations under the HCAO and has imposed the requirements of the HCAO on Subcontractor through the Subcontract. Each Contractor shall be responsible for its Subcontractors’ compliance with this Chapter. If a Subcontractor fails to comply, the City may pursue the remedies set forth in this Section against Contractor based on the Subcontractor’s failure to comply, provided that City has first provided Contractor with notice and an opportunity to obtain a cure of the violation.
e. Contractor shall not discharge, reduce in compensation, or otherwise discriminate against any employee for notifying City with regard to Contractor’s noncompliance or anticipated noncompliance with the requirements of the HCAO, for opposing any practice proscribed by the HCAO, for participating in proceedings related to the HCAO, or for seeking to assert or enforce any rights under the HCAO by any lawful means.
f. Contractor represents and warrants that it is not an entity that was set up, or is being used, for the purpose of evading the intent of the HCAO.
g. Contractor shall maintain employee and payroll records in compliance with the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Commission orders, including the number of hours each employee has worked on the City Contract.
h. Contractor shall keep itself informed of the current requirements of the HCAO.
i. Contractor shall provide reports to the City in accordance with any reporting standards promulgated by the City under the HCAO, including reports on Subcontractors and Subtenants, as applicable.
j. Contractor shall provide City with access to records pertaining to compliance with HCAO after receiving a written request from City to do so and being provided at least ten business days to respond.
k. Contractor shall allow City to inspect Contractor’s job sites and have access to Contractor’s employees in order to monitor and determine compliance with HCAO.
l. City may conduct random audits of Contractor to ascertain its compliance with HCAO. Contractor agrees to cooperate with City when it conducts such audits.
m. If Contractor is exempt from the HCAO when this Agreement is executed because its amount is less than $25,000 ($50,000 for nonprofits), but Contractor later enters into an agreement or agreements that cause Contractor’s aggregate amount of all agreements with City to reach $75,000, all the agreements shall be thereafter subject to the HCAO. This obligation arises on the effective date of the agreement that causes the cumulative amount of agreements between Contractor and the City to be equal to or greater than $75,000 in the fiscal year.
Long Term Disability Insurance 250. The City, at its own cost, shall provide to employees a Long Term Disability (LTD) benefit that provides, after a one hundred and eighty (180) day elimination period, sixty percent salary (60%) (subject to integration) up to age sixty-five (65). Employees who are receiving or who are eligible to receive LTD shall be eligible to participate in the City's Catastrophic Illness Program as set forth in the ordinance governing such program.
