| Subject: Paid Elected Officials ARE eligible for Group Health and Life Ins Benefits after Leaving office |
Author:
Shawn
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Date Posted: 10:34:10 04/28/04 Wed
Sorry to cross post and interrupt your forum here guys, but I wanted to make sure this all gets out prior to the debate (to get this issue off of the table).
I did a lot of research and study on the chapter 32 group insurance laws this weekend. I could understand what was covered, but finding the retirement eligibility was difficult, so I consulted the town Human Resources Director, Mr William Zounes. He is the person responsible for the town employee benefits, so I feel is accountable and authoritative on this issue.
I sent him a letter asking a few key questions, such as:
Do we have a Mass Chapter 32 benefits plan?
Are elected officials considered employees of the town in terms of the eligibility requirements for this plan?
Are elected officials who leave office eligible for retirement benefits and what are the eligibility requirements for such benefits.
Some of his replies are:
"Yes, Dracut and every other City and Town in the State must comply with Chapter 32B of the Mass. General Laws."
So, yes, I was looking at the right laws.
Elected officials that are paid compensation for their positions are eligible to participate in the Town’s Group Health & Life Insurance Plans
As we expected, when they got paid.. they gained these benefits.
Elected officials who have chosen to join the Middlesex Regional Retirement System and who have completed ten years of creditable service in any paid position in either state or municipal government may retire from that System. Once retired, they do receive a monthly pension benefit and they may continue to participate in the Town’s Health and Life Insurance Plans
...any active municipal employee who works 19 or more hrs. per week and compensated elected officials are eligible to become members of the Middlesex Regional Retirement System
This applies not only to elected officials, but to school employees who are not part of the Mass Teachers Retirement system, and town employees who move from one town to another city/town or state position as well.
Now.. in addition..
Chapter 32, Section 3 .2.vi Defines Eligibility of Elected Officials for Chapter 32 Approved Retirement Plans
And by inference, if they are eligible to join, they are eligible to use the benefit.
The local rules and policies for eligibility are maintained by the local retirement board, and approved by The
Massachusetts Public Employee RetirementAdministration Commission (PERAC).
Chapter 32B Section 9
Retired employees can continue group health coverage:
Section 9. The policy or policies of insurance shall provide that upon retirement of an employee, the policy or
policies providing at least two thousand dollars of group life insurance and at least two thousand dollars of group accidental death and dismemberment insurance as set forth in section five, except the optional coverage referred to therein, shall be reduced to one thousand dollars of group life insurance, unless the governmental unit has accepted section nine F, and the retired employee shall make payment of the full premium cost, subject to the provisions of section nine A or nine E, whichever may be applicable, of the average group premium as determined by the appropriate public authority for such insurance; and the group general or blanket insurance providing hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance, as provided under sections four, eleven C, and sixteen as may be applicable, shall be continued and the retired employee shall pay the full premium cost, subject to the provisions of section nine A or section nine E whichever may be applicable of the average group premium as determined by the appropriate public authority for such hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance.
Chapter 32b Section 9A:
Town can choose to pay 50% or more of premium:
Section 9A. A county, except Worcester county, by vote of the county commissioners, a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter by majority vote of its city council, any other city by vote of its city council, approved by the mayor, and a district by vote of the district at a district meeting, may provide that it will pay one-half of the amount of the premium to be paid by a retired employee under the provisions of the first sentence of section nine. A town shall provide for such payment if a majority of the votes cast in answer to the following question which shall be printed on the official ballot to be used at an election in said town is in the affirmative:--""Shall the town pay one-half the premium costs payable by a retired employee for group life insurance and for group general or blanket hospital, surgical, medical, dental and other health insurance"
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