Chapter 3 County of Allegheny 1701 Tentative Agreement

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

between

COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY

and

SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION

LOCAL 668, CTW, CLC

(Row Offices - Unit 1701)

            Intending to be legally bound the parties hereto agree to the following changes to the collective bargaining agreement between the parties which expired on July 31, 2008.  Except as otherwise provided herein the provisions of the agreement will remain the same.

1.         Term of Agreement - Four years; January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2012.
2.         Wages – All base wage rates shall be increased by the following amounts on the 
             dates indicated:

            1/1/2009                     2.5% increase

            1/1/2010                     3.0% increase

            1/1/2011                     3.0% increase

            1/1/2012                     3.0% increase

3.         Article XXII related to Insurance Benefits shall be amended as follows:

            .     .     .

3.   Health Plan

      Regular full-time employees covered by this agreement will be eligible to
      participate in the County’s hospitalization plan beginning the first day of the first
      month immediately following completion of the probationary period.

A.        Regular full-time employees covered under this agreement will be
eligible to participate in the Highmark PPO Blue Plan.  Except as provided
below, the specific services and benefits of the plan shall remain the same
as existed on December 31, 2008.  The main features of the healthcare
plan are as follows:

                  1.         Co-pays per visit during the agreement shall be as follows:

                              Doctor visits                                                  $20.00

                              Mental Health and Substance Abuse         $20.00

                              Emergency Room                                         $75.00

                              Prescriptions shall be as follows:

                                                                  $5.00 Generic

                                                                  $20.00 Brand Formulary

                                                                  $45.00 Brand Non-Formulary

                                                                  (Charges for mail order shall be

                                                                   double these amounts)

                  2.         Chiropractor visits - 20 visit maximum per benefit period

      3.         Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy visits
                  shall be unlimited.

      4.        Effective January 1, 2010, the healthcare plan shall have an
                 individual deductible of $200 per calendar year or a family
                deductible of $400 per calendar year; provided however, that, if 
                the covered employee completes the requirements of the
                “Lifestyle Returns” wellness program offered by Highmark, the
                $200/$400 deductibles will be waived as set forth below.

a.   The Lifestyle Returns Program will include i.)  a Pledge; ii.)  a Health Risk Assessment; iii.)  scheduling preventive exams; iv.)  participating in two health and wellness programs; and v.)  completing the requirements of a healthy education course (reading about a particular subject and completing a survey.)

b.   To be eligible for the waiver of the $200 individual and $400 family deductible for calendar year 2010, the covered employee must complete all of the requirements of the Lifestyle Returns program in 2009 before September 30, 2009.  To be eligible for the waiver of the $200 individual and $400 family deductible for subsequent calendar years, the covered employee must complete the Lifestyle Returns program each year before September 30 of the previous calendar year.  Employees shall receive a day off or $125 for each calendar year in which they complete the requirements of the Wellness Program.

c.   Highmark or County may change the name of the wellness program provided for herein or change the requirements of that program from time to time.  Allegheny County will meet and discuss any such change in the requirements with the Union.

d.   A newly hired employee shall not be subject to the $200/$400 deductibles during the calendar year in which the employee is hired.  In order for the deductibles to be waived in the year following the year in which the employee is hired, the employee must comply with the Lifestyle Returns participation requirements set forth above as follows:

                                                (1)       employees who become eligible for healthcare
                                                            benefits between January 1 and March 31 shall be 
                                                            required to complete all steps of the wellness program
                                                            by September 30;

                                                (2)       employees who become eligible for healthcare
                                                            benefits between April 1 and July 31 shall be required 
                                                            to complete the first three (3) steps of the wellness 
                                                            program (i.e.  i.)  a Pledge and ii.)  a Health Risk 
                                                           Assessment and iii.)  scheduling preventive exams) 
                                                           by September 30;

                                                (3)       employees who become eligible for healthcare 
                                                            benefits between August 1 and December 1 shall be 
                                                            required to complete the first two (2) steps of the 
                                                            wellness program (i.e.  i.)  a Pledge and ii.)  a Health 
                                                            Risk Assessment) within 60 days of becoming eligible 
                                                            for healthcare benefits.

B.        All covered participants must verify dependent eligibility upon 
           request.  For employees who opt not to be covered under County
           plans, they may re-enroll annually during the open enrollment period. 
           They may re-enroll earlier upon the occurrence of one of the following:

1.   Death of a spouse;

2.   Divorce or legal separation;

3.   Lay off of spouse;

4.   Voluntary resignation of spouse;

5.   Involuntary resignation of spouse;

6.   Retirement of spouse (causing a reduction in health care
      benefits);

7.   Spouse's coverage is reduced through no fault of spouse;

8.   The employee loses coverage from other employment.

C.        All benefits shall be coordinated and not duplicated.  In addition to
           non-duplication of benefits under this Agreement, an employee's 
           insurance coverage shall be coordinated with similar coverage
           provided by other employers to employees' spouses, to the end that
          a covered occurrence shall be indemnified only once to the extent
          provided herein, with primary coverage apportioned in accordance
          with normal insurance standards.  It is further understood that the
          insurance benefits set forth shall be provided upon execution of a
          proper application by each eligible employee and acceptance by the
         carrier in accordance with normal insurance standards.  The
         hospitalization-surgical coverage will be provided to each employee
         who does not have equal or better coverage through an insurance plan
         provided by another employer to the employee's spouse.  The County
         may require employees to verify the extent of insurance coverage, if 
         any, provided by another employer.

D.        Dental Insurance

            Dental Insurance shall be available to all employees eligible to
            participate in the health plan.

1.   Employees may choose either the Concordia Flex plan or the
      Concordia Plus program.

2.   The actual cost of the Concordia Flex plan will be shared by the
      County paying ninety percent (90%) and all participating
      employees contributing ten percent (10%) by payroll deduction.

3.   The County shall pay towards the cost of an employee's
       participation in the Concordia Flex program an amount not more
       than it would have paid for such employee's participation in the
       Concordia Plus plan.

4.    The Concordia Flex plan shall have an individual deductible of
     $50 per calendar year or a family deductible of $100 per 
     calendar year.

            4.         Both the health plan and dental plan described above are subject to 
                        changes (including but not limited to changes in the names of the 
                         plans)  which may be made by the carriers of those plans.  In the
                         event that the carriers indicate substantial changes may be made in
                         the plans either the County or the Union may request a reopening of
                         the contract as to those health or dental benefits only.

      5.         Cost Containment

            It is specifically understood that during the term of this Agreement, the      
           County shall have the right to institute, delete or modify the full range of   
           wellness and all cost containment measures in hospitalization, surgical,    
           major medical, and dental coverage.  The program shall be at no         
           additional cost to employees (other than the participation arrangements   
           set forth herein) and benefits shall not be reduced.

      6.         Effective January 1, 2009, each bargaining unit employee who receives 
                   insurance benefits (health care, dental or vision) shall contribute 1.0% 
                   of his or her base salary towards a premium.  Effective January 1,
                   2010, the contributions shall increase to 1.5% of base salary.  Effective
                  January 1, 2011, the contributions shall increase to 2.0% of base
                  salary.  Contributions shall be made by paycheck deduction.

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, and intending to be legally bound to all of the above
terms and conditions, the parties have this ______ day of ___________________, 2009 hereto affixed their signatures below.