act 93 agreement

WHEREAS, the Board and the eligible school administrators (participants) desire to enter a written agreement regarding the salaries and fringe benefits as provided in §1164 of the Pennsylvania Public School Code of 1949, as amended NOW THEREFORE, the Board and the participants agree as follows:

1. TERM OF AGREEMENT:

The term of Agreement shall begin on July 1, 2007, and shall continue in effect until June 30, 2009. Salaries of Act 93 positions shall be established for the period of July 1 through June 30 of each year.

2. POSITIONS INCLUDED:

For the purposes of this Agreement, the positions included shall be those specifically addressed by Section 1164 and any additional positions that the Board may, from time to time, deem appropriate. Board decisions regarding the applicability of this Agreement and participant determination may be subjects of “Meet and Discuss” sessions with representatives of the Act 93 participants at their request. Positions covered by this agreement are listed below:

• Director of Athletics and Student Activities • Director of Curriculum and Technology • Director of Pupil Services • High School Principal • Assistant High School Principals • Middle School Principal • Assistant Middle School Principal • Elementary School Principals • Assistant Business Administrator • Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds • Assistant Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds • Supervisor of Transportation • Supervisor of Food Service (10 month position)

Administrative Compensation Plan 2 Act 93

3. SALARIES:

Salaries for positions shall be determined in accordance with the following guidelines and shall remain in effect until revisions have been approved by the Board.

3.1. The amount of the salary increase for each of the school years during the

term of this agreement will be established by calculating a total of 4.0% increase on the current participant’s compensation. Any equity increases needed to provide parity with similar positions within Lehigh County districts will be deducted from the calculated total salary increase for all positions except those approved by separate Board action. The remaining salary increase amount will be converted to a percentage and distributed to the participants utilizing a percentage of County average for the years of service. The years of service percentage and distribution of equity adjustments will be made in accordance with the District’s established practices as summarized by the tables below:

YEARS OF SERVICE PERCENTAGE

Dates County Average Year

Starting after July 1 90% 0 As of July 1st following year 90% 1 As of July 1st following year 93% 2 As of July 1st following year 96% 3 As of July 1st following year 98% 4 As of July 1st following year 100% 5 Movement along 5 year progression to county average is NOT considered as equity in formula.

Equity Adjustment Divisor & Distribution Dates $0-$1000 1 time = 7/1 $1001-$2000 2 times = 7/1 and 14th pay (50%/50%) $2001+ 3 times = 7/1, 14th pay and 6/30

(34%, 33% and 33%)

3.2. All participants shall be paid one salary for all administrative work so assigned

by the Board and Superintendent of the Northwestern Lehigh School District. Salaries shall be distributed over twenty-six pay periods for all participants.


4. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

4.1 VACATION All twelve month participants shall be entitled to twenty (20) vacation days per

year if they have completed one (1) full year of school service as of the first July 1, following their employment. A school year is defined as July 1 through June 30 for all 12 month participants and September 1 through August 31 for all 10 month participants. Every new participant will be hired on a two full month probationary period, in which time no vacation days are accrued. For every month worked after the initial two months, two vacation days are earned.

Days earned and taken in the first year of employment will be charged against

the second year’s vacation day balance. The balance to be carried forward for posting as of July 1. Subsequent years will be credited with 1.67 vacation days per month. Ten month Participants shall be entitled to five (5) vacation days after one full school year of service.

4.1a. Each participant who has earned a full vacation entitlement will be encouraged to use a minimum of a two-week block of uninterrupted vacation or two one-week blocks of uninterrupted vacation during the summer months. 4.1b. Vacation days may not be accumulated and carried forward. Unused vacation days will be converted to sick days on June 30 of each year. A participant, after having completed five (5) full years of service in an

administrative position, is eligible to save up to a maximum of five (5) unused vacation days per year to a maximum overall limit of 30 to be credited to an “End of Employment Bank.” These saved days would be reimbursable at the participant’s per diem rate the last pay date in June of the year he/she leaves the district. Those unused vacation days in excess of five (5) per year or 30 cumulative banked days will continue to be translated into sick leave.

4.1c. Participants are not entitled to pay in lieu of earned vacation, except as

provided in 4.1b. However, qualifying departing Participants are entitled to pay for all unused/earned vacation days.


4.2 SICK LEAVE

Sick leave shall be at the rate of 1 day per month worked. A 10 month participant would receive 10 days and a twelve month participant would receive 12 days. All unused sick days are cumulative.

4.3 PERSONAL/EMERGENCY DAYS

Each participant shall be entitled to 3 days absence with pay per school year for personal/ emergency reasons. These days are not intended to be used as vacation days. Personal day requests shall be made three days in advance, in writing, to the supervisor and no explanation need be stated. Use of emergency days needs no advance permission. Unlimited unused personal/emergency days may be carried forward from year to year. A participant may use no more than five personal/ emergency days in any one year. At retirement unused personal days will be converted to sick days.

4.4 HOLIDAYS

Each 12 month participant shall be entitled to 15 paid holidays per year as determined by the School Board. A 10 month participant does not receive paid holidays.

4.5 MEDICAL BENEFITS

4.5a. Health

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4.5d., the then current Lehigh County health insurance consortium standard health insurance coverage for physicians, hospitalization, and major medical coverage (for an unlimited lifetime maximum, with a per benefit period deductible of $250 per participant/$750 per family, and 80% co-insurance up to $350 per family participant out of pocket maximum), shall be provided by the District for each participant and his/her family, including dependent children who qualify as full-time students until the attainment of twenty-three (23) years of age. The then current Lehigh County health insurance consortium PPO coverage will be offered as an alternative to the standard health coverage previously described.

4.5b. Dental

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4.5d., the District shall provide dental coverage through the then current Lehigh County health consortium standard or alternative PPO health insurance coverage for each participant and his/her family.


4.5c. Prescriptions

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 4.5d., the District shall provide prescription coverage through the then current Lehigh County health consortium standard or alternative PPO health insurance coverage for each participant and his/her family, deductibles as follows:

Year Retail Brand Retail Generic Mail Brand Mail Generic

2007-08 $30.00 $5.00 $40.00 $5.00

2008-09 $35.00 $5.00 $45.00 $5.00

4.5d. Individual and Dependent coverage

The participant is required to make monthly contributions to receive medical insurance coverage as follows: Year Individual Coverage

Contribution Dependent Coverage

Contribution 2007-08 $20.00/month $55.00/month 2008-09 $25.00/month $65.00/month

4.5e. Vision and Medical Expense Benefit

Each participant will be reimbursed up to $400 per year to be applied to the cost of vision care, a yearly medical examination and/or any uncovered medical service(s) provided by a health care practitioner or for medical care not otherwise provided under this agreement. Payment will be provided upon submission of proof of payment to the Superintendent. This benefit is non-cumulative.

4.5f. Sick Day Conversion to Health Insurance Coverage

The District will provide the then current Lehigh County health insurance consortium standard or PPO medical coverage including prescription and dental for the employee and his/her spouse and dependent(s) as applicable per the following Sick Day Translation Chart to employees upon their retirement with the district and PSERS, or following the employee’s departure from employment with the district for up to a period of one year; or less if employed by another employer within the year.


Sick Day Translation Chart

Full Year (July 1 – June 30)

Partial Year (At Retirement or QLSE*)

Single 25 days/year 2 days per month

Husband/Wife 45 days/year 4 days per month

Family 50 days/year 4 days per month

* Qualifying Life Status Event Note 1 re: Conversion:

In the year the employee retires, or if the retiree experiences a Qualifying Life Status Event (QLSE), at a date other than as of July 1 of the year, medical coverage will be provided by converting the appropriate number of sick days for each month’s coverage for the respective type coverage (single, husband & wife or family) during the year of the retirement or the year of the QLSE according to the partial year column of the Sick Day Translation Chart. Medical coverage will provided in subsequent years without a QLSE by converting the appropriate number of sick days for a full year’s coverage for the type coverage requested (single, husband & wife or family) at open enrollment according to the full year column of the Sick Day Translation Chart. Any remaining days that cannot be converted to a full year’s coverage for the type of coverage currently elected by the retiree will be converted utilizing the days specified in the partial year’s column. Any remaining days that cannot be converted to a full month’s coverage for the type of coverage currently elected by the retiree will be lost. Note 2 re: Balance of Sick Days after Conversion to Health Coverage: The employee may elect to surrender any additional sick days not used in his/her conversion to medical coverage at the retirement date only for a one-time post retirement benefit of $50 per day to be paid by the 10th of the month following the month of retirement through the District’s 403(b) plan. The maximum amount of paid unconverted days can not exceed 1.5 days.


4.5g. Work Related Lost Time

Time lost by any participant in connection with an incident while enforcing school policies, shall not be charged against the participant’s sick bank, and the participant shall suffer no loss of pay or fringe benefits (consistent with PSERS guidelines) up to a period of six calendar months beginning with the date of the incident. Payroll distribution by the District would be coordinated with Workers’ Compensation Benefits to insure the participant would receive his/her normal pay for the designated period of six months from the date of the incident.

4.5h. Premium Assistance

An employee electing retirement medical coverage under this agreement will be required to pay to the Northwestern Lehigh School District the then current amount designated by PSERS for Premium Assistance. The retiree’s payment shall be forwarded to the district at the beginning of each month for which they are receiving medical coverage with the district. As long as the district continues to provide medical insurance (whether paid by the district or the retiree), the premium assistance payment will be required to be remitted to the district and will be used to reduce the cost of medical insurance for the retiree.

4.6 TSA

Participants will have the option to include a maximum of $1,080 as a component of the compensation calculation in the form of a 403(b) tax sheltered annuity after the completion of three (3) full school years of employment. The cost of the TSA benefit ($1,080) will be paid by the qualifying participant and will be deducted from the participant’s base compensation in the amount of $41.54 per pay over 26 pay periods or a total cost of $1,080 per year. The total cost of the TSA ($1,080) will be deducted from the amount of the participant’s base salary increase for the applicable year. The participant will be required to complete and submit a Salary Reduction Agreement with a participating TSA provider by June 15th to participate in the TSA for the next school year. The amount of the TSA will be included in the participant’s base compensation when calculating any base salary increase for the next applicable year.


4.7 TUITION REIMBURSEMENT

Full tuition will be reimbursed for credit and/or certificated classes to improve professional skills with the following credit/certificate limits:

� without a professional development leave, 18 credits per year � with a professional development leave for one half year, 12 credits for

that half with 18 maximum for the year � with a professional development leave for a whole year, 24 credits

4.8 LIFE INSURANCE

Term life insurance equal to 2 times the participant’s yearly salary will be provided by the District.

4.9 LONG TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE

The District will provide a long-term disability policy that contains a seventy-five calendar day elimination period provision, and will begin on the seventy-sixth day or following the cessation of sick leave, whichever comes later, providing a payment of 66 2/3% of the base salary up to a maximum of $7,000 a month until age 65, less all applicable offsets defined by the Insurance Carrier. No participants shall receive both sick leave payments from the District and disability benefits from the Insurance Carrier in the application of the LTD insurance. In the event of such duplication, the participant shall render the disability payments which represent duplication to the District.

5. MILEAGE AND TRAVEL EXPENSES

Approved mileage and travel expenses will be reimbursed to participants at the IRS approved rate.

6. CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE

Participant attendance at conferences of professional associations related to specific job functions is viewed as an important way for the administration to keep abreast of the education field and to represent the District. Attendance at these functions will be coordinated and submitted to the Superintendent for approval.

7. RETIREMENT SEVERANCE

Any participant with 25 years or more of credited service with PSERS and 15 or more years of service in the Northwestern Lehigh School District; and upon four months prior written notice to the Superintendent indicating his/her intention to retire, shall be eligible for the following retirement severance benefits relevant to his/her experience:


Participant Experience Severance Less than 31 Years of Service 15% of base salary 31 Years to Less than 36 Years 20% of base salary 36 Years or more 25% of base salary

This retirement severance will be paid as a post-retirement benefit by the 10th of the month following the month of retirement through the District’s 403(b) plan.

8. BINDING TERMS OF AGREEMENT

The terms of this agreement are binding on the Board and the participants for the length of the Agreement and shall remain in effect until changed by subsequent agreements. This Agreement may be modified in writing by mutual agreement of the parties.

The Act 93 Agreement with amendments outlined above has been approved by the Northwestern Lehigh School Board on May 16, 2007. Northwestern Lehigh School Board By: _______________________________ ____________________ Gregory Snyder, President Date By: _______________________________ ____________________ Sally Schoffstall, Vice President Date By: _______________________________ ____________________ Kenneth Fisher, Act 93 Co-chair Date By: _______________________________ ____________________ Kathleen Kelley, Act 93 Co-chair Date By: _______________________________ ____________________ Susanne H. Meixsell, Superintendent Date

act 93 agreement

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