Human|Resources > Employee Benefits > Keene Paraprofessionals

KEENE PARAPROFESSIONALS

Keene paraprofessionals are contracted each year under standardized hours which fall within the following definitions of employee status.  Eligibility for different benefits depends upon the scheduled number of annual hours.

• Year-Round Paraprofessionals - 1950 or more scheduled annual hours.
• Full-Time Paraprofessionals - 1200 or more but fewer than 1950 scheduled annual hours. 
• Regular Paraprofessionals - 990 or more but fewer than 1200 annual hours per year.
• Part-time Paraprofessionals - Fewer than 990 scheduled annual hours per year.

Year-Round or Full-time Keene Paraprofessionals who work 1200 or more scheduled annual hours are offered a comprehensive benefits package of medical insurance, including prescriptions and vision care; dental insurance; health buyout; life insurance; long-term disability and short-term disability; enrollment in the NH Retirement System; direct deposit; Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts; 403(b) plan through Fidelity; sick leave; paid personal leave; paid holidays; and vacation (for paras who work year-round).

Regular paraprofessionals who work between 30 and 32.5 hours/week, (between 990 and 1199 annual hours), are eligible for a limited number of sick days; paid personal leave; five paid holidays in 2011-12; direct deposit; Section 125 Flexible Spending Accounts and a 403(b) plan through Fidelty. 

Part-time paraprofessionals who work less than 25 hours per week (less than 990 annual hours) may elect to enroll in direct deposit and the District sponsored 403(b) plan through Fidelty.

Once hired as a Year-Round or Full-Time Keene Paraprofessional you have 30 days to choose the medical and/or dental insurance most useful to you and your dependents. Once you submit your elections, your choices will be recorded as your benefits elections until the next Open Enrollment period (every July 1st).  You may not make any changes to your elections – even within the 30 day enrollment period – unless you have a qualified family status change.  The effective date for medical and/or dental insurance is the first of any given month following date of hire or date of qualifying event.

Currently, both medical and dental insurance is offered through the Local Government Center (LGC) HealthTrust. LGC HealthTrust has contracted with Anthem BC/BS of NH to insure their medical plans and Northeast Delta Dental to insure the Option 3A dental plan offered to Year-round and Full-Time Keene Paraprofessionals.

MEDICAL PLANS

 
Summary Plan Descriptions:

• BlueChoice POS Medical Plan Summary

• Matthew Thornton Blue HMO Medical Plan Summary

• Comp 2500 Managed Care Medical Plan - Managed Care Guidelines for Comp 2500 plan
• HMO 2 - $15 co-pay and $500/person, $1,500/family deductible

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COSTS

Employee deductions for medical and dental are taken on a pre-tax basis throughout the school year.  In 2011-2012, Board's contributions for medical are based upon 92.5% of the current HMO 1 premiums.  

C2500MC	Annual Cost	Board's Annual Cost	Employee's Annual Cost	Employee Cost per payperiod*
Single	$ 6,210	$ 6,210	$00.0	$00.0
2-person	$12,419	$12,419	$00.0	$00.0
Family	$16,766	$16,766	$00.0	$00.0

HMO2	Annual Cost	Board's Annual Cost	Employee's Annual Cost	Employee Cost per payperiod*
Single	$ 6,476	$ 6,476	$00.0	$00.0
2-person	$12,953	$12,953	$00.0	$00.0
Family	$17,485	$17,485	$00.0	$00.0

DENTAL PLAN

For the 2011-12 school year, the Board will contribute maximum amounts towards the Option 3A Northeast Delta Dental Plan as shown below.

*In 2011-12, 20 payroll deductions will be taken for health and dental insurance from September 23, 2011 to June 15, 2012.

A completed Medical and/or Dental Application and Change Form is required to enroll in the District's medical and/or dental insurance.  Click here to locate the forms at the Local Government Center's webpage.

HEALTH BUY-OUT 

For the 2011-2012 year, Keene Paraprofessionals who have elected not to receive medical insurance from the District AND who have provided documentation to Human Resources that they are covered by medical insurance not provided by the District, shall receive a payment of two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,5000) upon the close of the applicable school year.  The amount shall not be prorated and no consideration for partial years will be given.  

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PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE

Prescription coverage for employees and eligible family members on the POS and HMO plans are offered through the Caremark Prescription Benefit Program at:

• $3.00 co-pay for generic prescriptions
• $15.00 co-pay for brand name prescriptions
• $1.00 co-pay for 90 day mail away through CVS/Caremark   

Prescription coverage for employees and eligible family members on the C2500MC or HMO2 plan is offered through the Caremark Prescription Benefit Program at:

• $10.00 co-pay for generic prescriptions
• $20.00 co-pay for preferred brand name prescriptions
• $45.00 co-pay for non-preferred name brand prescriptions
• Same co-pays apply to prescriptions obtained through a retail pharmacy or through Caremark's 90-day supply mail order program
  

VISION CARE

Employees and eligible family members enrolled in LGC HealthTrust’s medical plans are also automatically enrolled in the EyeMed Discount Vision Plan.  To learn more about this discount plan, read the "Vision Care" section of LGC's HealthTrust Benefits Overview located at the below link.

• EyeMed Information

LIFE INSURANCE

Term life insurance, with Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) is offered to Year-Round and Full-Time Keene Paraprofessionals at no cost through the Lincoln Financial Group.  Eligible Keene paras have a life benefit amount of $65,000 (sixty-five thousand dollars).  Life insurance goes into effect the first day an employee is eligible or begins working for the district and remains in effect until an employee either retires or resigns.  Upon first becoming eligible for the District paid term life insurance, please complete Sections A & C only, sign and date the Enrollment Form and return to Human Resources:  Lincoln Enrollment Form 

To make any future changes to your designated beneficiary(ies), complete the Lincoln Beneficiary Form and return to Human Resources.

Following is your Life Insurance Policy to print for your records, along with a copy of Lincoln's Privacy Practices Statement and information on TravelConnect-travel assistance services offered through Lincoln. 

• Keene Paraprofessionals Certificate of Life Insurance
• Lincoln Financial Group Privacy Practices Statement
• Lincoln Travel Connect travel assistance services 

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LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE

Long-term disability insurance is fully funded by the Keene School District at no cost to all Year-round and Full-Time Paras.  Long-term disability (LTD) is paid as a monthly benefit by our insurance carrier at 60% of your pre-disability earnings.  The benefit waiting period for long-term disability is the later of:  a) 90 days; or b) the date your accumulated sick leave ends, if applicable.

• LTD Insurance Booklet

SHORT-TERM DISABILITY COVERAGE

Short-term disability (STD) is paid by the District at 60% of either your per diem rate (if you are paid an annual salary), or 60% of your hourly rate (for support staff).  An employee is eligible for STD upon exhaustion of all sick leave OR on the 10th consecutive day out sick (whichever is later).

NEW HAMPSHIRE RETIREMENT SYSTEM

All Year-round and Full-time Keene paras must enroll in NHRS.  Click here for more information and enrollment forms.

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DIRECT DEPOSIT

A paraprofessional may elect direct deposit of paychecks at anytime by completing the following form and returning to the payroll office:

• Direct Deposit Form
  

SECTION 125 - FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS

Plan Year July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012

Flexible Spending Accounts allow you to set money aside on a pre-tax basis to pay for out-of-pocket healthcare and/or dependent care expenses. For complete information on these tax saving plans, click on either the HealthCare Savings Account Brochure or the Dependent Care Savings Account brochure below.  You may elect an annual election for a HealthCare Savings account of $200 minimum up to $2,500 maximum.  An annual election for a Dependent Care Savings Account is allowed at $200 minimum up to $5,000 maximum.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Beginning January 1, 2011, FSA participants can no longer use FSA money to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and medicines (e.g. Advil, Ibuprofen, cough syrup). FSA participants may continue to use FSA funds to purchase OTC items that are not considered a drug or medicine, like bandages and reading glasses.  Further information can be found at the Local Government Center's website:  http://www.nhlgc.org/coverage/fsaindividual.asp

If you wish to participate in an FSA account, please fill out the enrollment form below and return to Human Resources no later than 25 days after your hire date OR prior to July 1st during any given plan year.

• Section 125 Healthcare FSA Brochure

• Section 125 Dependent Care FSA Brochure

• Section 125 Enrollment Form - Keene Paraprofessionals

• Section 125 FSA Direct Deposit Form

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403(B) Plan

NH School Administrative Unit 29 is pleased to partner with Fidelity Investments as our exclusive provider of investment options and recordkeeping services for the SAU 29 403(b) plan.

• 403(b) Plan Information