From Gary Johnson, Chair of the VCCCDRA Benefits Committee
09/18/2019
ATTENTION: Couples who receive Dual District Benefit Coverage (Couples in one household who both have earned their own District benefits)
The District intention is to contract with CalPERS to provide future District Benefits. This change of benefits would eliminate Dual District Benefit Coverage.
CalPERS is not permitted to recognize two members of a household, each earning and receiving separate District coverage. CalPERS cannot continue to provide them separate coverage. CalPERS cannot provide the dual coverage such District couples now receive and cannot provide the “coordination of coverage” benefits they now receive. Instead, CalPERS forces a couple, each entitled to lifetime healthcare benefits, to decide which of them will have primary coverage and force the other to absorb nullification of a fundamentally important retiree benefit they have a contractual right to.
We assume the District will try to provide some compensation for the loss of the second coverage and, upon the death of the designated couple member, will automatically reinstate the surviving member to full primary coverage position. However, the District has not proposed either of these actions yet. There are 48 couples who would be affected by such a change and the projected savings to the District could be in the neighborhood of $500,000 annually, which obviously motivates them to consider CalPERS.
The couple members are presumably spread across all work locations, employment designations, and may be actively employed or retired. Their members extend beyond SEIU or AFT representation and they share a common interest in dual coverage.
We need to identify the 48 couples in order for them to potentially communicate and work with one another, should the District move toward contracting with CalPERS. SEIU and AFT have also been asked to identify couples.
To that potential end, please email the following information to Gary Johnson at freevcnet@aol.com:
- You and your spouse/partner’s names
- Your work location(s)
- Your bargaining unit(s) (AFT or SEIU or neither?)
- Your hire dates and contract tiers if you know them (at a minimum: what year were you hired?)
- Whether you are actively employed or retired
- Your email address, home address, and preferred non-work phone number
Since we can’t get this information from the District, we really appreciate your help. Please spread the word and encourage all dual covered couples you know to respond, and provide the Retirees Association with the names of any Dual Coverage couples you are aware of.
Again, please email the requested information, listed above to: Gary Johnson at freevcnet@aol.com
Thank you.
