New contract with support staff includes insurance savings

Grand Island Dispatch, March 17, 2006

The Grand Island Board of Education has approved a new three-year agreement with its support staff that will save the district more than $150,000 a year in health insurance costs. Employees, who currently have the option of choosing among three different carriers, will move to Independent Health Flex Fit effective in April. They will begin contributing to the cost of their health insurance in July.

Other changes to the contract will result in hourly increases of $.54, $.56, and $.57 for each of three years, and an increase in the number of hours employees must work in order to be eligible for health insurance.

In January, the Board approved a contract with the Grand Island Teachers’ Association that moves teachers to the Flex Fit plan and saves the district nearly $400,000 a year.