Parity For Palomar
Healthcare
"Part-time faculty are essential to our students’ success, and like all workers they deserve access to quality, affordable healthcare."
Below is a side by side comparison of healthcare options for Part-Time and Full-Time Faculty.
Part-time Faculty – Health Insurance August 2022 | Negotiations WINS for PT faculty Spring 2023 | Parity | Full-time Faculty – Health Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|
Dental Plan HMO — No District Contribution | Dental Plan HMO or Dental Plan Non-HMO — Must be paid by PT Faculty at 100% | ⬜ | Dental Plan HMO - Full District Contribution or Dental Plan Non-HMO - Partial District Contribution
|
Vision Plan — No District Contribution | Vision Plan — Must be paid by Part-Time faculty at 100% | ⬜ | Vision Plan — Full District Contribution
|
Low level Kaiser plan only – $500 deductible has been eliminated | Higher level Kaiser plan, Anthem HMO, Anthem PPO (multiple options)
| ✅ | Higher level Kaiser plan, Anthem HMO, Anthem PPO (multiple options)
|
Cap of $400k improved to $800k for all PT Health Insurance costs — Many PT don’t have access to healthcare even if they are eligible. | No cap — This means every PT has access to healthcare.
| ✅ | No cap — This means every FT has access to healthcare.
|
District moved from covering 0% to 50% of cost for 2-person or family plan | District covers dependents
| ✅ | District covers dependents
|
Must maintain rolling average of 45% load or can lose health insurance mid academic year was reduced to 40% load. | PT faculty need ≥40% load at Palomar by census or at multiple CCCs to receive reimbursement for premiums. | ⬜ | All FT faculty receive benefit coverage per the contract
|
District went from paying 75% o 90% of plan — This means PT pay a premium every month | District pays 100% of cost for 2 plans — This means PT pay zero out of pocket cost monthly
| ✅ | District pays 100% of cost for 2 plans — This means FT pay zero out of pocket cost monthly
|
Two years before eligible for a 6-month coverage period. | Eligible PT faculty will be notified by Benefits via email on census date & REQUIRED to re-enroll each semester.
| ⬜ | Eligible immediately for Annual and continued coverage.
|
Palomar is getting closer to Healthcare Parity!
PFF’s parent union, CFT, lobbied the California State Legislature to provide the funds to allow college district’s to fix the PT faculty health insurance problem without taking on a burdensome economic cost. In 2022, $200 million of ongoing funds were set aside to cover the cost of health insurance for PT faculty. If all requirements listed below are met, the state reimburses 100% of the cost of Part-Time healthcare for the college.
Requirements:
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The district offer health insurance to all part-time faculty with an assignment equal or greater than 40% of a full-time assignment
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The health benefits provided are the same as those of full-time faculty in the district.
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Individual premiums for part-time faculty are no higher than those of full-time faculty.
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Multi-district part-time faculty with total teaching assignments equal or greater than 40% of a full-time assignment are offered district reimbursement for health insurance coverage.
How the state of California made a difference for Part-Time faculty
Because Trailer Bill AB 190 (2022) was passed, money is available to college districts to offset the cost of providing health insurance to PT faculty. Palomar College took advantage of these funds by ensuring all four requirements of AB 190 were negotiated shortly after the bill passed. Palomar's changes took affect Spring 2023.