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Burning Journal -> Railroad Labor Unions -> BLET Short Term Dsiability Changes
Post Info TOPIC: BLET Short Term Dsiability Changes
Calvin


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BLET Short Term Dsiability Changes
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Any comments?  (Spelling is not covered)
Ya don't have to answer any questions or get a physical...how much would this coverage cost on the outside for a 50ish fellow?
Geez-Ya know We on CSX had our own One plan agreement. Guess I'm gonna haffta call someone ta see if we are in this..DOH!!

Changes coming to BLET Short Term Disability plan

CLEVELAND, November 18 The BLET is pleased to announce a number of changes to the BLET Short-Term Disability Insurance Plan effective January 1, 2009. These changes will impact you if you are an eligible employee working on a railroad that participated in the Wage Rules portion of the National Agreement dated December 16, 2003. Two parts to the Plan are being offered as outlined below:

Part A Non-Occupational Disabilities

Effective January 1, 2009, the current plan covering both occupational and non-occupational disabilities will be modified:

Part A will pay $402 per week for non-occupational disabilities only. This is an increase from $362 per week.
Occupational disabilities will not be covered.
Each eligible member will also be insured for $50,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.

NOTE:
This plan change will not impact members with current claims. Those members who have a date of disability prior to January 1, 2009 will continue to qualify for the $362 per week benefit for occupational or non-occupational as determined by the Plan.
Claims for occupational disabilities prior to January 1, 2009 will continue to be administered as they are today, making them subject to repayment upon receipt of a FELA settlement (repayment after a personal injury settlement).

Part B Occupational Disabilities

Effective January 1, 2009:
Part B will be voluntary.
The cost will be $23 per month and will be payroll deducted with your monthly union dues.
The weekly benefit for occupational disabilities will be $402 per week.
Each eligible member will also be insured for $50,000 of AD&D coverage.
The benefit will not be subject to repayment upon receipt of a FELA settlement (no repayment after a personal injury settlement).
The benefit will not be considered taxable income.

NOTE:
Eligibility for Part B will be driven by your eligibility for Part A. You will have two options if you become ineligible for Part A: Pay $40 directly to the BLET Trust Fund by the 10th of the month for Part A and continue your payroll deduction of $23 for Part B or drop out of Part B. If you choose to drop out of Part B, you may discontinue the $23 payroll deduction. However, you may not resume coverage for Part B until a subsequent annual enrollment period.
Participation in this additional occupational coverage is not required. If you wish NOT to participate, you must notify us in writing by completing and returning the attached form prior to December 1, 2008. Your completed form should be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer of your Local Division. If you are a BLET member and do nothing, you will be automatically enrolled in Part B effective January 1, 2009.
Members opting out of Part B coverage effective January 1, 2009, will not be eligible to enroll for the coverage until the next annual enrollment period.
UTU members may purchase Part B coverage by making an annual payment of $276 to the BLET Trust Fund.

If you have any questions, please contact the undersigned.

Fraternally yours,

Jim Bradford
BLET Short-term Disability Administrator
(216) 241-2630, ext. 205 or email Bradford@ble-t.org

-----------------------------
OPT OUT FORM
PART B BLET SHORT TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE PLAN

(You need only complete this form if you wish to DECLINE Part B coverage)

If you desire to OPT OUT or DECLINE Part B coverage under the BLET Short Term Disability Insurance Plan, complete the remainder of this form. Be sure to include your signature and the date and deliver to your Division Secretary-Treasurer by December 1, 2008.

I, _____________________________(Print your name here and sign below), hereby choose to DECLINE coverage, or OPT OUT, of the BLET Short Term Disability Insurance Plan, Part B. I understand that I may only seek enrollment in Part B during a future open enrollment period.

Signature: ___________________________

Date: __________________________

Phone Number: ______________________

DEADLINE TO OPT OUT IS DECEMBER 1, 2008

-----------------------

A copy of this letter is available for download from the BLET website at:
http://www.ble-t.org/pr/STDletter.pdf



-- Edited by Calvin at 06:02, 2008-11-19

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Snippy


Force Majeure

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You should know that you have it, or an alternative plan, by a $13.68 pre-tax deduction.

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Calvin


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Its not broken down on the pay slips, However I'm paying the same $166.25 co-pay that the National Agreement calls for. (Up from 130.23 under the last contract) 

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Snippy


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That $166.25 is for your Health and Welfare Plan cost sharing. You should be covered under the MetLife Short-Term Disability Plan. The signature page (pp. 64-65) shows CSX as a full signatory to the 12/16/03 National Agreement.

http://www.ble-t.org/shortterm/

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Calvin


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I wonder who makes the decision weather it was occupational or non- occupational?
On duty or not...goes without saying.
If ya complain of yer hands and find its carpal tunnel, and that came from repeatedly manipulating a throttle?(occupational) ......or from spending too much time in THOP..(non-occupational)?  



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Snippy


Force Majeure

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Snippy speculates that Occupational will cover the afflictions wherein your personal physician thinks you are good to go and the railroad medical department has you out-of-service. Mind you, this is pure speculation, but it involves the most controversial areas of administering the plan. There was no end to the controversies. The cost to ensure "revised" insurance coverage that covered the whims of Medical Department tyrants would have increased the costs to everybody around the $23/month that is being contemplated. The insurance companies claimed that you were not disabled if ANYBODY in the industry would have hired you as a locomotive engineer. (Own occupation, not own job is the way they worded it, IIRC.)

Nevertheless, you should see some form of a $13.68/mo contribution being made out of your check, it would seem.

Use both hands in THOP and you may make it to retirement.


-- Edited by Snippy at 09:33, 2008-11-19

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Freddie Krueger


Unstable & Irrational

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We are covered by it, Health and Welfare is covered by the National Agreement, has nothing to do with SSA.
It will be a $23 automatic deduction, since us Treas/Sec have been instructed to hit you up for it, unless you opt out.


-- Edited by Freddie Krueger at 12:57, 2008-11-19

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I started ophph with nuthin, and I can safely say I have most of it left....
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Snippy


Force Majeure

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Troll collected from it.

I forgot that CSX guys didn't have any deduction until now.

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