Know Your Contract

Each month the Update will highlight key provisions of your contract. The SFT’s ability to enforce and maintain the terms of the contract is dependent on the membership knowing their contractual rights and informing the union when those rights are being violated. In this issue we will focus on the basic provisions regarding the assignment of schedules. If you suspect that your contractual rights have been violated, contact your building rep IMMEDIATELY.

The Flexible Spending Account Benefit

 November 2006         

SFT members are contractually entitled to a full range of IRS Code Section 125 benefits. This Flexible Benefit Plan allows an employee to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay health insurance premiums, unreimbursed medical and dental expenses (including medical and drug co-pays), eyeglass purchases, child care expenses for children under 13, and dependent care expenses for a spouse or other dependent who is incapable of caring for himself/herself.

If you are a participant in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan you will not pay any taxes on the amount of money you shelter. Your tax savings could be significant when you remember that the money you’re setting aside comes “off the top” of your earnings where you are taxed at the highest rate. If, for example, you were to shelter $1,200, you might reduce your total income tax by $400. Considering that you’re going to spend this money on medical expenses or dependent care costs anyway, it would be foolish to refuse the tax savings. Surprisingly, less than half of our members take advantage of this important benefit. In case you’re wondering, you do receive credit in the NYS Teachers or Employees Retirement Systems for every penny of the money you shelter.

You may shelter as little as $350 or as much as $3,000 in your Health Care Reimbursement Account. The Dependent Care Reimbursement Account has a minimum set-aside of $350 and a maximum of $5,000. Upon presentation of appropriate receipts or insurance company Explanation of Benefits forms, the district will reimburse you for the allowable expenses up to the limit of what you have sheltered in your account. Members should always plan the amount they are going to shelter carefully and conservatively because there is one catch: if your health or dependent care expenses for the calendar year turn out to be less than the amount you sheltered, the remainder in your account does not roll over into the next year – you lose it!

Members who wish to participate in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan for the 2007 calendar year must enroll before the window period ends on December 15^th, 2006. Enrollment in the plan is for one year only, so you must re-enroll every year. Forms have been boxed to you and are also available in the main office of your building, fill yours out today!

Everybody has some expenses that could be paid with Section 125 pre-tax money. At the very least, members should seek reimbursement of co-pays for prescriptions and/or medical visits.   Don’t pay taxes you don’t have to pay!

If you have not already done so, you should also consider taking advantage of the direct deposit option available under our contract. There is absolutely no down side to direct deposit. Your money is instantly available in your account on the morning of each payday. There’s no waiting on lines in the bank and no waiting for checks to clear. You may contact the business office at any time to begin direct deposit.

Sick Leave Bank Provisions

 October 2006

Each year, the district contributes enough days to the teachers’ sick leave bank (teaching assistants and nurses, being far less numerous, each receive a contribution of 20 days per year) to keep it balanced at 1100 days.  

Any teacher, TA or nurse who has been a full-time employee of the district for at least six years is entitled to receive up to 20 days per year from the sick leave bank upon exhausting his/her accumulated sick leave in the course of an illness or disability lasting at least 30 calendar days. In addition, teachers and teaching assistants have a catastrophic leave provision providing a one-time allowance of an additional 50 days to teachers and 20 days to teaching assistants. Whenever an allowance from the sick leave bank is sought, the district has the right to request certification from a doctor of their choosing that the employee is medically unable to return to work.

While many contracts in other districts have sick leave bank provisions that allow employees to borrow sick days, ours is unusual in that for first time usage  the days do not have to be repaid to the district – they are given to the employee free and clear.

It is important be aware that any employee who exercises his/her right to sell accumulated sick days back to the district permanently forfeits the right to draw on the sick leave bank!

Any member who anticipates the need to use the sick leave bank should direct a letter to Ms. O’Connor in the Personnel Office requesting the additional days. Because the sick leave bank belongs to members, the district obtains the written authorization of the SFT before granting any request for days.

September 2006

Teachers should check their schedules to make sure that they have:

•      no more than one class out of license (Technology, Home and    Careers, and Art teachers may not be assigned any classes out of license)

•      no more than 40 percent of your schedule out of your tenure area if you have multiple certifications

•      no more than 3 classes in a row

•      no more than 4 working periods in a row including your administrative duty

•      no more than 5 working periods in a row including your duty and productivity assignment

•     no more than 3 preparations if you are a Math, Science, English or Social Studies teacher or 4 preparations if you are a Foreign Language teacher

•      a lunch period and a prep period every day

•     no administrative duty if split between two buildings

•     no administrative duty if teaching an A.P. class for the first time

•     no more than 32 students in a class, except singletons which may have 34, and a total student load of no more than 150 (these limits do not apply to Music and Physical Education)

•     no more than 26 students in any Art or Technology class or any Home and Careers class with a lab component

Teaching assistants should check their schedules to make sure that they have:

•     no more than 7 working periods

•     no more than 4 working periods in a row

•     no more than 6 working periods if split between buildings

•     a lunch period and a prep period every day

In addition to the above contractual rights, the SFT has worked with the district to provide you with several other benefits.  You would be wise to look into each, decide it they meet your needs, and keep abreast of the appropriate “sign up” dates.   You owe it to yourself and to your dependents to be well-informed.

 FYI 

   For those of you who have opted out of the district’s health care     plan, the reimbursement (paid via payroll) is:

Each month the Update will highlight key provisions of your contract. The SFT’s ability to enforce and maintain the terms of the contract is dependent on the membership knowing their contractual rights and informing the union when those rights are being violated. In this issue we will focus on the basic provisions regarding the assignment of schedules. If you suspect that your contractual rights have been violated, contact your building rep IMMEDIATELY.

Early Resignation Incentive Deadline Application Approaches

If you will turn 55 between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006, and have at least 10 years of accredited service in the Sewanhaka Central High School District, you are eligible to select one of the early resignation incentives that are available to teachers under the SFT contract. In order to qualify for one of these options YOU MUST NOTIFY THE DISTRICT BY JANUARY 22, 2006 of your intention to resign. Any teacher meeting these requirements may select one of the four resignation incentives:
     OPTION #1 – This is the option chosen by almost all teachers who retire at age 55. It provides a lump sum payment of three days' pay for every four days of accumulated sick leave. A day's pay is computed at 1/200th of the final year's base salary. Regardless of the actual number of sick days you have at the time of resignation, this payment cannot be less than 50 days nor more than 150 days. Teachers who have previously elected to sell sick days back to the District at 1-for-4, however, will only be allowed to cash in 3/4 of their actual number of remaining days, even if that results in a payment of less than 50 days. Teachers with 20 or more years of service in the district who have accumulated more than 232 days of sick leave, can receive the 3-for-4 incentive and also sell back days in excess of 232 at the 1-for-4 rate.
    OPTION #2 and OPTION #3 - The employee may elect to take either a one semester sabbatical at full pay or a one year sabbatical at half pay. It should be noted that under either of these options, the actual date of your retirement will be at the end of the sabbatical period and retirement benefits will not commence prior to that time. Teachers electing either of these options may also sell back up to 232 days of their accumulated sick leave at 1-for-4 with 20 years of district service.
    OPTION #4 - The teacher may be engaged as a consultant to the district for a five year period commencing with the resignation during which time he or she shall be engaged for 12 days in each of the five years at the rate of $200 per day. Under this option the resigning teacher may also cash in up to 232 days of accumulated sick leave at 1-for-4 with 20 years of district service.

    Is resignation at age 55 the best choice for you and, if so, which resignation option best suits your needs? Only you can make those decisions in consultation with your family and financial advisors. Be aware, however, that you get only one bite at the apple. Teachers who pass up the resignation incentive at 55 do not get another crack at it, so if you're the right age and are considering retirement, don't forget about the January 22nd deadline!
    It is also important to be aware that only Tier I members who joined the retirement system prior to June 17, 1971 can apply lump sum termination payments toward the calculation of a 5-year final average salary.
    Finally, those of you who are past 55 should remember that you can cash in up to 232 days of accumulated sick leave at the 1-for-4 rate if you have served as a certified teacher (or teaching assistant) in the district for twenty years or more. Sick leave conversion pay-outs can be made in one, two, or three equal annual payments at the discretion of the employee.
 

The Flexible Spending Account Benefit

SFT members are contractually entitled to a full range of IRS Code Section 125 benefits. This Flexible Benefit Plan allows an employee to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay health insurance premiums, unreimbursed medical and dental expenses (including medical and drug co-pays), eyeglass purchases, child care expenses for children under 13, and dependent care expenses for a spouse or other dependent who is incapable of caring for himself/herself.

If you are a participant in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan you will not pay any taxes on the amount of money you shelter. Your tax savings could be significant when you remember that the money you’re setting aside comes “off the top” of your earnings where you are taxed at the highest rate. If, for example, you were to shelter $1,200, you might reduce your total income tax by $400. Considering that you’re going to spend this money on medical expenses or dependent care costs anyway, it would be foolish to refuse the tax savings. Surprisingly, less than half of our members take advantage of this important benefit. In case you’re wondering, you do receive credit in the NYS Teachers or Employees Retirement Systems for every penny of the money you shelter.

You may shelter as little as $350 or as much as $3,000 in your Health Care Reimbursement Account. The Dependent Care Reimbursement Account has a minimum set-aside of $350 and a maximum of $5,000. Upon presentation of appropriate receipts or insurance company Explanation of Benefits forms, the district will reimburse you for the allowable expenses up to the limit of what you have sheltered in your account. Members should always plan the amount they are going to shelter carefully and conservatively because there is one catch: if your health or dependent care expenses for the calendar year turn out to be less than the amount you sheltered, the remainder in your account does not roll over into the next year – you lose it!

Members who wish to participate in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan for the 2006 calendar year must enroll before the window period ends on December 16, 2005. Enrollment in the plan is for one year only, so you must re-enroll every year. Forms have been boxed to you and are also available in the main office of your building.

Everybody has some expenses that could be paid with Section 125 pre-tax money. At the very least, members who have family medical coverage should be paying their portion of the premium with pre-taxed income. Don’t pay taxes you don’t have to pay!

If you have not already done so, you should also consider taking advantage of the direct deposit option available under our contract. There is absolutely no down side to direct deposit. Your money is instantly available in your account on the morning of each payday. There’s no waiting on lines in the bank and no waiting for checks to clear. You may contact the business office at any time to begin direct deposit.

 

Assignment of Schedules
 

Teachers should check their schedules to make sure that they have:

• no more than one class out of license (Technology, Home and Careers, and Art teachers may not be assigned any classes out of license)
• less than 40 percent of your schedule out of your tenure area if you have multiple certifications
• no more than 3 classes in a row
• no more than 4 working periods in a row including your administrative duty
• no more than 5 working periods in a row including your duty and productivity assignment
• no more than 3 preparations if you are a Math, Science, English or Social Studies teacher or 4 preparations if you are a Foreign Language teacher
• a lunch period and a prep period every day
• no junior high cafeteria duty this year if you had one last year
• no administrative duty if split between two buildings
• no administrative duty if teaching an A.P. class for the first time
• no more than 32 students in a class, except singletons which may have 34, and a total student load of no more than 150 (these limits do not apply to Music and Physical Education)
• no more than 26 students in any Art or Technology class (Art 8 may have 28) or any Home and Careers class with a lab component

Teaching assistants should check their schedules to make sure that they have:
• no more than 7 working periods
• no more than 4 working periods in a row
• no more than 6 working periods if split between buildings
• a lunch period and a prep period every day
 

Teacher Benefit  Information

In addition to the above contractual rights, the SFT has worked with the district to provide you with several other benefits. You would be wise to look into each, decide if they meet your needs, and keep abreast of the appropriate “sign up” dates. You owe it to yourself and to your dependents to be well-informed.

1. Have you registered for the vision plan? You and your covered dependents are entitled to a free eye exam and a free pair of eyeglasses (from participating vision centers) every year. If you haven’t already done so, complete the Fitzharris registration form today. Forms are available in your Main Office.
2. Did you arrange for a 403B account? You can squirrel away money in tax-deferred accounts. You will be surprised at how little it will cost, and how fast it will accumulate. Keep your eyes open for enrollment dates.
3. What about deferred comp, the State’s 457 plan? Still another way to save for the future. I know that for many of you this is a long way off. If you start now, you won’t really feel it and you will be setting up a cushion for the future.
4. Did you take advantage of the 125 plan? This one’s a “no brainer.” The district will withhold PRE-TAX funds from your paychecks to cover medical (doctors, meds, copays) and/or child care expenses. If you’re not sure how much money you spend, keep track now! Every time you visit your doctor/dentist and/or pick up a prescription record the out-of-pocket expenses (fees and copay.) By December you should have a good idea of how much you spend on medically related items.
5. Is your file up to date? Does the SFT have your current information…phone, address, e-mail and beneficiaries? SFT has a small life insurance policy for members. However, all information must be on file in the union office.
6. Have you thought about additional low cost life, disability or long term care? Many different group plans are available to our members through SFT and/or through NEA/NY.
7. Have you completed your NEA/NY membership enrollment form? You are paying the price, so why not reap the benefits? There are many benefits provided to our members through NEA/NY (ex. Low cost life insurance, loan programs, auto insurance, scholarships, grants etc.) but you must be a registered member to participate.
8. Have you joined the credit union? NEFCU can meet all of your banking needs. Among its services are:
• PAYROLL DEDUCTION – DIRECT DEPOSIT
Your salary may be deposited into the account of your choice here at the credit union. All you need to provide your payroll department with is:
 Our credit union’s name and address
 Our ABA/Routing number 221480807
 Your account number (share/saving or checking)
• E-CHECKING
You must have access to the Internet, as this is an Internet banking checking account only. Please sign into e-pal home banking on our website at www.nassaued.org. To access your accounts from our website:
 Enter your SSN at the top right hand corner of our home page where it says “sign into E-Pal.” Your default password is the last 4 digits of your SSN and you may change it after your first successful sign-on session.
• HOME BANKING (E-PAL & TELEPHONE TOUCHTONE PAL)
Free Internet banking online. You may view online or listen to account information on the telephone touch-tone system, transfer funds, access free online bill payment, apply for loans online and view a list of all our products, services and attractive rates. Website: www.nassaued.org.
PAL TOUCHTONE TEL.: 516-825-8060 OR 1-800-RING PAL (1-800-746-4725)
• ATM & VISA DEBIT CARD ORDERS
These take up to 10 business days to arrive in the mail. The PIN is mailed separately for security purposes and generally arrives days apart. ATM is attached to your Share/Savings and Visa/Debit to your checking account.
• TEACHER GRANT APPLICATIONS
“Funding Your Ideas” Teacher grants are awarded to several member-teachers of Nassau County elementary or high school classes for their innovative classroom project ideas. Teachers may request up to $250 for each project. Please submit applications with your principal’s signature of approval and a description of the project and how it will enhance student’s educational experience.
9. Have you arranged for direct deposit? Another “no-brainer” – save on trips to the bank – direct deposit puts the
money where you want it.
If you have a question or concern, but are not sure whether it is “union related” don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be able to steer you in the right direction. Help is only a phone call away.

 

                             Annual Evaluations

You will soon be receiving your annual evaluation. There are only two contractual provisions governing year-end evaluations: they must be given to teachers no later than June 15th and they are rebuttable. Employees who believe that their annual evaluations contain factual errors, omissions, or unfair statements have an absolute
right to append a rebuttal to the evaluation. This need not be done immediately (signing and returning the evaluation does not preclude you from submitting a rebuttal at a later time) and rebuttals are not rebuttable by supervisors or administrators. Your building rep will be happy to assist you to write the rebuttal or review it with you, if you wish. Generally speaking, while you cannot force an administrator to change your evaluation, it is inadvisable to allow incorrect or unfair statements to stand unchallenged.

There are also a number of rules pertaining to annual evaluations that have been established in practice:
• Evaluations may not contain references to problems that occurred in past years unless the problems continue to be unresolved.
• While references to any aspect of an employee's job performance are fair game, the evaluation should fairly reflect the totality of the employee's contributions to the school during the year in question, not just his/her weaknesses.
• Employee attendance may not be criticized unless the attendance of all employees is referenced in their evaluations and the reasons for absences have been accurately stated.
• The evaluation may commend employees for participating in extracurricular activities and may even recommend that participation in extracurricular activities might be beneficial to an employee’s overall relationship with students, but in no case should an employee’s annual evaluation be downgraded for failure to participate in extracurricular activities, nor should an employee’s performance as an adviser, coach,
chaperone, Operation Success participant, summer school teacher, or any other extracurricular position be the subject of criticism in an annual evaluation. Extracurricular activities are not a required part of an employee’s job and therefore should not be part of his/her performance evaluation.
• Teachers may not be evaluated solely on the basis of student performance because the quality of teaching is but one of several factors that influence student performance. References to student failure rates, test scores and other performance indicators from past years should not be included in the current year’s evaluation.

If your evaluation contains inappropriate references in one of these areas, it may be necessary to file a grievance to have them expunged. Inform your building rep immediately if something inappropriate has been included in your annual evaluation, because grievances must be filed in a timely manner.
 

Alternative Observation Procedures 

The SFT contract establishes certain procedural guidelines governing the observation of teachers by administrators and supervisors, but it does not limit the number of such observations. In buildings where principles have in the past insisted on two formal observations of all tenured teachers by supervisors, the SFT has supported allowing an alternative self-observation format to take the place of a second formal observation. By agreement with the administration, alternative observations have now become standard practice in the district.

Many teachers prefer self-evaluation to a second formal observation and there is much of professional value to be gained from this. The SFT endorses the use of such alternative professional growth techniques with certain safeguards to protect teachers’ rights.

Under normal circumstances, you cannot be ordered to observe a colleague or submit to such an observation by another. If a second observation is required, you always have the right to insist that it be done in the traditional way by a supervisor. Under special circumstances, a supervisor might suggest that a teacher who is experiencing problems do a certain number of peer observations to avoid an unsatisfactory rating. Such peer observations would still be voluntary and must be reasonable in number so as not to be punitive. Only teachers who have received unsatisfactory ratings on their year-end evaluations can be compelled to do peer observations. Even then, participation by the teachers being observed, as in any peer observation, is voluntary.

The videotaping of a lesson is also a permissible form of self-observation as long as the videotape will not be viewed by any supervisor or administrator.

At the insistence of the administration, credit for a peer observation goes only to the teacher being observed. Some supervisors believe they have the right to decide which teacher or class you should observe, but there are no guidelines as to when a peer observation or self-videotaping should be done or what class should be observed. A supervisor might suggest that you observe a particular class or colleague, but the final decision rests with the teacher. Since the observer gets no credit, supervisors have no reason to care whose class you observe or when.

Questions often arise over what should be written following a peer observation. The written post-observation report should be brief and non-evaluative. The recording of certain objective information regarding the lesson (what was taught and methodology employed) and a brief summary of the post-observation discussion between the two teachers is permissible. It should not contain a narrative of the lesson.

The written record of the peer observation may be retained by the chairperson until the end of the school year at which time it is to be returned to the teacher who was observed. In no case shall anything in the peer observation report become a part of the process by which teachers are evaluated nor shall the report itself become a part of the teacher’s personnel file. 

Under what circumstances must the union act on the complaint of a member by filing a grievance, lawsuit or other action? The answer to this question is provided by the principle known as Duty of Fair Representation (DFR) – the union’s legal obligations to a dues-paying member who has a complaint. It is important for every member to understand this concept.

Whenever a member makes a complaint, DFR requires the union to thoroughly investigate the complaint to determine its validity. The fact that a member may be unhappy about some aspect of the job does not automatically mean that a remediable violation of contractual or legal rights has occurred. If the union determines that the member’s complaint is valid, it must take appropriate action to address the member’s concern. If, on the other hand, the investigation reveals that the member’s complaint is without merit, the union is not obligated to do anything further. The fact that the member may not be satisfied with the union’s determination in not pursuing a matter does not mean that the union has failed to meet its DFR obligations. Of course, any union that frequently leaves its members feeling unrepresented or dismisses their concerns in a cavalier fashion is not likely to be in business for long.

Under what circumstances might the SFT decline to act on a member’s concern? It is not uncommon for a building rep or an officer to get a complaint like this: “So-and-so doesn’t show up for his administrative duty and the administration lets him get away with it. I want the union to grieve this because if I have to do a duty, so should he!” Matters that pit member against member put the union in a difficult position. The union must investigate to determine if the member has accurately represented the situation and, if so, have the member’s rights been violated. If as a result of the dereliction of duty by one member in this example, an unfair burden is placed on other members (being assigned extra duties, for example) the union has an obligation to step in and see to it that the matter is rectified. If not, the union need not, and should not, intervene.

 

Early Resignation Incentive Deadline Application Approaches

If you will turn 55 between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2006 and have at least 10 years of accredited service in the Sewanhaka Central High School District, you are eligible to select one of the early resignation incentives that are available to teachers under the SFT contract. In order to qualify for one of these options YOU MUST NOTIFY THE DISTRICT BY JANUARY 20, 2006 of your intention to resign. Any teacher meeting these requirements may select one of the four resignation incentives:

OPTION #1 – This is the option chosen by almost all teachers who retire at age 55. It provides a lump sum payment of three days' pay for every four days of accumulated sick leave. A day's pay is computed at 1/200th of the final year's base salary. Regardless of the actual number of sick days you have at the time of resignation, this payment cannot be less than 50 days nor more than 150 days. Teachers who have previously elected to sell sick days back to the District at 1-for-4, however, will only be allowed to cash in 3/4 of their actual number of remaining days, even if that results in a payment of less than 50 days. Teachers with 20 or more years of service in the district who have accumulated more than 150 days of sick leave, can receive the 3-for-4 incentive and also sell back days in excess of 150 at the 1-for-4 rate.

OPTION #2 and OPTION #3 - The employee may elect to take either a one semester sabbatical at full pay or a one year sabbatical at half pay. It should be noted that under either of these options, the actual date of your retirement will be at the end of the sabbatical period and retirement benefits will not commence prior to that time. Teachers electing either of these options may also sell back up to 232 days of their accumulated sick leave at 1-for-4 with 20 years of district service.

OPTION #4 - The teacher may be engaged as a consultant to the district for a five year period commencing with the resignation during which time he or she shall be engaged for 12 days in each of the five years at the rate of $200 per day. Under this option the resigning teacher may also cash in up to 232 days of accumulated sick leave at 1-for-4 with 20 years of district service.

Is resignation at age 55 the best choice for you and, if so, which resignation option best suits your needs? Only you can make those decisions in consultation with your family and financial advisors. Be aware, however, that you get only one bite at the apple. Teachers who pass up the resignation incentive at 55 do not get another crack at it, so if you're the right age and are considering retirement, don't forget about the January 22nd deadline!

It is also important to be aware that only Tier I members who joined the retirement system prior to June 17,1971 can apply lump sum termination payments toward the calculation of a 5-year final average salary.

Finally, those of you who are past 55 should remember that you can cash in up to 232 days of accumulated sick leave at the 1-for-4 rate if you have served as a certified teacher (or teaching assistant) in the district for twenty years or more. Sick leave conversion pay-outs can be made in one, two, or three equal annual payments at the discretion of the employee.

The Flexible Spending Account Benefit

SFT members are contractually entitled to a full range of IRS Code Section 125 benefits. This Flexible Benefit Plan allows an employee to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay health insurance premiums, unreimbursed medical and dental expenses (including medical and drug co-pays), eyeglass purchases, child care expenses for children under 13, and dependent care expenses for a spouse or other dependent who is incapable of caring for himself/herself.

If you are a participant in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan you will not pay any taxes on the amount of money you shelter. Your tax savings could be significant when you remember that the money you’re setting aside comes “off the top” of your earnings where you are taxed at the highest rate. If, for example, you were to shelter $1,200, you might reduce your total income tax by $400. Considering that you’re going to spend this money on medical expenses or dependent care costs anyway, it would be foolish to refuse the tax savings. Surprisingly, few of our members take advantage of this important benefit. In case you’re wondering, you do receive credit in the NYS Teachers or Employees Retirement Systems for every penny of the money you shelter.

You may shelter as little as $350 or as much as $3,000 in your Health Care Reimbursement Account. The Dependent Care Reimbursement Account has a minimum set-aside of $350 and a maximum of $5,000. Upon presentation of appropriate receipts or insurance company Explanation of Benefits forms, the district will reimburse you for the allowable expenses up to the limit of what you have sheltered in your account. Members should always plan the amount they are going to shelter carefully and conservatively because there is one catch: if your health or dependent care expenses for the calendar year turn out to be less than the amount you sheltered, the remainder in your account does not roll over into the next year – you lose it!

Members who wish to participate in the Section 125 Flexible Benefit Plan for the 2005 calendar year must enroll before the window period ends on December 17, 2004. Enrollment in the plan is for one year only, so you must re-enroll every year. Forms have been boxed to you and are also available in the main office of your building.

Everybody has some expenses that could be paid with Section 125 pre-tax money.   Don’t pay taxes you don’t have to pay!

If you have not already done so, you should also consider taking advantage of the direct deposit option available under our contract. There is absolutely no down side to direct deposit. Your money is instantly available in your account on the morning of each payday. There’s no waiting on lines in the bank and no waiting for checks to clear. You may contact the business office at any time to begin direct deposit.