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Friday, April 24, 2015
Open enrollment starts April 27
Open enrollment for employee benefits will take place between
April 27 and May 15.
During that period, all employees who qualify for benefits must
log-on to iVisions to re-enroll. The option you select will take effect on July
1. All employees eligible for benefits must complete the online open enrollment
process by May 15. If you do not complete the process, your insurance benefits will end on June 30.
Although GESD’s insurance trust recommended an increase in
employees pay for insurance of 8.7 percent, the District declined to do so. Instead the
District will cover the cost for you. On average, this represents an increase of
$581.22 in insurance benefits costs for all GESD employees who qualify for benefits.
The District was able to absorb this cost by managing claims more efficiently
during the past year.
You can find a listing of all insurance premiums here, and
instructions on how to access the health benefits website here.
Changes
In addition to the District covering insurance costs increases,
GESD was also able to negotiate a more robust dental plan with Delta Dental.
The plan now covers all costs for preventative dental care, even with premiere
dentists.
Other changes include:
- Because of federal insurance mandates the HSA2500 medical plan will change to the HSA2600 medical plan.
- Same sex spouse coverage was added.
For more information click here, or contact Jodi Finnesy.
Spring is here, let's not let the air out the door
Our current weather is a great reminder of why we choose to live in Arizona. However, our love of the spring air can also lead to higher energy costs, air quality issues relating to allergens, and more frequent visitations from bugs and insects. These things don’t seem to be related, but they are: in order to enjoy the cool air we prop our classroom doors open to allow that air into our classrooms and office spaces.
Please
remember that while it may seem like a good idea to let in some fresh air, it
isn't. As the temperature rises throughout the day, air conditioners will turn
on and in many cases the doors will still remain blocked open. Our HVAC systems
are not designed to handle the additional load of trying to cool (or heat) the
outdoors. The additional load will cause the unit to turn off if they run for
more than one hour and do not reach the thermostat set-point (FYI — it’s 74
degrees during warmer months). As a result, District HVAC technicians will have
to come to the campus and physically reset the unit before it will start again.
With only two HVAC technicians, you may be waiting a while for one of them to
show up. In
addition, your room’s air is filtered as it is drawn into the air conditioning
system, so the open doors cause the filters to clog faster. That results in a
decrease to the air conditioners's electrical efficiency, thus increasing the cost. Filters will also need to be changed more frequently, which also add to the costs.
While
we understand your desire to enjoy these cools mornings while they last,
leaving your classroom (or office) door open is not the best way to do so.
Please help us to stay the course on our energy and cost conservation efforts
by keeping your external classroom and office doors closed. We appreciate all the help and
consideration you can give us.
Computer PD courses available for classified staff
A
basic computers skills course designed specifically for support staff will be
offered several times before the end of the school year.
The
course is a review on how to maneuver through Windows, Microsoft Word and
Excel. In addition, a brief look at GESD’s iVisions page will show employees
how they can access personal documents such as pay stubs and work agreements.
GESD Transportation Department lauded for trip reduction work
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We
want to send a shout out to the District’s Transportation team — and to you —
for being recognized for a successful trip reduction program. GESD employees
responded at an outstanding 97 percent rate on this year Trip Reduction survey.
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