School board, non-certified employees agree to new contract

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NAUGATUCK — The Board of Education and the Naugatuck Non-Certified Employees Union have reached an agreement on a new, four-year contract.

The contract is retroactive to July 1, 2018 and runs through June 30, 2022. The union covers various non-certified employees, including custodians, electricians, secretaries and paraeducators.

Under the contract, employees received retroactive 2% raises for 2018-19 fiscal year.

This fiscal year, the contract provided employees 2.5% raises, which were retroactive from July 1 until the contract was signed Nov. 20. Employees will receive 2.25% raises in each of the last two years of the agreement.

On top of the raises, paraeducators will receive an additional 50 cents per hour this fiscal year, which was not retroactive. Paraeducators will receive an additional 30 cents per hour next fiscal year after the general wage increase is applied.

Human Resources Director John Lawlor said the four-year cost of the wage increases to the board is about $671,602.

The cost of the wage increases is expected to be offset some by savings in health care expenses.

Lawlor said the health care changes are expected to save the school board $102,388 over the life of the contract. The projected net financial impact of the contract is an additional cost of $569,214, he said.

Under the contract, the board provides a high deductible health plan with a $2000/$4000 annual deductible to employees.

The cost share for employees this year is 11%. Employees’ cost share will drop to 6% in 2020, 3% in 2021 and 2% for 2022.

The board pays 50% of the deductible this year, according to the contract. Next year, the board will pay for 25%. Employees will be responsible for 100% of the deductible in 2021 and 2022.

The contract requires employees and their spouses to participate in a wellness program offered by the board’s insurance carrier. Employees in the program are required to undergo preventive medical testing at no cost to the board.

If an employee and their spouse participate in the wellness program, the employee will pay 1% less in cost share in the following contract year. Those who don’t participate will pay an additional 1% for their cost share the following contract year and any other contract years the employee doesn’t participate, according to the contract.