Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (language only)

Item 4-7.03 #1s

Language
Page 612, following line 17, insert:
“a. Administration of the optional long-term care program for state employees and their dependents authorized by §2.1-20.1:02 of the Code of Virginia and item 547. N. of this Act shall be carried out by the Virginia Retirement System.  The Board of Trustees shall have sole responsibility for this program. The administration, oversight and contract for the existing long-term care insurance program shall be transferred mutatis mutandis from the Department of Human Resource Management to the Virginia Retirement System effective upon the enactment of this Act.
b. The Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System shall include the cost of long-term care benefits authorized in item 547.N. of this Act in the rates established for the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program, effective July 1, 2002.
c. The Virginia Retirement System shall conduct a second and final open enrollment period for the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program.  All eligible members of the Virginia Retirement System, the State Police Officers Retirement System and the Virginia Law Officers Retirement System who are not participating in the program prior to October 1, 2001, shall participate in the program effective January 10, 2002, unless such employee elects not to participate in the program as provided herein. An election not to participate in the program shall be in a manner prescribed by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System, and shall be received by the Virginia Retirement System during the period commencing on October 1, 2001, but before January 1, 2002.  An election not to participate in the program shall be irrevocable and such employee shall be ineligible to participate in the program for the period of his continued employment by the Commonwealth.
d. Any eligible employee who enrolls in the program during the election period as provided for in paragraph c. of this section shall have his sick leave balances, as of the effective date of coverage in the program, converted to disability credits, as provided in §51.1-1103 of the Code of Virginia. Upon retiring directly from state service and receiving an immediate annuity, the eligible employee’s unused disability credits shall be converted to service credit under the Retirement System at the rate of one month of service for each 173 hours of disability credits, rounded to the next highest month.  Upon leaving state service under any other circumstances, the employee shall be paid for the balance of such disability credits under the same terms and subject to the same conditions as were in effect for the payment of sick leave benefits in the employee’s agency on December 31, 1998, unless he elects to have such credits converted to service credit under the Retirement System at the rate of one month of service for each 173 hours of disability credits, rounded to the next highest month."

Explanation
(This amendment provides for the administration of the long-term care benefits for state employees by the Virginia Retirement System and for a second open enrollment period for the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program. Similar provisions were included in SB 1000.)