(1) Employees awaiting hearing of a dismissal action before any of the following may continue their insurance coverage by self-paying the full premium set by the health care authority (HCA), with no contribution from the employer, on the same terms as an employee who is granted leave as described in WAC
182-12-133:
(a) The personnel resources board;
(b) An arbitrator; or
(c) A grievance or appeals committee established under a collective bargaining agreement for union represented employees.
(2) If the dismissal is upheld, all insurance coverage will end at the end of the month in which the decision is entered, or the date to which premiums have been paid, whichever is later, with the exception described in subsection (3) of this section.
(3) If the dismissal is upheld and the employee is eligible under the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the employee may continue medical and dental for the remaining months available under COBRA. See WAC
182-12-146 for information on COBRA. The number of months the employee self-paid premiums during the appeal will count toward the total number of months allowed under COBRA.
(4) If the board, arbitrator, committee, or court sustains the employee in the appeal and directs reinstatement of employer paid insurance coverage retroactively, the employing agency must forward to HCA the full employer contribution for the period directed by the board, arbitrator, committee, or court and collect from the employee the employee's share of premiums due, if any.
(a) HCA will refund to the employee any premiums the employee paid that may be provided for as a result of the reinstatement of the employer contribution only if the employee makes retroactive payment of any employee contribution amounts associated with the insurance coverage. In the alternative, at the request of the employee, HCA may deduct the employee's contribution from the refund of any premiums self-paid by the employee during the appeal period.
(b) All optional life and optional long-term disability insurance which was in force at the time of dismissal shall be reinstated retroactively only if the employee makes retroactive payment of premium for any such optional coverage which was not continued by self-payment during the appeal process. If the employee chooses not to pay the retroactive premium, evidence of insurability will be required to restore such optional coverage.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. 12-20-022 (Order 2012-01), § 182-12-148, filed 9/25/12, effective 11/1/12; 09-23-102 (Order 09-02), § 182-12-148, filed 11/17/09, effective 1/1/10; 07-20-129 (Order 07-01), § 182-12-148, filed 10/3/07, effective 11/3/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160, 41.05.350, and 41.05.165. 05-16-046 (Order 05-01), § 182-12-148, filed 7/27/05, effective 8/27/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160 and 41.05.165. 04-18-039, § 182-12-148, filed 8/26/04, effective 1/1/05.]