The option of the health care plan is at the sole discretion of the City. It is agreed by all parties
concerned that the City reserves and shall have the right to change insurance carriers provided
the benefits to participants are comparable and the City elects the least expensive plan available
to provide such benefits.
Should the City determine that it is in the best interests of the City to offer a “comparable” plan to
either option “a” or “b”, it shall provide at least one hundred twenty (120) days prior written notice
to the Union and documentation of the cost to members and the benefits that will be provided
under the comparable plan. Should the Union determine that the proposed plan is not
comparable, the grievance shall not be subject to the grievance procedure (Article 12), and shall
be submitted directly for arbitration no later than thirty (80) days after the Union is notified of the
proposed change to the comparable plan. The grievance shall be heard in an expedited manner.
The decision of the arbitrator shall be binding on both parties.
For the purposes of this article, a “comparable” plan means: a comparable plan means one that offers
the same type of benefits, but benefits do not have to be exactly the same. In addition, the plan must
provide reasonable access to health services and physicians, including specialists and hospitals.
Restrictions for Newly Hired Employees: After the signing of the Contract: Newly hired
employees must sign up for a minimum of one (1) year with plans “b” or “c” and may change to
another plan during the normal group re-opening period.
In the event that any employee’s spouse is employed by the City of Nashua, the Nashua School
District, or another agency of the City, the employee shall be entitled to health insurance premium
coverage either pursuant to this article or pursuant to the coverage afforded to his/her spouse,
but not both.
Any eligible member of the bargaining unit requesting initial membership in a plan may enter
during a specified enrollment period. Any eligible member desiring to select a different plan may
make such a change only during the annual enrollment period. Eligible members moving into or
out of a plan’s service area may change plans within a specified period after such move to the
extent permitted by the plans.
Eligible members of the bargaining unit shall be defined as full-time employees.
JOINT LABOR/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE: For the duration of this Agreement, either party
to the Agreement may request that a joint Labor/Management Committee be convened to
consider the performance of the aforementioned plans, any changes thereto.
ANNUAL AUDIT: The City of Nashua hereby agrees to conduct a yearly loss ratio analysis of all
health insurance plans offered to employees and return all employee overpayments in the form of
a Health Insurance Premium Holiday at the completion of the analysis.
SECTION Il — LIFE INSURANCE
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