York County commissioners approve salary increases for social services union members [York Daily Record, Pa.]

May 30--YORK, Pa -- York County commissioners approved a collective bargaining agreement Wednesday that includes salary increases for local members of the Pennsylvania Social Services Union.

Parts of the agreement are retroactive, and it covers Jan. 1, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2014. The agreement includes wage increases for about 105 positions: 2.5 percent for 2012; 1 percent for 2013; and 2.5 percent for 2014, according to Kristy Bixler, human resources director.

"I, obviously, would have preferred that the salary increases would be lower," said Commissioner Doug Hoke.

But he said it seemed to be the best agreement that both sides could agree to.

"It's getting down to a reasonable range," Hoke said.

The agreement covers workers for the mental health/intellectual and developmental disabilities program, and for the drug and alcohol program. Officials with the Pennsylvania Social Services Union could not be reached for comment.

The agreement is also the first one that the county has made with a union to include three different health plans, Bixler said.

Those three options were previously offered to non-bargaining employees, effective Jan. 1.

She said the social services employees will be allowed to make changes in the next few months, and the county will then be able to determine savings based on how many people change plans.

The plan also includes a 60-hour cap on the amount of comp time that can be accrued at any one time, Bixler said.

The probationary period was also increased from 90 days to 180 days to match civil service guidelines, she said.

Retirement board approves returning benefits

York County's retirement board Wednesday approved restoring health insurance benefits to a former employee in the York County District Attorney's Office.

Anthony Glowczewski III was able to prove that he was promised lifetime health care benefits by former District Attorney Stan Rebert when he was hired, according to county spokesman Carl Lindquist.

"While the county today would never offer lifetime health care benefits to new employees, it's legally and morally incumbent upon us to provide this benefit to Mr. Glowczewski given what occurred in his case," Lindquist said.

The county stopped offering lifetime health care to new employees Jan. 1, 1989, Lindquist said.

Glowczewski was hired in October 1989. Rebert said Wednesday that, at the time, he thought Glowczewski was eligible for the benefits.

Glowczewski retired in October 2007 and continued to receive health care benefits for several years due to an oversight, Lindquist said. An audit led to his health care coverage being terminated, before retirement board members voted Wednesday to restore the coverage.

The insurance covers Glowczewski and his wife. The annual cost to the county will vary, Lindquist said, but he said the coverage is estimated to cost about $13,500 per year.

Three plans

Under the collective bargaining agreement, workers will be able to choose:

--- a preferred provider organization plan with no deductible and pretty much 100 percent coverage, according to Kristy Bixler, human resources director for the county;

--- another preferred provider organization plan that has a deductible and pays 80 percent until an out-of-pocket max is met, Bixler said;

--- or a high-deductible plan, which has a $2,000 deductible for individuals, and $4,000 for a family, Bixler said. That plan also includes a health-savings account.

Related

York County commissioners approve tax break for York property

York County commissioners approve new hazard mitigation plan

For more county news, visit the YDR Politics blog

@edmahonreporter; 771-2089

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