GCC provides the following benefits for full-time employees (regularly scheduled to work thirty (30) hours or more per week) who are eligible for benefits; medical, dental, vision and life insurance.  GCC reserves the right to eliminate or modify any of its employee benefits at any time. Benefits begin on the first of the month following the date of hire (or the date the employee becomes eligible for benefits).  

 

Temporary/Substitute, Part-time employees, or those working less than thirty (30) hours per week, are not eligible for medical, dental, vision or life insurance benefits. To be eligible, the employee must be placed in a position on the salary schedule or regular hourly position (not including substitute employees) and be expected to meet or exceed thirty (30) hours of work per week for more than two (2) consecutive months.

 

Employees have up to thirty (30) days from their date of hire to make medical, dental, and vision plan elections. Once made, elections are fixed for the remainder of the benefit plan year. Changes 28 in family status, as defined in the Plan document, allow employees to make midyear changes in coverage consistent with the family status change. Please contact the Human Resource department to determine if a family status change qualifies under the Plan document and IRS regulations.

 

Employees may change medical, dental, and vision elections for the following benefit plan year during Open Enrollment which traditionally occurs in October/November of each year for effective date of January 1.

 

The Human Resource department is available to answer benefits plan questions and assist in enrollment as needed.

 

All eligible employees and their dependents may participate in the GCC’s health insurance plan, which will be distributed to each employee by Human Resources. For more information regarding a summary description of all company benefit plans, please refer to the company Summary Plan Descriptions, contact the Human Resource department, or BenefitBridge. In the event of a conflict between the terms contained in the plan documents and the summaries in this web site, the plan documents will govern.  Also, GCC retains the right to modify, amend, or discontinue these plans at any time.

 

The Federal Consolidated Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives employees and their qualified beneficiaries the opportunity to continue health insurance coverage under the GCC health plan when a “qualifying event” would normally result in the loss of eligibility.  

 

Some common qualifying events are resignation, termination of employment, or death of an employee, a reduction in an employee’s hours or leave of absence, divorce or legal separation and a dependent child no longer meeting eligibility requirements.  

 

Under COBRA, the employee or beneficiary pays the full cost of coverage at the GCC group rates plus an administration fee. GCC or our carrier provides each eligible employee with a written notice describing rights granted under COBRA when the employee becomes eligible for coverage under the GCC health insurance plan. The notice contains important information about the employee’s rights and obligations.  

 

GCC complies with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ensures that health benefits meet the minimum value of ACA.  However, employees may decide to shop for coverage in the Marketplace, Covered California.  The Marketplace can help you evaluate your coverage options, including your eligibility for coverage through the Marketplace and its cost. Please visit HealthCare.gov for more information, and guidance through the process, including an online application for health insurance coverage and contact information for a Health Insurance Marketplace in your area.  

 

Employees are provided with a notice of coverage option upon hire.