Citizen Portal
Sign In

Board approves revised post‑employment benefit cap for long‑tenured hires and 403(b) matching for new hires

Wisconsin Rapids School District Board of Education · January 13, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

The board approved PS4 to cap the district post‑employment contribution for certain long‑tenured employees and PS5 to implement a 403(b) matching vesting policy for hires after July 1, 2025, with a baseline $500 contribution and additional matching incentives tied to employee contributions.

The Wisconsin Rapids School District board voted to approve two personnel policy changes intended to improve the district’s long‑term benefit sustainability and to provide a structured retirement savings match for new hires.

Superintendent Ron Rasmussen and personnel staff described PS4 as a move to cap the district’s post‑employment (OPEB) contribution at 2026 levels for employees in certain categories who were hired on or before June 30, 2025, noting the district’s actuarial analysis and the unsustainable trajectory of existing OPEB commitments. Rasmussen said administration will continue refining OPEB policy as health‑insurance renewals and cost projections are finalized.

PS5 establishes a 403(b) matching and vesting policy for employees hired after July 1, 2025. The policy provides a $500 district contribution for eligible hires and a matching structure that can add up to $1,500 in district matching based on employee contributions, with a multi‑year vesting schedule (annual vesting increments rising to full vesting by year nine as described on the record). Officials said WEA already provides 403(b)‑compliant services to the district at no cost and that the proposed arrangement would likewise be provided at no cost to the district.

Both PS4 and PS5 were approved on roll call. Board discussion acknowledged concern for employees with mid‑career tenure and emphasized that further committee work will continue to refine benefit language and implementation.