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Waunakee board approves employee insurance package and moves social workers toward teacher-style contracts
Summary
The board approved an insurance renewal recommendation (including a proposed 13% dental premium increase and discussion of an 11.9% health renewal option with a coinsurance alternative and one-time voluntary Aflac enrollment) and also approved transitioning social workers to teacher-style contracts with a legacy exception for one staffer.
The Waunakee Community School District board approved an employee insurance package and voted to change the contract structure for the district’s social workers during its regular meeting.
HR and insurance committee representatives reviewed the recommendation before the vote. Committee materials described the district’s self‑insured dental program and included a recommended 13% increase in the dental premium to preserve fund balance; the health plan renewal quote presented to trustees was 11.9% (the maximum under the current second‑year agreement). Committee members said they secured a second option that would lower some employee premiums while introducing a coinsurance; to mitigate potential harm the district is offering one-time guaranteed-issue voluntary supplemental plans through Aflac.
Brian, who participated in the discussion as a committee representative, told the board the committee and HR recommended the package as the best available option after comparing alternatives and carrier quotes. “Because we’re adding a coinsurance, we thought it was important to offer to staff voluntary plans so that staff who feel they need the ability to purchase optional benefits can do so,” Brian said.
Trustees moved and seconded the motion to approve the insurance package; the motion carried on a voice vote.
The board then approved an action requested by the district’s social workers. Administrators explained that the group asked to transition from an administrative-style contract to a teacher-style contract; the HR committee supported the change on a 3–0 vote and recommended that one current employee who opted not to convert remain on a legacy administrative contract for the remainder of that employee’s career. The board moved, seconded and approved that contract-structure change by voice vote.
Why it matters: The insurance decision affects employee premiums and the district’s internal benefit fund balances; the social-worker contract change alters employment terms for a district support group and aligns those positions with teacher-style contractual structures going forward.
What’s next: District staff said they will present enrollment and enrollment-education materials to buildings and continue employee education about the optional plans; the social-worker transition will be implemented per the HR committee recommendation and district administrative process.
