Hempfield Area School District health care fight settled

Teachers and maintenance workers in the Hempfield Area School District have won their legal challenge of a school board bid to change the way health care claims are handled.

Arbitrator Marc Winters has sided with the employees in their battle to stop the board from implementing changes in coverage for the workers, represented by the Pennsylvania State Education Association and the Hempfield Area Support Professionals union.

The two sides have been dueling in court since the school board voted in June to impose health insurance deductibles of $1,000 per individual and $2,000 for families. The board also wanted to create a district-paid Health Reimbursement Account to reimburse employees for the deductibles.

The school board argued that the change provided the same medical benefits as the current plan and that covering deductibles with the reimbursement account in essence did not change benefits at all.

The legal fight has cost taxpayers nearly $13,000, according to district records.

Winters ruled that the board's action was a violation of the district's contracts with the employees.

"It is a shame that our school board has no regard for the taxpayers funds which they so freely waste on frivolous cases," said Joe Scheuremann, president of teachers union. "Perhaps if they had to pay these legal fees out of their own pockets they would have more respect for the law."

Scheuremann said the decision is a relief for teachers who were concerned that some medical procedures might not be covered because of the changes.

"It's very satisfying for union members who have been very worried about health care," he said. "At the same time, it's very sad all that money was wasted by the school district when they knew they never had a chance of winning."

Superintendent Terry Foriska said he hadn't read the ruling and could not comment.

Board President John Henry said the ruling means a loss for taxpayers.

"It's a shame. The taxpayers are going to lose," Henry said. "We would have saved over $900,000 last year and would have saved between $300,000 and $500,000 this year."

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