County workers to be eligible for insurance after 30 days

At the Union County Quorum Court’s most recent meeting, it was decided that county employees would become eligible for health insurance after just 30 days of employment, instead of 60.

Earlier in the month, the Quorum Court’s Public Service Committee met to consider whether to renew the county’s insurance policy. The committee evaluated the current plan’s performance over the past year, and chose to renew it with no changes.

“We didn’t change any employee benefits and did not go up on premiums; it was a good meeting,” committee chair and Justice of the Peace for District 6 Cecil Polk said then.

At the Quorum Court meeting, which was held on February 23, the body considered an ordinance that would amend employees’ eligibility date for their employer-provided health insurance.

“Right now it’s at 60,” County Judge Mike Loftin said. “We’re trying to get all our open enrollments (and) everything going at the same time.”

Polk said County Clerk Shannon Phillips suggested moving up the eligibility timeline.

“It would be better when you hire people to make them effective earlier,” he said.

Going forward, county employees will be eligible for insurance the first day of the month after they’ve reached their 30th day of employment.

For example, if someone were hired by the county today, March 7, they would be able to sign up for the county’s health insurance program on May 1; if they were hired on the day the Quorum Court meeting was held, they would be eligible April 1, Polk said.

“Everything worked out and there’s no additional cost,” Polk said. “There was no difference.”

The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote from present JPs and went into effect immediately.