VERGENNES — The Addison Northwest Support Staff Association (ANSSA) and the Addison Northwest School District (ANWSD) Board of Directors have agreed on a new, two-year pact that includes a yearly pay increases and requires them to pay more for their health insurance.
Specifically, the agreement grants support staff a $1.35-per-hour raise during the current academic year (2017-2018) and another 75-cents-per-hour bump during 2018-2019, according to a press release signed by George Gardner, chief negotiator for ANWSD and Jackie Russet, Chief negotiator for ANSSA.
A portion of these raises compensate staff members for their increased share of health care premiums, which now align with the state’s new mandate of an 80/20 split between the school district and its employees, according to Gardner and Russet.
The Board will also provide staff members with an Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) to help offset health care deductibles. An HRA account is funded entirely by your employer. The employer contributes a specified amount to each participant’s HRA each year. As long as there is money in the employees account, he or she can use the funds toward eligible HRA expenses.