1419 - Group Legal Services Insurance (Historical View)
** Effective: 11/30/2016 8:50:44 AM - 7/9/2018 10:24:26 AM **Status: Active
Change Notes
Removed tables since they are not accessible.
Category
Benefits and Insurance
Audience List
- Personnel Officers
- Personnel Transactions Staff
- Personnel Transactions Supervisors
Synopsis
This policy
- provides information about the open enrollment for Group Legal Services Insurance
- provides eligibility criteria
- states the premium rates and fees
Introduction
The Group Legal Services Insurance (Plan), administered by the Department of Human Resources (CalHR), is a voluntary, employee-paid plan that provides comprehensive legal coverage to active and retired state employees. It is designed to meet the most common personal legal needs of an individual and their family. Coverage is provided by ARAG Insurance Company.
Statement
Eligible current employees may enroll in the Plan during the annual open enrollment period. Newly hired eligible employees may enroll in the Plan within the first 60 days of employment.
Eligibility Criteria
Employees eligible to enroll in the Plan include:
Permanent or probationary employees with a time base of half-time or more, who are designated rank and file, managerial, supervisory, confidential, or excluded/exempt;
Permanent-intermittent employees who worked a minimum of 480 paid hours during the last control period from July 1 through December 31; and,
Employees in a limited-term assignment who have return rights to a permanent position that meets the eligibility criteria. A newly hired employee appointed to a limited-term assignment who does not have return rights to a permanent position must have an appointment of six months or more, and a time base of half-time or more to be eligible to enroll.
Employees off work or on a leave of absence cannot enroll until they return to active status. However, if an employee is on military leave and is not available during the specified enrollment period, their spouse/domestic partner (with power of attorney) may enroll during the open enrollment period on their behalf.
State of California retirees/annuitants who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Judges Retirement System (JRS I and II), or Legislators’ Retirement System (LRS) are eligible to enroll.
Dependent Eligibility
Eligible dependents are defined as:
A lawful spouse or registered domestic partner;
Any dependent child, who has never been married under the age of 26;
a. Children include natural, stepchildren, adopted children, or children for whom the employee is the legal guardian, and children of the domestic partner; and
b. Any economically dependent child 26 years of age or older, if he/she is incapable of self-support because of a physical disability or mental incapacity who has never been married and is chiefly dependent on the eligible employee for support and maintenance.
Family members not eligible include the eligible employee’s/retiree’s parents and grandparents, children under the age of 26 who are married, or who have been married, and children over the age of 26, unless disabled as specified above.
Employees should be reminded that they are responsible for notifying their department’s personnel office and completing the necessary paperwork when a dependent child loses eligibility.
Retirees are responsible for notifying ARAG Insurance Company of any changes.
Premium Rates and Administrative Fee
The monthly premium rates, which include the 85 cent administrative fee, are as follows:
Individual Coverage - $10.19
Family/Registered Domestic Partner Coverage - $17.74
OPEN ENROLLMENT
Open enrollment for the Plan is held annually March through April. During open enrollment, eligible employees may enroll in the Plan and currently enrolled employees can change their coverage options to add or delete dependents. Employees and retirees already enrolled are not required to re-enroll during open enrollment in order to continue their coverage. Employees can cancel coverage any time throughout the year.
Effective Date of Coverage
The employee’s effective date of coverage will begin on the first day of the pay period following the first premium (payroll) deduction.
- If SCO receives the plan enrollment form by March 10, the employee's plan converage will begin April 1.
- If SCO receives the plan enrollment form by March 11 - April 10, the employee's plan converage will begin May 1.
- If SCO receives the plan enrollment form by April 11 - April 30*, the employee's plan converage will begin June 1.
*Enrollment forms signed, dated, and received by the personnel office by April 30, will be processed by SCO through May 10 with an effective date of June 1.
Employee Communications for Open Enrollment
Eligible employees not enrolled in the Plan will receive an enrollment packet with a Plan letter, a detailed flyer, enrollment instructions, and an enrollment authorization form.
Fill and Print Enrollment Authorization Form
A fill and print enrollment authorization form is available on ARAG’s website (use Access Code 10202soc) or visit CalHR’s website. Employees can complete the form online, print it, sign it, and give it to their personnel office. This form must have an original signature or SCO will not process it.
Ordering Enrollment Kits
Personnel offices should always maintain an adequate supply of the current marketing and enrollment materials during the annual open enrollment, for employees who become newly eligible to enroll throughout the year, or for an employee who may wish to cancel the Plan coverage. CalHR does not maintain these materials for distribution to departments. Please order supplies directly from ARAG Insurance Company by:
Calling the Material Ordering Service for State of California Group Legal Plan at 1-800-888-4184, Extension 259, or
E-mail your request to: printdistribution@ARAGlegal.com
Your request must include your department name, name of contact person, the actual physical street address with zip code, room number or mail station, telephone number and extension, and the quantity of enrollment kits needed. ARAG ships via UPS ground delivery and supplies are not deliverable to a P. O. Box (allow five to ten business days for delivery).
Application
Not Applicable.Authorities
- Bargaining / Contracts
- Government Code section 19889.7
- Government Code sections 19849.10 to 19849.13
Resources
Forms
- Group Legal Services Insurance Enrollment Form: Group Legal Services Insurance Enrollment Form
- Retirees Group Legal Services Insurance Enrollment Form: Retirees Group Legal Services Insurance Enrollment Form
PML
- PML 2015-005: PML 2015-005 - 2/24/2015 - 2015 Group Legal Services Insurance Plan Open Enrollment
- PML 2015-006: PML 2015-006 - 2/24/2015 - 2015 Retiree Group Legal Services Insurance Plan Open Enrollment
- PML 2016-004: PML 2016-004 - 2/24/2016 - Group Legal Services Insurance Plan Open Enrollment
- PML 2016-005: PML 2016-005 - 2/24/2016 - Retiree Group Legal Services Insurance Plan Open Enrollment
Web Pages
- ARAG Website: ARAG Home Page
- CalHR Group Legal Services: CalHR Group Legal Services
Authorized By
Desi Rodrigues
Program Manager,
Benefits Division
Contact Person
Patty Rosales-Abila
Program Manager,
, Group Legal Services Insurance
Phone: 916-324-5553
Fax: 855-238-3276
Email: patty.rosalesabila@calhr.ca.gov