Sept. 2010
EMPLOYEE’S SAFETY &
HEALTH CONNECTION
Chula Vista Elementary School District, 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA
91910
Benefits Open Enrollment
The annual open enrollment period for employee benefit plans is scheduled for November 8 – 19, 2010, with the
Benefits Fair on November 18 th and 19 th. The effective date for all changes will be January 1, 2011.
Open Enrollment is your opportunity to make changes to your insurance plans and to enroll in the I.R.C. Section 125
Flexible Spending Accounts.
Informational packets will be sent to all sites the first week of November 2010. These packets will include information
regarding any plan benefit changes and pay warrant premium deductions.
As a result of the Health Care Reform, young adults may remain on, or be added to their parent’s
health plans until the age of 26.
• They need not be full time students.
• They need not be unmarried.
• They need not be the employee’s dependent for IRS purposes.
• They need not be living with the employee.
Q.
A.
How do I add my adult dependent child(ren) to my coverage?
During the next open enrollment in November 2010, you will need to complete and submit a change form to
Risk Management along with a copy of the dependent’s birth certificate. The effective date of coverage will
be January 1, 2011.
Employees will no longer be required to sign a Student Certification or provide proof of
student status.
Catastrophic Leave Bank
The donation period for all Certificated, Classified, and Charter schools is now open. The
banks are designed to assist participants whose accrued sick leave has been exhausted and
are in need of additional sick leave days for catastrophic illness or injury.
Catastrophic illness or injury is defined as any illness or injury that incapacitates a
participant for an extended period of time, as defined in Education Code 44043.5(1). This
definition does not include injuries or illnesses related to workers compensation.
The window period for contributing for the 2010-11 school year is July 1 through
October 29, 2010. Applications have been disseminated to all sites. Additional copies are
available on the District’s intranet under Risk Management, or by contacting Risk
Management at extension 1352.
Inside this Issue...
ü BENEFITS:
Out-of -Area Urgent
Medical Care
On Call — 24-Hour
Travel Assistance
ü WELLNESS:
Healthy Upgrades
for Breakfast
ü INJURY & ILLNESS
PREVENTION:
Universal
Precautions for
Communicable
Diseases
Benefits
Out-of-Area Urgent Medical Care
If you or your covered dependents have an Urgent Care need due to an unforeseen illness, injury, or complication of an existing
condition (including pregnancy), while you are traveling outside of your Home Region service area, your health plan covers
“MEDICALLY NECESSARY” services to prevent serious deterioration of your health from a non-Plan Provider if all of the
following are true:
¾
You receive the services from non-Plan Providers while you are temporarily outside your Home Region service area.
¾
You reasonably believe that your health would seriously deteriorate if you delay treatment until you return to your Home Region
service area.
You must pay for the services unless the non-Plan Provider agrees to bill your health plan. If you want your health plan to pay for
the services, you must complete and submit a claim form along with all receipts and bills received from the non-Plan Provider.
You, or someone else on your behalf, must notify your health plan within 24 hours, or as soon as reasonably possible, after the initial
receipt of urgently needed services. While you are reporting the illness/injury to your health plan, you should also request a claim
form be mailed to you. Please contact your health plan at the phone number listed on the back of your I.D. card.
On Call International — 24-Hour Travel Assistance
You're traveling far away from home and you're sick or hurt. Who can you call for help?
In some emergencies you can call the hotel desk or 911 to get the help you need. But what if you just feel you should (or know you
have to) see a doctor?
•
•
•
How do you go about finding one?
Where do you go?
What if you need to go to a hospital?
Maybe you don't speak the language; maybe you need legal help; maybe you just need help to find out what happened to your
luggage. Who can you rely on?
Through your District-paid basic life insurance with Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, you also receive travel assistance
services provided by On Call International (On Call).
What is On Call? On Call is a 24-hour, toll-free service that provides a comprehensive range of
information, referral, coordination and arrangement services designed to respond to most medical
care situations and other emergencies you may encounter when your travel. On Call also offers pre trip assistance including passport/visa requirements, foreign currency and weather information.
This is how it works: You don't have to enroll for On Call. If you are covered under the District's
Basic Life insurance plan through Reliance Standard Life, you are automatically covered by the On
Call Program. These worldwide assistance services are available to you and covered family
members when traveling 100 miles or more from home, or when traveling in a foreign country on
trips of up to 90 days.
For On Call emergency medical, legal and travel assistance information and referral service 24-hours a day, 365 days a year, call:
In the U.S., toll free (800) 456-3893
On Call, collect (603) 328-1966
If you would like more information, please contact Risk Management and a brochure will be sent to you. The brochure is also
available on the District website under Risk Management.
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Sept. 2010
Wellness
Healthy Upgrades for Breakfast
Source: C a l i f o r n i a C o r p o r a t e B e n e f i t s — June 2010
It's 7 a.m. -- do you know what's in your breakfast? Many of us start the day with a sugary cereal or a muffin full of bad fats or a calorie
-laden bagel too plump to even fit in the toaster. But with a few small changes, you can make big-time improvements. Your goal at
breakfast should be to get calcium, dietary fiber and vitamin C -- nutrients that can be harder to find at other meals. Here's a look at
some common breakfast items and how you can upgrade them without much hassle.
BREAKFAST AT THE TABLE
OJ Plus! For an effortless upgrade from regular orange juice,
switch to 100 percent juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
You'll get 35 percent of your daily calcium and 120 percent of
your daily vitamin C in an 8 -ounce glass.
Scramble in a good nonstick skillet and throw in some leftover
veggies to add some more nutrients and fiber.
RUNNING OUT THE DOOR
Nutrition Bar Buyers Beware!
Despite the healthy-sounding name, many breakfast bars are
nutritionally no better than white bread and jelly. Quaker Oatmeal
Breakfast Squares do offer 3 grams fiber but they're somewhat
high in sugar and contain partially hydrogenated oils. Grab an
Odwalla Bar (4 grams fiber) or a Luna bar (3 grams fiber) for a
significant nutrition upgrade. If you prefer something warm, pop
an Amy's Breakfast burrito in the microwave: it has 5 grams fiber
and will meet 20 percent of your daily iron needs.
Bold Choices for Cold Cereals!
When you're choosing a cold cereal,
remember to get your fiber! A bowl
of corn flakes or rice crisps might
sound healthy, but there's only 1
gram of dietary fiber in a cup. Easyto-find upgrades include General
Mills Wheat Chex (5 grams fiber), Post Shredded Wheat and
Bran (8 grams fiber), Kashi GoLEAN (10 grams fiber) or Uncle
Sam's Cereal (10 grams fiber). If you can't quit your favorite lowfiber brand, try combining it with a high-fiber option. You might
enjoy the taste! Also, be sure to have your cereal with nonfat or
low-fat milk instead of whole milk, or try soy milk. With all
packaged cereals, look to the Nutrition Facts panel printed on the
back, not the health claims displayed on the front.
I Can't Believe How Many Calories Are In My Yogurt!
An 8-ounce container of sweetened, fruit-on-the-bottom, full-fat
yogurt has about 240 calories and 4 grams of fat. Try this easy
upgrade: Stir 1/2 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened berries and 2
tablespoons almonds or other nuts into 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt.
You'll eliminate the saturated fat, and be able to enjoy good fruit
flavor along with 3 grams of fiber.
BUYING ON THE OUTSIDE
The Early Morning Drive-thru
Fast-food franchises offer speed and convenience. And, while
they're not always cheap depending on what you choose, they can
offer good value. Fast-food restaurants have made efforts in
recent years to offer some more nutritious options. Unfortunately,
many people are still tempted by the higher-fat, higher-calorie
choices.
If you know you'll be picking up a to-go breakfast, check out the
restaurant's website the night before. Look for lower-calorie
breakfast menu items with no more than 15 grams total fat and
less than 800 mg sodium.
And don't make a fast-food breakfast your daily routine.
Some Like It Hot! Hot oatmeal is a great way to get hearthealthy soluble fiber into your diet. Instant brands are convenient,
but beware of variety packs that are loaded with added sugar.
Quick oatmeal has a little more soluble fiber and cooks in just
one minute. Prepare 1 cup cooked and top with fresh or dried
fruits as you wish, and you'll easily meet your soluble fiber quota
for the day.
Leggo Your Eggos! Many frozen waffles use refined wheat flour
(with only 3 grams fiber for two waffles) and have unhealthy
trans fat. There are better options out there for waffle-lovers. Go
with Van's 97 percent fat-free or multigrain varieties to avoid the
trans fat and get 5 grams fiber per serving. Another trans-fat free
option is Kashi-GoLEAN waffles with 6 grams fiber and a few
extra grams of protein.
Coffee Calorie Count
Do you start your morning with a stop at the coffee shop?
Remember that whole milk or cream will add unwanted fat and
calories. A 16-ounce latte made with whole milk has 260 calories
and 14 grams of fat. (Remember too, that every packet of sugar
you stir in adds another 16 calories.) To save 100 calories and cut
the fat altogether, insist on fat-free milk for your next coffee.
Over the course of the workweek, you'll consume 500 fewer
calories and will still be getting 50 percent of your daily calcium.
Are Eggs Healthy? Sure, as long as you don't load them up with
fat! Eggs can be a great way to get some cheap high-quality
protein into your diet, providing 5.5 grams of protein in one egg
for only 68 calories. Although eggs do have a significant amount
of cholesterol, research has shown that dietary cholesterol has
only a small effect on blood cholesterol. Unfortunately, frying
them in butter and adding cheese will add lots of saturated fat.
QUIICK TAKES — Breakfast Tips: Looking for some quick, healthy breakfast ideas? Try one of these:
•
Scoop low-fat, calcium-fortified
cottage cheese into a cantaloupe or
honeydew melon half.
Page 3
•
Stuff a 6-inch whole-wheat pita with
scrambled egg whites (or egg
substitute) and salsa. Serve with 1/2
pink grapefruit or other fresh fruit.
•
Layer fat-free yogurt and berries
over one prepared whole-grain
waffle (from frozen).
•
Melt one slice (1 oz.) low-fat Swiss
or cheddar cheese over sliced
tomato on a whole-wheat English
muffin. Enjoy 1 medium fresh fruit
of your choice on the side.
EMPLOYEE’S SAFETY & HEALTH CONNECTION
Injury & Illness Prevention
Universal Precautions for Communicable Diseases
As employees in a school setting, you may be exposed to
communicable diseases.
This information on universal
precautions is to help you protect yourself against these
diseases. Universal precautions are precautions used in all
situations and not limited to use with individuals known to be
carrying a specific virus such as HIV or the virus causing
Hepatitis B. In the school setting, those precautions should
include hand washing, using gloves, careful trash disposal,
and using disinfectants.
USING GLOVES: All staff members who may be required
to administer first aid involving blood or to handle body
fluids that may contain blood should have access to latex
gloves in the areas where the gloves might be required to be
used.
Technique for using gloves:
1. Use a clean pair of gloves for each pupil
contact or cleaning task.
2. Remove gloves by grasping the cuff and
then stripping it off by turning it inside
out.
3. Dispose of gloves in plastic bags.
4. Wash hands after removing gloves.
HAND WASHING:
Hand washing is the single most
important technique for preventing the spread of infectious
disease.
Hand washing must be done:
1. Before drinking, eating, or smoking.
2. Before handling clean equipment or utensils.
3. Before and after assisting with feeding.
4. After assisting with toileting or diapering.
5. After contact with any body secretions.
6. After handling soiled diapers, garments,
equipment.
7. After removing disposable gloves.
4.
5.
6.
or
Technique for washing hands:
1. Hand washing facilities
should include soap,
running water, and paper
towels.
2. Wet hands with running
water.
3. Apply liquid soap and
lather well.
Wash hands, using a circular motion and friction for
at least 10 seconds. Include front and back surfaces
of hands, between fingers and knuckles, around
nails, and entire wrist.
Rinse hands well under running water.
Dry hands well with paper towels, turn off water
faucet with paper towel, and discard towel.
TRASH DISPOSAL: Trash cans lined with plastic are
recommended for disposal of trash containing blood or any
other body fluids. Trash can liners, with trash enclosed,
should be securely tied, removed, and new liner inserted on a
daily basis. Used needles, syringes, or lancets are to be
placed in a secured sharps container.
FIRST AID INVOLVING BLOOD:
Individuals with
responsibility for administering first aid in school, on the
playground, in the cafeterias, or on school buses should have
current training which can be provided by certificated school
nurses employed by school districts or by local agencies, such
as the American Red Cross and the American Heart
Associations. Gloves should be standard components of first
aid supplies in the schools so that they are readily accessible
for emergencies and regular care given in school health
offices, cafeterias, and playgrounds.
“EACH CHILD IS AN INDIVIDUAL OF GREAT WORTH”
BOARD OF EDUCATION
DAVID BEJARANO - RUSSELL Y. CORONADO - LARRY CUNNINGHAM - DOUGLAS E. LUFFBOROUGH, III - PAMELA B. SMITH
SUPERINTENDENT
LOWELL J. BILLINGS, E D.D.
The Chula Vista Elementary School District is committed to providing equal educational, contracting, and employment opportunity to all in strict compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The District official who monitors compliance is Ms. Sandra Villegas -Zuñiga, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
Services and Support, 84 East J Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910, phone (619) 425-9600, extension 1340. Any individual who believ es s/he has been a victim of unlawful
discrimination in employment, contracting, or in an educational program may file a formal complaint with Ms. Sandra Villegas -Zuñiga.
Distributed by the Risk Management Department — (619) 425-9600, extension 1352
We hope this publication will answer some of your questions and concerns and educate you in the employee benefits and safety programs offered by the District.
Page 4
Innovate for Excellence
Sept. 2010