School bus driver questions proposed insurance benefits change

ELKHART, Ind. — A school bus driver for Elkhart Community Schools is questioning a proposed change to the minimum hours its employees must work every week to be eligible for health insurance benefits, The Elkhart Truth reports.

Doug Hasler, the executive director of support services at the district, said a statistical analysis showed claims costs from part-time workers are greater than from the full-time group, according to the newspaper. If part-time employees working between 20 and 30 hours per week were not eligible for medical benefits, he estimated the district could save $50,000. He added that employees can now get coverage through health insurance marketplaces, with benefits comparable to what the district offers and subsidies that reduce coverage cost, The Elkhart Truth reports.

School bus driver Brian Prugh asked school board members to consider whether that cost savings is worth it in the long term, and said that he is concerned the change could cause the district to lose bus drivers amid a countywide bus driver shortage, according to the newspaper. He added that the bus drivers appreciate the extended benefits, and those benefits attract potential bus drivers.

School board members appeared receptive to Prugh’s comments and tabled the vote, The Elkhart Truth reports.

To read the full story, go here.