Orange County School teachers will get a discount on their health insurance premiums this year, as a result of a full day impasse meeting on Tuesday.
Under the original proposed premium increases of 64%, teachers would have paid collectively some $8.8 million dollars on health insurance.
But now they’ll pay only $4.4 million. The rest will be covered by the district. That will mean each employee will get about $250 to $300 dollars back from the district, on the back end.
Negotiations over the cost of health insurance stalled the contracts, including 9% salary raises. School board member Alicia Farrant said she’s grateful for the compromise that was reached, but she’s frustrated that it took months to get there.
“You deserve better than to wait eight months for a raise that you could have had to get your kids an awesome gift at Christmas or to get a new car if you needed to, or to stick in your savings account,” said Farrant.
School board member Karen Castor Dentel said she’s relieved by the compromise, but similarly frustrated by how long negotiations went on for, since the summer.
“Even though we came up with an agreement I believe there’s been harm done. So I hope that we can continue this positive direction and we continue to meet,” said Castor Dentel.
Teachers will pay the full 64% increase in premiums starting the 2025-2026 school year.
From here the union will vote to ratify the contract the earliest on March 28 and teachers can get their raises.
