Board approves EGA policy revisions establishing five-year vesting for district health coverage

The Lafayette Parish School Board approved revisions to board policy EGA that establish a vesting requirement for post-retirement participation in the district's self-funded health insurance plan. The policy sets eligibility at five consecutive years of district coverage before retirement, with a grandfathering provision for employees currently enrolled or who enroll during the upcoming open-enrollment window for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Board member Mr. Bajoran moved the revision; Mr. Hidalgo seconded. During discussion, a staff member identified as Trish explained the district is self-funded and that vesting means continuous participation for a specified period to be eligible to continue coverage after retirement. She said the policy does not affect employees already on the plan before Jan. 1, 2026, because of the grandfather clause.
Board members described the policy as more generous than many neighboring systems and said the revisions align district rules with prior board decisions and legal requirements. A board roll-call after discussion recorded the motion as carried. The district said staff benchmarked other systems and included research in the drafting process.