School District of Oconee County

Each fall, eligible employees have the opportunity to review and make changes to their benefits during the annual Open Enrollment period established by the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA). During this time, employees may enroll in, update, or adjust benefit selections for the upcoming plan year. Information regarding Open Enrollment dates, available plans, and important deadlines will be shared with employees each year.

Special Eligibility Situations allow employees to make benefit changes outside of the annual Open Enrollment period when experiencing a qualifying life event. Common qualifying events include marriage, divorce, the birth or adoption of a child, or gaining or losing other health coverage. Employees must notify the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) and submit any required documentation within the established eligibility window in order to make changes to their coverage.

The purpose of the ELB is to provide leave or supplement available income (including, but not limited to Social
Security benefits, short-term disability benefits and/or retirement benefits) for eligible employees when attendance
is inadvisable and/or impossible due to catastrophic or prolonged illnesses or accidents of the employee or his/her
immediate family, and when required absences exceed the accrued leave. The ELB is maintained by the annual
voluntary donation of one day of current, earned sick leave to the ELB by District employees, thereby establishing
their eligibility to participate in the ELB.

All employees who are on full-time duty with the District, earn sick leave, and have accrued one day of earned
sick leave are eligible to participate. Participation is voluntary; however, the ELB will not operate with less than 25
percent participation of eligible District employees.

To become a member, an employee must complete a membership application and contribute the required number
of days of earned sick leave during the October open enrollment period. Additional contributions annually, or as
needed, will be automatically transferred to the ELB according to the procedures established.

A member of the ELB who meets eligibility criteria as described in this regulation may apply to draw upon the ELB
by completing an “Application for Use of ELB” form. This application must be accompanied by a “Physician’s
Confirmation” form confirming the nature and expected duration of the disabling condition. The maximum number
of days which may be drawn from the ELB for any single catastrophic event or illness is 45.
Members who have been approved for Workers’ Compensation due to a job-related injury, or who have been
approved for, and are receiving, disability benefits, will not be eligible to apply for ELB days.