Page 756

_____ 756 considered for medical/hospitalization, retirement service credit, and other benefits on the same basis as those individuals appointed to full-time, 12-month classified positions. n. Notwithstanding the Department of Human Resource Management Policies and Procedures, payment to employees with five or more years of continuous service who either terminate or retire from service shall be paid in one sum for twenty-five percent of their sick leave balance, provided, however, that the total amount paid for sick leave shall not exceed $5,000 and the remaining seventy- five percent of their sick leave shall lapse. This provision shall not apply to employees who are covered by the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program as defined in § 51.1-1100, Code of Virginia. Such employees shall not be paid for their sick leave balances. However, they will be paid, if eligible as described above, for any disability leave credits they have at separation or retirement or may convert disability credits to service credit under the Virginia Retirement System pursuant to § 51.1-1103 (F), Code of Virginia. o. It is the intent of the General Assembly that calculation of the faculty salary benchmark goal for the Virginia Community College System shall be done in a manner consistent with that used for four-year institutions, taking into consideration the number of faculty at each of the community colleges. In addition, calculation of the salary target shall reflect an eight percent salary differential in a manner consistent with other public four-year institutions and for faculty at Northern Virginia Community College. p. Any public institution of higher education that has met the eligibility criteria set out in Chapters 933 and 945 of the 2005 Acts of Assembly may supplement annual salaries for classified employees from private gifts, endowment funds, or income from endowments and gifts, subject to policies approved by the board of visitors. The Commonwealth shall have no general fund obligations for the continuation of such salary supplements. q. The Governor, or any other appropriate Board or Public Body, is authorized to adjust the salaries of employees specified in this item, and other items in the Act, to reflect the compensation adjustments authorized in this Act. r. Any public institution of higher education shall not provide general fund monies above $100,000 for any individual athletic coaching salaries after July 1, 2013. Athletic coaching salaries with general fund monies above this amount shall be phased-down over a five-year period at 20 percent per year until reaching the cap of $100,000. § 4-6.02 EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND STUDY Subject to uniform rules and regulations established by the Governor, the head of any state agency may authorize, from any funds appropriated to such department, institution or other agency in this act or subsequently made available for the purpose, compensation or expenses or both compensation and expenses for employees pursuing approved training courses or academic studies for the purpose of becoming better equipped for their employment in the state service. The rules and regulations shall include reasonable provision for the return of any employee receiving such benefits for a reasonable period of duty, or for reimbursement to the state for expenditures incurred on behalf of the employee should he not return to state service. § 4-6.03 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS a. Any medical/hospitalization benefit program provided for state employees shall include the following provision: any state employee, as defined in § 2.2-2818, Code of Virginia, shall have the option to accept or reject coverage. b. Except as provided for sworn personnel of the Department of State Police, no payment of, or reimbursement for, the employer paid contribution to the State Police Officers' Retirement System, or any system offering like benefits, shall be made by the Compensation Board of the Commonwealth at a rate greater than the employer rate established for the general classified workforce of the Commonwealth covered under the Virginia Retirement System. Any cost for benefits exceeding such general rate shall be borne by the employee or, in the case of a political subdivision, by the employer. c. Each agency may, within the funds appropriated by this act, implement a transit and ridesharing incentive program for its employees. With such programs, agencies may reimburse employees for all or a portion of the costs incurred from using public transit, car pools, or van pools. The Secretary of Transportation shall develop guidelines for the implementation of such programs and any agency program must be developed in accordance with such guidelines. The guidelines shall be in accordance with the federal National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-486), and no program shall provide an incentive that exceeds the actual costs incurred by the employee. d. Any hospital that serves as the primary medical facility for state employees may be allowed to participate in the State Employee Health Insurance Program pursuant to § 2.2-2818, Code of Virginia, provided that (1) such hospital is not a participating provider in the network, contracted by the Department of Human Resource Management, that serves state employees and (2) such hospital enters into a written agreement with the Department of Human Resource Management as to the rates of reimbursement. The department shall accept the lowest rates offered by the hospital from among the rates charged by the hospital to (1) its largest purchaser of care, (2) any state or federal public program, or (3) any special rate developed by the hospital for the state employee health benefits program which is lower than either of the rates above. If the department and the hospital cannot come to an agreement, the department shall reimburse the hospital at the rates contained in its final offer to the hospital until the dispute is resolved. Any dispute shall be resolved through arbitration or through the procedures established by the Administrative Process Act, as the hospital may decide, without impairment of any residual right to judicial review.