Just under 100 state workers answered the governor’s call to voluntarily pay 20 percent of their monthly health care premiums — and some of the top managers in state government are not participating.
Seventy-five people from the top echelons of state government did sign up to make the monthly contribution. The governor and lieutenant governor announced in early July announced they would pay. However, a few state agency leaders did not do as the governor asked and begin paying for part of their health insurance. A spokesman for the Iowa Department of Administrative Services confirms the directors of the Department of Corrections and the Department for the Blind did not sign up, nor did the state banking superintendent.
Twenty state employees who are covered by a union contract are voluntarily giving up a portion of their pay to cover 20 percent of their health insurance premium. Republican Secretary of State Matt Schultz’ name is not on the list. A spokesman for the secretary of state says Schultz will reimburse the state each month for an amount equal to 20 percent of his premium, but Schultz “simply wanted to stay in his current health plan instead of switching to the new plan the governor’s office created.”
The union that represents the largest share of state workers has filed a complaint with the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board. The complaint accuses Branstad of violating the collecting bargaining agreement by adjusting the health insurance plans offered to state workers.