Catastrophic Benefit Pool Donation can happen any time throughout the year! 

You must have the leave available to make the donation.  You do not qualify for this benefit until your donation has processed.  After processing, days after that would qualify.

• In the Benefits section, click on the WPS Catastrophic Benefit Pool link.
• Select an option: to donate, or decline to donate.
• Click on Save and Return to WPS Attendance History.
• You will see "Donation Pending" indicating that you have agreed to donate one day.

Your donation will be deducted from your temporary leave on your next paycheck, or the first check that you have temporary leave available. New Employees will see this deduction after they successfully complete their probationary period.

Catastrophic Benefit Pool - Plan Description

The Catastrophic Benefit Pool was established to help employees recover some of their used temporary leave days when they have exhausted all their temporary leave and experience a major disaster declared by the President of the United States or a qualified medical emergency.  The catastrophic event would need to be considered a qualifying Family Medical Leave event to be deemed a qualifying medical emergency.

The plan shall be established by allowing each benefited employee to contribute one (1) day of temporary leave into the plan. Those who wish to enroll in the Plan (those new to the district, those who wish to enroll for the first time, or those who went off benefits since they contributed a day) may do so during the annual catastrophic open enrollment period. Those who have contributed a day in the past will NOT be allowed to do so again unless they went off benefits since they contributed the day or if in the future the hours drop low enough that the pool is required to be replenished.

All applicable temporary leave must be exhausted before individuals are eligible to apply for reinstatement of temporary leave days already deducted because of the catastrophe. Temporary leave must be in deduct and showing up as such on the PeopleSoft system before individuals are eligible. Employees who meet the criteria above shall be eligible to submit an application to draw on the pool up to twenty (20) days per contract year.

The Catastrophic Benefit Pool is not an option for people eligible for or receiving Workers’ Compensation or Disability Compensation payments.

If you have any questions about the Catastrophic Benefit Pool, please contact Employee Benefits and Insurance Management at (316) 973-4581 or by email at employeebenefits@usd259.net.