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Yreka, California - July 1, 2011
Average health care costs for a family of four insured through their job rose 7.3% this year to $19,393, according to Milliman Inc., an independent consulting firm. Nationwide, employee’s share of the premium is inching closer to 50%. While many employers are decreasing employee benefits to government mandated limits due to rising costs, cutting salaries or laying off, Yreka’s Nor-Cal Products has increased wages and recently increased health insurance coverage, while holding the line on employee premiums and lowering out of pocket maximums.
Valve assembly technician Jim Anderson says, “There are a lot of great things about Anthem Blue Cross. One of the services I thought was cool, now that I am over 50, is that the preventive cancer screening is 100% covered - no copay and the deductible is waived. How can you beat that?” According to another employee, “I will save $100 a month on prescriptions plus $260 when my two girls need new glasses.”
Major dental services, such as crowns or bridges, previously required a one year waiting period, but are now available to the new employee. Vision coverage was offered as a supplemental policy, but now is included in the basic plan. Chiropractic visit coverage has been expanded from twelve to twenty visits per year. An employee assistance program provides free counseling services for the employee and their family, while a new long-term disability benefit pays 60% of the employee’s basic monthly earnings. Annual out-of-pocket maximum has been reduced from $4,500 to $3,000 per individual or from $9,000 to $6,000 per family. Nor-Cal also provides every employee with a life insurance policy worth one year’s salary.
Nor-Cal believes in being good community and corporate citizens. In addition to sponsoring many local community activities, they have implemented green initiatives, such as an electric truck for transporting parts between their two buildings, energy efficient lighting and solar panels soon to be installed on their South building.
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Yreka, California - April 20, 2011
Recently, Nor-Cal Products with the help of Pacific Power Company and Day Electric Company upgraded the overhead lighting system in their factory and offices to energy efficient fluorescent lights. High output T12 fluorescent lights were replaced with high efficiency T8 lights. They also replaced all the old incandescent exit signs with LED lighted signs. To complete the project they installed occupancy sensors in the rest rooms, so the lights are turned off automatically when no one is in the room. The new system decreased the energy consumed for lighting by 56%, which equates to 729,000 kilowatt hours per year.
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Yreka, California - February 23, 2011
Nor-Cal Product’s late CEO, Craig Hill, was honored by his friend and business partner, Tom Deany, during the ribbon cutting of the Craig Hill Youth Activity Center at the Yreka YMCA. Shortly before his death, Craig made a personal donation of $60,000 to fill a funding gap in the project. Behind the scenes, Craig was always a generous benefactor to youth and civic activities in Yreka and the surrounding areas. He supported swim teams, sober graduation, bike races, court appointed special advocates and many other programs. During the grand opening of the new activity center, Tom said he hoped that Craig was smiling down on the event; although he confessed that Craig would probably be “mad as hell” that it was named after him. Craig was not one for notoriety; however, he was the first to lend support to his community and its youth.
For the full story see http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/archive/x678656943/Yreka-YMCA-youth-center-to-open-this-weekend
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