Organizations representing West Virginia’s teachers and school service personnel are suing to block a state agency’s decision to control health-care costs.
The American Federation of Teachers and the West Virginia School Service Personnel Association filed their joint lawsuit in Kanawha County Circuit Court on Oct. 9. The West Virginia Education Association filed a similar lawsuit last month.
The lawsuits come as Gov. Joe Manchin is trying to broker a deal with the education community over the states handling of health-care benefits for retired public workers. The lawsuits target a decision this past summer by the Public Employees Insurance Agency finance board to stop subsidizing retiree coverage, starting with workers hired after next June.