Opinion ID: 2638964
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Dumont

Text: ¶ 17 James A. Dumont was injured on June 23, 1999, while working as a truck driver for Supervalu West Coast Grocery, a self-insured employer. At the time of his injury, Dumont was a member of Teamsters Local 313, which had in effect a CBA with Supervalu. Under Schedule A of the CBA with Supervalu, Dumont's wage rate was $19.14 per hour. When Dumont worked the third shift, he was to be paid an additional $.325 per hour worked. The CBA also required Supervalu to deposit into union trust accounts for Dumont $342.55 per month for health insurance, [7] $81.75 per month for dental insurance, $11.35 per month for vision insurance, $39.85 per month for a continuation of health coverage for Dumont and his wife after retirement, and $2.69 per month for pension (with a maximum of $465.37 per month). ¶ 18 After his injury, Dumont was granted benefits but disagreed with the Department's time-loss calculation and appealed. The IAJ found that at the time of his injury, Dumont was paid $19.465 per hour ($19.14 + $.325). The IAJ also found that the monthly payments by Supervalu for Dumont's health, dental, and vision insurance would normally constitute a portion of his wages for purposes of computing his time-loss and loss of earning power computation, but in this case those benefits had continued throughout the period Dumont received time-loss or loss of earning power compensation. The IAJ also found that payments for Dumont's retirement, disability, and life insurance did not constitute part of his wages because they were not critical to protecting Dumont's basic health and survival. The IAJ remanded with directions to the Department to recalculate Dumont's time-loss compensation. ¶ 19 Dumont then petitioned to the Board for review, which adopted the IAJ's order. He then appealed to superior court, which reversed and remanded to the Board for further hearings. The parties again appealed. The superior court ruled, in relevant part, that although Supervalu's payments into the union trust funds for Dumont's medical, dental, and vision protection constituted wages because they are critical to protecting a worker's basic health and survival, here the coverage continued through a combination of paid eligibility and waiver of premium, both of which were funded by Supervalu during a portion of his disability period, and therefore the payments are excluded in the wage calculation for that time period. CP at 10-11. It also ruled that employer payments into union trust funds for retirement plans, health benefits to be provided during retirement, short and long term disability protection, life insurance, and death and dismemberment protection were not wages because those were not critical to protecting a worker's basic health and survival at the time of injury. CP at 11. Dumont moved for direct appeal and this case was consolidated with Gallo, Renshaw, Barber, and Jones.