Warren Township teachers believe they might have been overcharged for health insurance

About 75 teachers union members at Warren Township High School in Gurnee delivered a message Tuesday night regarding allegations they have been overcharged for family medical insurance.

Employees first gathered near the Almond Road junior-senior campus cafeteria to be visible to Warren District 121 board members after they presented awards to Future Business Leaders of America students nearby. Roughly 50 union members then jammed the board meeting room, but did not speak during public comment time.

Jason Jecmen, a social studies instructor and president of Warren's union, said at least half the 378 members have been affected by the purported overcharges on paychecks for medical coverage for employees, spouses and children. Jecmen told the members after Tuesday's board meeting he's confident the issue will be resolved.

Jecmen said it's not known how long members have been paying too much for the insurance. He said a committee working on insurance matters for the union "found some discrepancies" regarding rates this year and that a grievance over the family coverage issue was lodged within the last month or so.

"We have a series of remedies that we are offering the board and we hope the board is receptive of our remedies," Jecmen said.

Longtime District 121 board member John Anderson and Superintendent John Ahlgrim declined to directly address the dispute.

"I don't really have anything to say yet," Anderson said. "We're still looking into the information."

Jecmen said the union has had a history of working well with Warren officials.

"We have a great respect for each other," he said, "and we'd like to see that continue."