|
Introduction
As a benefited City employee, you are entitled to a wide range of benefits.
Benefit options and cost are associated with your bargaining unit and benefit status
(i.e. Full time, ½ Time, or ¾ Time). The Human Resources Department can assist you in
interpreting benefit options and cost. For detailed information on benefit options and costs,
please visit the
Benefits page on the City’s website.
Group Health Insurance
You have the option of enrolling in various group health insurance plans. If you wish to participate,
you and your eligible dependents must enroll within the first 30 days of benefited employment with the City.
If your hire date is the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of the month, then benefits become effective the 1st of the following
month; if your hire date is the 4th through the end of the month, then benefits are effective the first of the
month following 30 days of employment.
If you are adding a dependent (i.e. spouse, registered domestic partner, newborn or adopted child) the addition
must be made within 30 days of the qualifying event. If the deadline is missed, you must wait until open enrollment
to add dependent (s). You may delete a dependent at anytime throughout the year.
Your biweekly benefit premiums will depend on the coverage type (Single, 2-Party or Family), plan selection and
benefit status (i.e. Full time, ½ Time, or ¾ Time). The City pays a major portion of the premium. Each plan also
provides an open enrollment period once a year, usually in the month of November, at which time you may change plan
selection if you so desire. For detailed information on benefit options and costs, please visit the
Benefits page
on the City’s website.
Group Dental Insurance
There are several dental insurance plans available for you and your eligible dependents. As with health insurance,
if you wish to participate, you and your eligible dependents must enroll within the first 30 days of benefited employment
with the City. If your hire date is the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of a month, then benefits become effective the 1st of the following
month; if your hire date is the 4th through the end of the month, then benefits are effective the first of the month
following 30 days of employment.
If you are adding a dependent (spouse, registered domestic partner, newborn or adopted child) the addition must be made
within 30 days of the qualifying event. If the deadline is missed, you must wait until open enrollment to add dependent(s).
You may delete a dependent at anytime throughout the year.
Your biweekly benefit premiums will depend on the coverage type (Single, 2-Party or Family), plan selection and benefit
status (i.e. Full time, ½ Time, or ¾ Time). The City pays a major portion of the premium. Each plan also provides an open
enrollment period once a year, usually in the month of November, at which time you may change plan selection if you so desire.
For detailed information on benefit options and costs, please visit the
Benefits page on the City’s website.
Life Insurance
The City provides and pays the full cost of providing for term life insurance for all benefited employees. The life insurance
benefit provides a lump sum benefit to your beneficiaries in the event of your death. The amount provided varies according to your
bargaining unit. For detailed information on benefit options and costs, please visit the
Benefits page on the City’s website.
State Disability Insurance
All benefited City employees in the General, Confidential, and Refuse bargaining units are covered by
State Disability Insurance
(SDI) for illness or injuries that are not job related. SDI and sick leave are to be used in combination until sick leave is
exhausted so that an employee does not receive more than 100% of salary. The City currently pays a major portion of the premium
associated with this program. After the seventh day of injury or illness, the employee is eligible to receive SDI benefits. To file
a claim, an SDI form may be obtained from the
State Employment Development Department (EDD).
A physician must complete the doctor's certification portion and the claim must be filed with the State within 49 days of the
illness or injury. SDI benefit checks must be endorsed by you and submitted to the Finance Division, Payroll Section in order to
comply with the legal requirements of the program and the SDI Buy Back Program. For detailed information, please visit the
Benefits page on the City’s website.
Long Term Disability Insurance
Management and IBEW Supervisory employees can elect to enroll in the City’s LTD program. All IBEW members are automatically
enrolled in the City’s LTD program. For questions regarding the
LTD program, please visit the
Benefits page on the City’s
website. For all Police and Fire bargaining units, please contact your bargaining unit representative for more details on long-term
disability plan options.
Beneficiaries
If you are a benefited City employee, the City will pay out financial compensation to your designated beneficiaries in the event
of your death. Some of the benefits that your beneficiaries may be entitled to include the following:
• Life Insurance: Value varies by bargaining unit
• Retirement:
California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)
• Deferred Compensation: Value is based on account balance
• Final Compensation: Hours worked in pay period and applicable accrual payoffs
The Human Resources Department, Benefits Division recommends updating your beneficiary records when a family status change occurs
(i.e., birth, divorce, marriage). Forms to update beneficiaries are available on the web or by contacting the Human Resources
Department, Benefits Division. After completing the appropriate forms, return them to the Human Resources Department, Benefits Division
for processing.
As a reminder, please ensure your employee association and credit union beneficiary records are kept up-to-date.
Workers' Compensation
California law requires that employers provide certain benefits to those who suffer a work related injury. The City is self-insured and
self-administered for Workers' Compensation Benefits. All claims are handled through the
Workers Compensation office which is part of the
Finance Division of the City Manager’s Office. The telephone number is (951) 826-5559.
Any on-the-job injury, no matter how minor, is to be reported to the supervisor immediately after the injury occurs. Failure to do so may
result in loss of benefits. The Supervisor will provide the injured employee with the Employee’s Claim form for Workers’
Compensation Benefits (DWC-1) within 24 hours of notice of injury.
For those injuries requiring medical attention during regular office hours, contact the Workers' Compensation Office between the hours
of 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. During weekends, or outside regular office hours, seek treatment at the nearest hospital
Emergency Room. In the event of a critical injury, call 911 (or 9911 within the City phone system) for emergency treatment.
Deferred Compensation
As a benefited City employee, you are eligible to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program. If you participate, you choose the
amount you wish to invest in the plan of your choice and your contributions are deferred on a pre-tax basis. You can stop, start, increase
or decrease contribution amounts anytime throughout the year. The minimum amount that may be deferred each pay period is $10.00. The annual
maximum is subject to change, please contact the Human Resources Department for details. Depending upon the bargaining unit, a City
contribution may be received by those deferring income. Executives have the additional option of deferring income under a 401(a) Plan.
Some restrictions apply. You pay no federal or state taxes on these deferred salary dollars and they accumulate in the plan tax-free. You
only pay taxes when you retire and/or start to withdraw your funds. These unique features are the reason this plan is called a “
Deferred Compensation Plan.” As a participant, you will enjoy these benefits:
• By lowering taxes, you will have more net spendable income
• Your funds will accumulate faster without the tax liability
Plan withdrawals or retirement income may be taken at retirement, disability, death or at termination of employment. Need to borrow money
from your deferred compensation account? Contact the Human Resources Department,
Benefits Division or your deferred compensation representative
for more details.
125 Flexible Spending Plan
The City offers a Flexible Spending Plan with two options to choose from: 1) Dependent Care Account and/or 2) Health Care Expense Account.
With the Dependent Care Option eligible dependent care expenses are those that enable you and your spouse, if you are married, to work or
attend school full-time. Services must be for children under age 13 or for dependents of any age who are physically or mentally incapable of
caring for themselves. As for the Health Care Expenses Option, you can use it to pay for eligible expenses for yourself and your dependents.
Eligible expenses include medical, dental, and vision expenses not covered by other insurance plans, such as deductibles, co-pays, chiropractic,
acupuncture, contact lenses, prescribed medical supplies, and some over-the-counter medications. Estimate with care because the IRS has a strict “
Use It or Lose It” rule that applies to the Flexible Spending Account. You should not contribute more than you expect to use for eligible expenses
during the calendar year. Any money remaining in your accounts at the end of the calendar year after all claims have been filed must be forfeited.
You can enroll in the plan when you are initially hired as a benefited employee or during Open Enrollment (November). You decide how much you want to
contribute to either or both accounts. You cannot change your contribution amounts during the plan year unless you have a qualifying status change
(i.e. marriage, child’s birth or an adoption of a new dependent). The City helps you stretch the value of your health care dollars by deducting your
premiums for Medical/Dental on a pre-tax basis automatically at no cost. For detailed information on benefit options and costs, please visit the
Benefits
page on the City’s website.
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
As a benefited City employee, you are automatically covered under a City-sponsored Retirement Plan offered and arranged through one of the largest Retirement
Systems in the world, the
California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). The City pays the full cost of this important benefit. The Plan
provides a defined and guaranteed monthly retirement benefit based on your highest 12 months salary and number of years of Plan participation. Benefits are
payable when you reach certain life events such as retirement or disability.
You may start to receive your monthly retirement benefits at your normal retirement age, upon becoming disabled, etc., provided you have met the minimum
requirements, such as five years of service and age 50. In addition to normal retirement benefits, the plan also provides death benefits, survivor benefits,
disability retirement, early retirement and deferred retirement.
Benefits and retirement formulas vary among City employee groups, so be sure to check your benefit insert or your
CalPERS benefit booklet for specific
retirement plan details. The City does not participate in the Social Security System but does participate in Medicare.
The City pays both the “Employee Share” and “Employer Share” of the
CalPERS retirement contribution on your behalf. Should you separate
from City employment prior to completing 5 years of service vested in CalPERS, the amount contributed on your behalf (employee’s share) will be returned to you
by CalPERS. Other options will be discussed during your separation processing with the Human Resources Department. As you begin thinking about starting your retirement
processing, we encourage you to contact the Human Resources Department,
Benefits Division, or the local
CalPERS office in San Bernardino at (888) 225-7377 for further
information.
|
