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Benefits Programs
Retirement Benefit- Employees become a member of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) from their first day of employment and earn service credit that counts toward retirement eligibility. This benefit is provided at no cost to you. Unreduced retirement benefits are available at age 50 after thirty years of service and after twenty-five years of service at age 50 for public safety employees.
Basic Life Insurance - A natural death benefit equal to twice your annual salary is provided to you free; for accidental death, the benefit is the natural death benefit doubled. Under certain circumstances, supplemental coverage such as dismemberment, safety belt, repatriation, and felonious assault benefits may apply. Administered through the Virginia Retirement System, the group policy is issued by Minnesota Life. Within 31 days of your termination date, the policy can be converted to a private policy.
Optional Life Insurance - gives you an opportunity to purchase additional life insurance for yourself and your family. Employees must enroll within 31 days of hire date or otherwise must complete a Health Status form. You may purchase coverage for one, two, three, or four times your salary up to a maximum of $600,000. Insurance is available for an employee's spouse and children: spouses are eligible for up to 50 percent of the maximum amount of members' optional group life insurance coverage not to exceed $300,000. Minor children who are at least 15 days of age may be covered in increments of $10,000, $20,000 or $30,000, depending on the level of coverage selected; one premium covers all children. The premium is based on your salary, level of coverage selected, and age. Employees who take normal retirement may continue a portion of optional life. If both you and your spouse are eligible for Optional Life as employees, you may not elect spouse coverage. Likewise, either you or your spouse, not both, may elect coverage for your children.
Deferred Compensation Plan - You may set aside a portion of your earnings into a retirement investment program through a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan administered by ICMA-RC. Your deduction is not subject to federal and state taxes until you withdraw the money, usually at retirement. You may enroll in the plan or make changes in your deferral any time during the year. The maximum deferral is set by the Internal Revenue Service.
Medical Insurance - Group health insurance is provided through Anthem; eligible dependents may also be covered. The City contributes toward the cost of coverage and new employees must select coverage within 30 days of employment. Changes in coverage may be made once a year except where there is a qualifying event.
Dental Insurance - Employees may enroll in voluntary dental benefits through the Delta Dental Plan of Virginia. Major and orthodontics services are subject to a 12-month waiting period from the employee's effective date. Employees have an opportunity add or drop coverage once a year.
Vision Care - After a co-pay, United Health Care Vision provides voluntary vision care to eligible employees. The program covers a complete annual eye exam including prescription lenses, frames once every twelve months, or contact lenses (in lieu of spectacle lenses and frames) once every twelve months.
Cancer and Intensive Care Insurance - You and your family can have financial protection during a medical crisis if you are diagnosed with cancer or if you are confined to a hospital intensive care unit. These plans pay you a cash benefit to cover out-of-pocket costs or other expenses associated with this illness or confinement. Benefits are administered by AFLAC. Premiums are pre-taxed in accordance with Section 125 of IRS code.
Short-Term Disability (AFLAC) - Provides a source of income if you become disabled due to a sickness or off-the-job injury after you have exhausted your personal paid leave. Monthly benefits are available for periods of 3, 6, 12 or 24 months.
Section 125 Benefit Plan - You can save taxes on the money paid toward certain group-sponsored benefit premiums. Eligible benefit contributions are automatically deducted from your salary before taxes are taken out. Your taxable income is reduced by the amount you contribute, so you pay less in taxes and have more take-home pay. Changes may be made annually unless there is a qualifying event. To waive the pre-tax benefit, please contact Human Resources.
LEAVE TIME
Annual Leave - Employees earn annual leave (vacation) time based on their length of continuous service. The amount earned starts at eight hours per month for the first four years and increases by two hours each month at five, ten, fifteen, and twenty-year milestones. Employees cease to earn annual leave after specific maximum amounts have been accumulated but not taken.
Sick Leave - Employees earn sick leave at the rate of eight hours per month. This amount increases to 16 hours per month after twenty years of continuous service. There is no maximum on the amount you can accumulate.
Family Medical Leave - The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 assists eligible employees in the care of newborn or newly adopted children and provides for absences to care for themselves, a child, a parent or a spouse faced with a serious health condition. Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave during any 12-month period for qualifying events.
Temporary Disability - With a doctor's certification, regular employees may be eligible for a temporary disability payment of 30% of their salary for a period of up to 12 consecutive weeks in any 52-week period, or the maximum duration of the employee's FMLA leave, whichever is less. To be eligible, you must exhaust all sick, annual, and compensatory leave, subject to certain restrictions.
Bereavement or Death Leave - Up to three working days of bereavement or death leave is available to be used when there is a death in the immediate family.
Holidays - The City observes the following twelve paid holidays per year:
New Year's Day
Lee-Jackson Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Washington's Birthday
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Day
Employee Assistance Program - Confidential counseling for both work and non-work related problems is available to employees and their dependents through REACH, the City's Employee Assistance Program.
MISCELLANEOUS BENEFITS
Educational Incentive - Subject to prior approval from your department director, you may be reimbursed up to $1,000 per fiscal year for tuition and required textbook expenses for coursework directly related to your position or for the completion of a GED.
Direct Deposit - As a matter of convenience, employees may choose to have their monthly paycheck directly deposited into their regular or savings account.
Credit Union - Employees may join the Virginia Credit Union and participate in a variety of savings, loan, and other financial programs.
Health and Wellness - The Wellness program encourages employee health and well being through fitness and health promotion activities. The City has a fitness facility in the lower level of City Hall. Annual health care screenings and other related health and wellness initiatives are provided.
Service Awards - The City recognizes that long, stable service is a benefit both to the citizens we serve and to the organization. To recognize City employees who have reached a specific landmark in their career, and to show appreciation to the employee for his/her continued service, eligible individuals receive a cash award after five years of continuous employment and in subsequent five-year increments. Cash amounts range in value from $150 to $2,500.
YMCA - A reduced membership in the YMCA is available for employees and their immediate family members. Dues are payroll deducted and employees can enroll, make changes, or end their membership at any time.
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS/WEBSITES
AFLAC - (540) 772-1684 Anthem - (800)-582-6941Caremark - (800) 378-7040
Nurse Triage 24 - (877) 234-0898Delta Dental - (800) 237-6060Finance Department - 403-5145 Horace Mann - 632-3962Human Resources - 403-5181 ICMA - (888) 803-2723Minnesota Life - (800) 441-2258 United Healthcare Vision- (888) 541-4841 Virginia Credit Union - (800) 285- 6609Virginia Retirement System - (888) 827-3847YMCA - 632-6427
