The City of Villa Rica offers a wide range of benefits to its employees.  Some of these benefits are paid in full by the employer, while others are paid by the employee.  The benefits include medical, dental, vision, long term disability, short term disability, basic life insurance, voluntary life insurance,a fully funded retirement plan and supplemental retirement with a 457(b), and medical and dependent care flex spending accounts as well as paid time off programs. These benefits and the plan summaries are below, as well as the premiums associated with each plan.

ELECTING YOUR BENEFITS

You will have 30 days from your hire date to elect your benefits. If you do not elect your benefits within 30 days of your hire date, you will not be enrolled and you will have the option to elect benefits in the next open enrollment period, which is usually in August, or if you have a qualifying event.

The Benefits Summary is designed solely for the purpose of providing information regarding current benefits available at the City of Villa Rica to eligible employees. The policies addressed are subject to change at any time. This Benefits Summary is not intended as a legal or binding document, and does not imply or guarantee employment or entitlement to benefits.

EFFECTIVE DATE FOR BENEFITS

New benefits-eligible employees have 30 days from their effective date of employment to enroll in benefits. New employees enrolling in benefits in their initial employment period (first 30 days of employment) will have benefits become effective on the first day of the following month after 30 days of employment.

RETIREMENT PLAN

The City currently pays for the employees’ pension plan at 100%. This is a non-matching plan and the employee is vested after ten (10) years of employment.

 VOLUNTARY SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLANS - 457(b)

Employees may choose to enroll in optional supplemental plans at any time of the year. Payroll deduction for a 457(b) is available. Lord Abbot is the administrator of the plan.  A 457(b) is not subject to Federal and State taxes, but contributions are limited to the annual maximum amounts set by the IRS. To participate in one of these plans, an employee must complete an enrollment form and submit the completed form to Human Resources.

LIFE INSURANCE

Mutual of Omaha

Basic Life Insurance: The City provides each employee with a $50,000 basic life insurance policy. This is a double indemnity policy and would be doubled in the event of accidental death of the employee.

Supplemental Life Insurance: Employees have the option to elect supplemental life insurance in $10,000 increments, (with matching AD&D). The premiums are based on age and salary. Application for enrollment in supplemental life insurance outside of the first 30 days of employment requires Evidence of Insurability (EOI). EOI is also required for coverage over $150,000.

 Spouse Life: Employees may elect up to 50% of employee supplemental life amount for their spouse up to a limit of $30,000. Application to increase spouse life after the initial employment period requires EOI.

 Child Life: Child life to cover all eligible dependent children in the amount of $10,000 can be elected during the initial employment period or within 30 days of a qualifying event without EOI as long as the employee elects supplemental coverage for themselves.

 All life insurance policies carry an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) rider.

 HEALTH INSURANCE

The health insurance plan offered by the City is through HealthScope, the healthcare premium contribution for active, eligible employees will be paid with pre-tax dollars. Employees must enroll during the first 30 days of employment or during the annual open enrollment period. Open enrollment is generally held in the fall of each calendar year. Healthcare plan elections made during an open enrollment period will become effective at the beginning of the new plan year (September 1st). The plan year is currently a calendar year (September 1^st thru August 31^st). During an open enrollment period, an active and eligible employee may elect to: (1) enroll in a healthcare plan; (2) drop healthcare coverage; (3) or (4) change his/her level of coverage (i.e., single, employee + child, employee + spouse, or family).

 Because the employee share of the cost for healthcare plan premiums is paid with pre-tax dollars, the Internal Revenue Service rules state that the choices made by a covered member during an annual open enrollment period must remain in effect for the entire plan year. The only exception permitted is when a covered member has a qualifying event (change in family status). If you have a qualifying event, you may add, change, or discontinue healthcare coverage within 30 days of the qualifying event. Appropriate documentation must be presented to the Human Resources Office before a change in healthcare coverage can be granted. Some examples of qualifying events include: the birth or adoption of a child, death of a dependent, change in employment status of a covered member, his/her spouse, or his/her covered dependent, the loss of eligibility status by a covered dependent, member or spouse being called to full-time active military duty, losing or gaining healthcare coverage eligibility under Medicare or Medicaid, or a change in residence to a location outside of a healthcare plan’s service area. Failure to complete any eligible changes within 30 days of a qualifying event prohibits making such changes until the next City System open enrollment period.

ELIGIBLE DEPENDENT: Health benefits are not offered to spouses of City employees who are employed and offered coverage through their employer. Eligible dependents are defined as a legal spouse and dependent children up to age 26. New employees who enroll dependents are required to provide dependent documentation to the Human Resources Office within 30 days of hire date.  Failure to provide the required dependent documentation within the 30 day period will result in the dependents being dropped from coverage.

HEALTH CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT PLAN (FSA)

Eligible expenses include costs that are not reimbursable by insurance plans such as deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance payments, dental expenses, vision care, charges in excess of reasonable and customary allowances and charges in excess of insurance plan limits. Funds must be used by the end of the year or they are forfeited. The current maximum contribution is $2,550 per year.

DEPENDENT CARE SPENDING ACCOUNT PLAN

Eligible expenses include costs for care of qualifying dependent children and/or parents who meet the requirements to be claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes. You may contribute up to a maximum of $5,000 per year to this plan as a single or married individual but only $2,500 per year if you are married and file a separate return.

Eligible employees may enroll in the flexible spending plans during their initial employment period. Employees may also enroll during the annual open enrollment period for the upcoming calendar year (effective January 1st). Employees who wish to continue this benefit from one plan year to the next must re-enroll during each annual open enrollment period for the upcoming year.

 DENTAL INSURANCE

The dental plan is a fully insured self-insured indemnity plan through United Concordia .. Dental coverage may be elected at the time of initial eligibility (within first 30 days of employment) or during the annual open enrollment period. A qualifying event during the year also allows for enrollment, or change in enrollment, to the dental plan coverage. Requests must be made within 30 days of qualifying events with presentation of appropriate documentation.

BI-WEEKLY DENTAL PREMIUMS – 2015 - 2016

DENTAL INSURANCE COVERAGE OVERVIEW

Premiums paid by an employee for participation in the health, dental and vision benefit plans are automatically deducted before taxes.

VISION INSURANCE

A Vision Plan with Davis Vision is available to benefits eligible employees, to provide coverage for vision related expenses. A summary of benefits under this plan is available from Human Resources.

SHORT TERM DISABILITY (STD)

This is an optional plan offered to employees via payroll deduction. Lincoln Financial Group is the provider of this plan. This plan offers coverage to provide a portion of earnings if unable to work because of a disabling illness or injury. Coverage is 60% of weekly earnings for up to 13 weeks from the end of a fourteen day waiting period. The premiums are calculated based on age and salary. Application for enrollment in this plan outside of the 30-day new hire window will require Evidence of Insurability and approval by the insurance carrier. A summary of the plan is available from Human Resources.

LONG TERM DISABILITY (LTD) 

This is a plan provided for all benefits eligible employees at the City’s expense. Lincoln Financial Group is the provider of this plan. This plan offers coverage for 60% of income replacement in the event of long term disability that is certified by a physician. A summary of the plan is available from Human Resources. The premiums are calculated based on age and salary.

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP)

The City of Villa Rica offers an Employee Assistance program through Tanner EAP for benefits-eligible employees and their dependents. The Employee Assistance Program is a service that provides short-term confidential counseling and assistance associated with resolving life problems such as family issues, job stress, substance abuse issues, traumatic events, and other personal concerns. For more information, contact the Human Resources Office at 678-839-6403, or Tanner EAP at 770-834-8327.

PAID HOLIDAYS

The City observes the following holidays during the year:

    New Year’s Day                                             January 1

    Martin Luther King Day                                  Third Monday in January

    President’s Day                                              Third Monday in February

    Good Friday                                                    Friday before Easter Sunday

    Memorial Day                                                  Last Monday in May

    Independence Day                                         July 4

    Labor Day                                                       First Monday in September

    Veteran’s Day                                                 November 11

    Thanksgiving                                                  Fourth Thursday in November

    Friday after Thanksgiving                              Friday after Thanksgiving

    Christmas Eve                                                December 24th

    Christmas Day                                                December 25th

VACATION

 Eligible full-time employees will accrue the following amounts of vacation on their anniversary date of hire with the City based on the number of years they have been employed by the City on the anniversary date:

Full time employees will accrue Vacation leave in accordance with the following schedule:

SICK LEAVE

 Full-time employees will begin to accrue sick leave immediately upon employment.  Eligible employees will accrue sick leave at the rate of 12 days per year, one day for every full month of service. In the event that sick leave is not used by the end of the benefit year, employees may carry forward a maximum of 504 hours or sixty-three days.  When the unused sick leave reaches 504 hours, additional accruals will stop, until the accrued balance falls below 504 hours.  Upon termination of employment the employee shall not be paid for any sick leave earned and not taken. Sick leave must be earned prior to being used.