Benefit

Description

Medical Insurance

See Health Plan Summary Sheet

Medical insurance is provided at no cost to full-time regular and contract status employees.  The City paid premium is currently $382 per month.  Coverage begins the first day of the month following the employment or eligibility date.

Coverage for dependents is $368 per month and paid 100% by the employee.  Deductions of $184 are made from the first and second checks of each month to pay for the next month’s coverage.

The City is self-insured and has St. John’s Health Systems as its Preferred Provider Organization (PPO).  Annual deductible is $350 per person/$600 per family.  Preferred provider coverage 80% after deductible; non-preferred provider coverage is 60% after deductible. 

Covered employees receive an annual physical exam benefit of $300 per calendar year when using an in-network provider/deductible waived for this benefit.

Prescription Drug Plan administered by Express Scripts (ESI).  Retail pharmacy coverage:  $5 co-pay per 30 day fill plus 20% of total prescription cost; maximum fill of 90 days.  Mail order coverage:  20% of cost limited to a 90-day supply per prescription.  Mandatory generic:  If plan participant elects brand name over generic, cost is the $5 co-pay (waived for mail order) plus 20% plus the difference in price between the generic and brand name.  Out of Network (filing prescription claim with Med-Pay):  after deductible is met, plan pays 60% of covered prescriptions.

The City of Springfield Health Plan does have pre-existing condition exclusions for new enrollees.

Employees may participate in either of the IAFF Local 152-sponsored Assurant dental plans.  Premiums are 100% employee paid.  Current monthly rates are:

Term Life Insurance

IAFF Local 152 provides $4,000 life insurance coverage to association members; premium is included in membership dues.

A voluntary employee paid life insurance program is available through payroll deduction. 

Premiums are 100% employee paid.  Premiums for voluntary coverage are:  $13.50 monthly for $50,000 coverage for the employee and $1.99 monthly for $5,000 coverage for dependents.

Cancer/Intensive Care Coverage

Available through IAFF Local 152.  Information will be provided from a union representative.

Vision Coverage

IAFF Local 152 provides the opportunity to enroll in a vision insurance plan.  Employees pay 100% of the premium.  Current monthly premium rates are:

Cafeteria Plan  (IRS Section 125)

Voluntary employee participation plan allows for the payment of Health, Dental, Life and Cancer Insurance premiums and qualified Dependent Care Expenses & Medical Expenses on a pre-tax basis.  Elected contributions are not subject to State or Federal income taxes or FICA tax.

Deferred Compensation Plan

(IRS Section 457(b) Plan)

Voluntary employee participation.  Maximum $15,500 for 2008 calendar year - multiple investment options available.  The City contributes $10.00 per pay period for each employee’s contribution of at least $10.00 per pay period.  

Sick Leave

Six 24-hour shifts/144 hours (5.54 hours per pay period) accrue each year.  Maximum accrual of 2,160 hours for all firefighters on a 56-hour week.  Fire Department personnel on a 40-hour week earn 12 days/96 hours per year and accumulate a maximum of 1,440 hours.

Firefighters may use up to three and one-half 24-hour shifts (84 hours) of sick leave per calendar year for serious illness, injury, preventive health, or other medical needs for the employee’s spouse, children or parent.

The City pays $100 to any regular employee who uses four hours or less of personal sick leave within a designated six-month period. The two six-month periods run from the beginning of the pay period which coincides with the first pay date in July and the second six month period commences with the beginning of the pay period which coincides with the first pay date in January.  An employee must be in an active status and not on any leave without pay during the entire six-month period to be eligible.

Sick Leave Redemption

Employees having a sick leave balance over 720 hours may request the City redeem a portion of their sick leave balance at 75% of their hourly rate.  Employees hired on or after 7/1/98 may redeem up to 16 hours and not less than 8 hours.  The employee must not have used more than 5 days (40 hours) of personal sick leave during the 12 months prior to the request.  In addition, the sick leave balance must not be reduced below 720 hours.

Employees may utilize this provision only one time per fiscal year.

Employees hired before 7/1/98 may redeem up to 54 hours (75 hours for 24 hour schedule employees) and not less than 8 hours.

Continuous Operation Holidays

The City offers the equivalent time off of 9 one-half shifts per year for 56-hour week firefighters.

Employees hired on or after July 1, 2004, may accumulate a maximum of 2 times the amount of such holiday leave accruable in 12-month period.  Holiday leave time earned but not used, which exceeds this amount, shall be forfeited by the employee.

Employees may refer to the Merit Rules for details of payment due upon separation from the City.

Floating Holidays

Equivalent time off of 3 one-half shifts per year for 56-hour week firefighters.  Eligible after three months of service.  (NOTE: must be used during the calendar year or are lost.)

Vacation

NOTE: Per General Ordinance 4527, employees hired after July 10, 1995 may accumulate a maximum of two times the annual vacation rate.  Vacation NOT taken will be forfeited.

Kelly Days

48 hours per calendar year for employees on 24-hour shift schedule.

New employees on 24-hour shift schedule who start employment prior to July 1 of a calendar year will earn 48 hours for the current year; those employees starting between July 1 and December 15 earn 24 hours for the current calendar year.

Compensation

An employee may advance within a salary range on an annual basis provided they have a satisfactory performance rating.  Ranges may be adjusted from time to time.

Direct deposit of bi-weekly paychecks is available.

Proficiency Pay

Any person who holds a position listed upon the Fire Protection Schedule (FPS) and has been certified by the State of Missouri as being qualified as an Emergency Medical Technician is eligible for $300 annually.

Employees assigned to the Water Rescue or Hazardous Materials Teams are eligible for $300 annually (upon completion of appropriate training) for each team assignment.

Longevity Pay

(Paid to employees hired prior to 1/1/2005)

Pin Day

A pin day is a day off with pay based on length of service.  These occur only for specific years of service.  Pin days are earned on the 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc. year anniversaries.  A pin day must be used within one year of the time it is earned

Clothing Allowance

Firefighters receive a semi-annual clothing allowance of $337.34 within the pay periods in which September 15 and March 15 occur.   In addition, the City furnishes each Firefighter their turnout gear and other items such as helmet, hood, turnout pants and coat, leather gloves, badge and nametag, boots, and PPE pouch.

New firefighters are advanced a pro-rated payment calculated from hire date to the next semi-annual installment.  Anyone leaving City service within 6 months of receiving an advance must pay back 50% of the advance.

Retirement – Police and Fire Pension

Employees hired on or after June 1, 2006, have the following retirement benefit:

A mandatory retirement plan that requires 8.5% employee contributions.  Effective July 1, 2008, the variable City contribution rate will be 50.21%.

Members retiring from the pension system will not receive a return of employee contributions.

Five years of service required for vesting.

2.5% x final average monthly salary x years of service = monthly benefit.  Benefit not to exceed 75% of the employee’s final average salary.  Final average monthly salary is based upon the average of the highest 3 years of the last 10 and will not include payment for unused leave balances.

Normal unreduced retirement may be taken at age 55 with 25 years of service or age 60 with at least 5 years of service.

Disability pensions will be based upon percentage of disability.

No automatic cost of living adjustment for retirees.

Employees hired prior to July 1, 2006, have the following retirement benefit:

A mandatory retirement plan that requires 11.35% employee contribution.  Effective July 1, 2008, the variable City contribution rate is currently 50.21%.

Members leaving the City for a service or disability retirement with pension are paid back their employee contributions only, without interest.

Five years of service required for vesting.

2.8% x final average monthly salary x years of service = monthly benefit.  Benefit not to exceed 70% of the employee’s average annual salary.  Final average monthly salary is the average of the highest 3 years of last 10.

Normal unreduced retirement may be taken at age 50 with 20 years of service or any age with 25 years of service.  Employees may retire with reduced benefits at age 55 and at least 5 years of service.

Automatic compounded 3% cost-of-living adjustment applied annually each July.  (Must be retired for 12 months and age 56 to be eligible for annual adjustment.)

NOTE:  Firefighters do not participate in Social Security but those hired after 4/1/86 contribute 1.45% to Medicare.

Computer Purchase Assistance Plan

The City will reimburse 15% of the purchase price for a computer system (central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, preloaded software and printer) up to $600; which is equal to a $4,000 system.  You must be a full time (40 hours per week) regular or contract employee.  Reimbursement for a second or follow-up system must be at least 36 months from the previous purchase.

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Must be approved by the Human Resources Department at least seven days prior to start of the class.  Must satisfactorily complete probationary period to be eligible. One course per semester may be approved based on the availability of funds. Reimbursement is based on the grade received. 

Reimbursement applies to tuition only; does not apply toward cost of books, registration fees, or incidental fees.  Maximum $2,000 per fiscal year.  An employee leaving City employment will be required to pay back 100% of tuition reimbursement payments received during the last 6 months of employment.

Funeral Leave

Employees may be granted up to 3 working days leave in the event of the death of an eligible relative as listed in the Merit Rules.

Military Leave

An employee who is a member of the National Guard or any reserve component of the United States Armed Forces is eligible for a total of 120 hours leave per federal fiscal year without a reduction in pay upon furnishing the City with appropriate orders.

Jury Duty

An employee may be granted leave with pay when required to be absent from work for jury duty.

53 cents per mile for employees using their privately owned vehicles in the conduct of City business.

The City Manager or his designee may grant up to $70 per month as deemed appropriate for purposes necessary to fulfill the functions fo the position for which the allowance is recommended.

Statutory Requirements

Medicare, Workers' Compensation, and Unemployment Compensation.