Home | Employment | Exempt Employees

Health/Dental Insurance
The city offers health benefit packages through Great-West Healthcare or Kaiser Permanente and a dental insurance plan. Employees have the opportunity to enroll dependents in the group insurance program selected and the city pays a portion of the premium cost (premiums are pre-taxed). Employees also have the opportunity to purchase vision plan coverage.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Dependent care: designate up to $5,000 pre-tax dollars per year for qualified child or elder care expenses. Health care: designate up to $5,000 pre-taxed dollars per year for qualified medical, dental or vision expenses.

Pension and Retirement Plan
Employees at the city participate in a pension plan in lieu of Social Security. The minimum employee contribution is 10 percent of the annual salary. After an employee reaches 22 months of employment with the city, the city contribution of 10.25 percent of the employee's salary is added to the employee contribution. If a participant leaves city employment during the first 22 months, he/she receives all of the contributions made to that point. If an employee leaves after 22 months, he/she receives all of the city's contributions, as well as his/her own. Disbursement of pension funds to eligible employees will be done in accordance with the city's Pension Ordinance. A maximum of 25 percent of the mandatory and city contributions may be directed to a 401(h) account. The 401(h) account is a pre-tax benefit that remains non-taxable when used for qualified medical expense reimbursements after employment with the city ends. A 457 deferred compensation plan administered by VALIC Retirement Services is available to employees on a voluntary basis.

Fire employees participate in the Fire and Police Pension Association (FPPA). New employees are enrolled in the Deferred Benefit plan, which requires an 8 percent employee and employer contribution from date of benefited employment.

Term Life Insurance, Long-Term Disability, Survivor Benefits
The city pays the full premium for life insurance coverage equal to 1.5 times an employee's salary, long-term disability and survivors' benefits payable at 20 percent to 60 percent of base salary. Employees also have the opportunity to purchase additional life insurance for themselves or their spouses up to $400,000.

Fire employees are covered under the FPPA policy for LTD and Survivor Income.

Wellness Program
City employees who are active members of the Employee Wellness Program and non-smokers will receive a $10-, $20- or $30-per-month reduction in their health/dental premium. Smokers may join the program, but they are ineligible for the premium reduction benefit. To become a member of the Wellness Program, employees must complete the following annual requirements: blood work, lifestyle questionnaire and participation in two exercise challenges or a goal setting program.

General Leave
The city utilizes a flexible General Leave Bank Program for all types of leave. Employees accrue leave on a bi-weekly basis. Leave in certain categories has limits as well as minimum and maximum vacation, scheduled holidays nine (9) plus three (3) floating holidays. Other leave categories include illness, off-the-job injury, medical appointments, important personal business, child care and family emergencies, or for any other valid absence as determined by the division head or his/her designee. New employees, except for emergency medical and firefighter personnel, accrue 232 hours of general leave per year. This amount of leave accrual increases every five years to a maximum accrual at 20 years. In addition, the city provides up to 480 hours of major illness leave during a 12-month period. Complete details, including a schedule for rate of accrual, can be found in the city Personnel Policies and Rules.

Administrative Leave
Exempt employees receive administration leave, which is in addition to general leave. Employees receive an additional 24 to 40 hours per year based on classification.

Education and Training Program
It is the policy of the city to encourage and sponsor, as needed, additional education and training that will enhance the employee's performance of assigned duties and/or provide career development benefits. To help achieve the objective of this policy, the city may: (a) provide in-house training; (b) pay for employees to attend a particular training program designed to improve job performance; or (c) fund or reimburse a portion of the tuition and fees for successful completion of an approved education or training program. Tuition reimbursement is available to employees after one-year of employment at 50 percent of tuition and fees up to $1,250 per year.

Exempt Reimbursement Program
Administrative Officers and Exempt Employees can be reimbursed for certain activities related to personal growth, wellness activities, medical and dental co-pay, co-insurance and deductible expenses, and involvement in professional and community activities. Also included in the program is a provision that allows employees to increase the amount of General Leave that they can cash out above and beyond the maximum level that will be allowed for all other employees. Exempt employees can have their expenses reimbursed for any combination of the listed activities up to a maximum of $600 per year (prorated by FTE). Expenses for major purchases (computers and exercise equipment) may be submitted for reimbursement for three consecutive years.

Credit Union
All city employees are eligible to join the Westminster Federal Credit Union. To become a member, you must deposit twenty-five dollars ($25) and pay an entrance fee of one dollar ($1.00). Additional details are available from the Credit Union Office at 303-427-6466.