This guide provides a summary of the competitive benefits that the City of Alachua offers. Benefits are ONLY available to regular, full-time employees, unless indicated otherwise.  This document is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee employment or continued employment with the City of Alachua.  Complete details of benefits can be obtained by reviewing the City Personnel Policies and Procedures, ordinances, applicable union contracts or designated plan documents.  If there is a conflict between this information and the contract and documents, which control the plans, the contracts and documents will govern in all cases. This document is subject to change without notice.  

The City Commission has approved staff to move to a four ten-hour workweek where staff will work Monday through Thursday with Fridays off.  Employees will enjoy an additional day off during the week.  City Hall hours are from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  

The City of Alachua provides its employees with a comprehensive employee benefits package consisting of Medical, Vision, Dental and Life.  These policies become effective on the first of the month following one (1) full month of employment.  Open enrollment will be once a year on the renewal of the policy in October for employees to make changes in coverage unless a change in status (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) occurs.  If the employee elects dependent or other optional coverage, the premium(s) will be deducted one (1) month prior to the effective date. 

The City offers health insurance provided by United Healthcare. Employees are offered a choice of either a Choice Plus or Choice Plus with Health Savings Account (HSA) plan.  Premium payment for “employee only” coverage is paid 100% by the City.  Three additional levels of coverage are offered through the plan – employee/spouse, employee/child(ren), and employee/family coverage.  The employee is responsible for paying the difference in the cost of the employee only and the dependent coverage.  Deductions are made on a pre-tax basis from the employee’s bi-weekly paycheck.  The City will contribute $118.26 per month to the Health Savings Account for employees who enroll in the Choice Plus w/HSA plan for fiscal year 2018. HSA contributions will be made on a monthly basis. 

The City offers vision insurance provided by Comp Benefits.  Premium payment for employee only coverage is paid 100% by the City.  Two additional levels of coverage are offered – employee plus one dependent or employee with family.  The employee is responsible for paying the difference in the cost of the employee only or the dependent coverage.  Deductions are made on a pre-tax basis from the employees bi-weekly paycheck.

Standard Insurance Company is the provider of the City’s dental insurance.  Premium payment for the employee only coverage is paid 100% by the City.  Three additional levels of coverage are offered – employee and child(ren), employee and spouse or employee and family.  The employee is responsible for paying the difference in the cost of the employee only and the dependent coverage. Deductions are made on a pre-tax basis from the employees bi-weekly paycheck.

The City provides a $30,000 Term Life Insurance Policy through The Standard.  The monthly premium payment of $5.60 is paid 100% by the City. Term insurance provides a death benefit only in the face amount stated and will be in force only while a person is an active employee of the City.  Employees who want to supplement their group life insurance benefits may purchase additional coverage on themselves (available in $10,000 increments, guarantee issue $100,000 up to age 60), their spouse (available in $5,000 increments, $30,000 guarantee issue up to age 60) and dependent children. The monthly cost to the employee for dependent child coverage is $2.00 for $10,000 coverage. We also have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through The Standard.  The EAP is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with support, guidance and resources to help employees and their families find the right balance between work and home life.  The service is offered to all eligible employees and their immediate household and provides up to three in-person counseling sessions in addition to phone and web access to resources.

The City makes available supplemental insurance and options for flexible spending accounts (dependent daycare and medical) through American Fidelity, paid for by the employee. Participation is voluntary and payments are made on a pre- & post tax basis by the employee through payroll deductions.

On first day of hire, all full-time and part-time regular employees of the City participate in the FRS, a multiple-employer defined benefit public retirement system. The City will contribute the percentage indicated by FRS based on position and plan participation.  This system offers two retirement plans, the FRS Pension Plan and the FRS Investment Plan.  Employees will be required to contribute 3% to the Florida Retirement System.   

City employees may enroll in the ICMA deferred compensation plan as well as ROTH & TRADITIONAL IRA.  Participation is voluntary and payroll deduction payments are made by the employee only on a pre-tax basis through payroll deductions.

The City receives reduced membership rates for its employees at the Alachua Health and Fitness Center, Anytime Fitness, Gainesville Health and Fitness and Life Force Health and Wellness. The City pays $12.50 of the membership fee for any full-time regular employee who joins the gym.  The employee’s portion of the membership is payroll deducted bi-weekly; rates and membership options (spouse, family) vary by gym. 

In the City’s effort to encourage employee development, to include computer literacy skills, and employee health and wellness the City offers eligible employees an interest-free loan for qualifying technology and wellness purchases. The loan is repaid via payroll deduction through the fiscal year. Eligible employees may participate in either or both Purchase Plans so long as the combined total does not exceed $1000. 

(Each year the City Commission will determine during the budget process if funds are available for salary increases)

• COST OF LIVING INCREASE: A percent increase, if any, will be calculated based on current annual salary and rate of pay will be adjusted beginning the first pay period in October of each year.

• MERIT INCREASE: Salary increases, if any, will be awarded on the employee’s anniversary date and are based on performance appraisals as rated by his/her supervisor. The percentage of the merit increases will be applied to the employee’s current hourly rate of pay and are based on the following scale:

Below or Does Not Meet Expectations	0 %
Meets Expectations	2 %
Exceeds Expectations	3 %
Exceptional	4 %

All full-time regular employees accrue annual leave, but leave may not be used during the first six (6) months of employment.  Accumulated annual leave can be carried over to the following calendar year, but employees cannot accrue more than 240 hours of annual leave time.  Accrued annual leave can be cashed-in in lieu of time taken, under the following two conditions (if funds are appropriated in budget for payout):

• Minimum of five (5) years of service is required before being eligible for cash in privilege, and
• Maximum cash-in allowed is forty (40) hours.

Annual leave accrues on the following schedule: 

Number of Consecutive Years of Employment	Number of Hours per Bi-weekly Pay Period	Number of Hours per Year
0 through 5	3.08	80
Over 5 through 10	4.62	120
Over 10 through 15	5.23	136
Over 15 through 20	6.16	160
More than 20	6.93	180

The City provides one Personal Leave Day to be used anytime during the calendar year.  This personal day is granted during the first pay period in January of each year for current and new employees.  Employees hired after the first pay period in January will not receive a personal day until the following January.

All full-time regular employees accrue 3.69 hour sick leave per pay period and is to be used for personal illness, injury or quarantine due to contagious disease and also for serious illness for the immediate family as defined by the FMLA and, after exhaustion of all other leave, to compensate for otherwise unpaid absence during approved military leave.

Minimal Sick Leave Used Award:

Employees who have successfully completed the training period, worked the entire calendar year (January – December of the prior year) and have used twenty (20) or less hours of sick leave during that calendar year shall be granted twenty (20) hours of additional personal leave time the following January. 

Sick Leave Balance Award:

Employees who maintain a minimum of 480 sick leave hours shall be granted twenty (20) hours of additional personal leave time.  The required balance must be maintained during the final pay period in December for the twenty (20) hours to be awarded the following January.  

In compliance with the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, eligible employees may take up to a maximum of twelve (12) weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave each calendar year.   To be eligible an employee must have worked twelve (12) months and 1,250 hours for the City over the previous twelve (12) months.

FMLA will be granted for:  

• For the birth of a child, to care for a newly-born child, or placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care.
• To care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or employees parent) with a serious health condition.
• Because of the employees serious health condition which makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the employees job.
• To manage qualifying exigencies when a qualifying family member serves in the National Guard or Reserves while such member is on active duty.
• To care for a covered military service member that is your spouse, child, parent, or next of kin with a serious illness or injury incurred in the line of duty on active duty (called Military Caregiver Leave).

In the event of a death in an employee’s immediate family (as defined in the Personnel Policies and Procedures) the employee shall be granted leave with pay up to a maximum of 3 working days for full-time regular employees.

Employees called to compulsory military service are automatically placed on leave pursuant to state and federal law for the duration of his/her military duty.  Upon completion of such service such employee shall be reinstated in the position held at the time of entry into the service, at the same salary the employee would have received had such leave not been taken, based on the various conditions (see the City Personnel Policies and Procedures for more details).

Employees summoned or subpoenaed to attend court as a witness for the City or for jury duty
shall receive full pay and benefits for hours spent in court.

The City offers twelve (12) paid holidays for all full-time regular employees. Employees must
work the scheduled day before and after the holiday to be eligible for holiday pay. See next
page for holiday schedule. The following holidays are observed:

New Year’s Day	Veteran’s Day
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day	Thanksgiving Day
Washington’s Birthday	Day after Thanksgiving
Memorial Day	Christmas Eve
Independence Day	Christmas Day
Labor Day	New Year’s Eve