HEALTH, DENTAL AND VISION INSURANCE: After 30 days of employment, employees are eligible for insurance coverage the first of the following month. The cost of employee health, vision and dental insurance is paid by the City. Employees may cover eligible dependants with the City paying one half of the expense and the employee paying one half. The current monthly cost the city pays for employee coverage is $448.10. Dependent coverage costs $691.13 (employee’s portion: $345.56) per month for health, dental and vision.
LIFE INSURANCE: The city covers the cost of employee life insurance coverage. The basic employee life insurance benefit is $10,000. Employees earning more than $20,000 per year have a life insurance benefit of 50% of their annual salary (rounded up and adjusted once each year).
SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE: The City allows several types of supplemental insurance to be offered by companies to employees through payroll deduction. The City does not endorse these products, which include supplemental life, accident, short-term disability, cancer, intensive care, legal services and identity theft.
WORKER’S COMPENSATION INSURANCE: All City employees are covered for on-the-job injuries through worker’s compensation insurance. Premiums for this coverage are paid by the City and are based on payroll.
COMMUTING INSURANCE: Employees are automatically covered when traveling to and from work in the event of catastrophic injuries resulting from an accident.
RETIREMENT PLANS: City employees are assisted in planning for retirement in several ways. First, all employees except firefighters are a part of the Social Security System. 6.2% of gross wages are deducted and matched by the City. All employees pay a Medicare tax of 1.45% of gross wages which is also matched by the City. In addition, all regular City employees are enrolled in a retirement plan, Public Safety Retirement for police officers and firefighters, and the Arizona State Retirement System for all others. The employee contribution rate and City match is as follows:
Plan Employee Contribution City Contribution
State Retirement 9.40% 9.40%
Public Safety (Police) 7.65% 20.38%
Public Safety (Fire) 7.65% 16.19%
457 DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN: The City also offers a voluntary 457 Deferred Compensation Plan through ICMA Retirement Corporation. The City does not match employee contributions.
SHEAKLEY FLEXIBLE BENEFITS: Qualified expenses, such as dependent insurance premiums, dependent care and health care expenses can be deducted directly from your paycheck and claimed for reimbursement when used. These deductions are taken before taxes, reducing your taxable income.
EAP: The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free, confidential counseling to employees and their immediate family members.
LONG-TERM DISABILITY PROGRAM: Employees enrolled in the Arizona State Retirement System pay premiums to be covered by the System’s Long-Term Disability Program (LTD). Benefits are provided to qualified members who are unable to work due to a disability after six months.
HOLIDAYS: The City of Casa Grande observes ten holidays each year, including the employee’s birthday which is a floating holiday.
ANNUAL LEAVE: Vacation leave for eligible City employees is accrued each payday and is initially 8 hours per month for all regular employees except firefighters who accrue 11.2 hours per month. There is a graduated accrual schedule with the first increase coming after 5 years of service. Regular part-time employees accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis.
SICK LEAVE: Sick leave is also accrued each payday at 8 hours per month for all regular full-time employees except firefighters who accrue 11.2 hours per month. Regular part-time employees accrue sick leave on a pro-rata basis. A sick leave buy-back program is offered to employees who have worked for a full calendar year. Up to 32 hours (45 for firefighters) may be “sold” back to the City through this program. The City also offers up to 24 hours (72 hours for firefighters) of family sick leave each year.
FAMILY DEATH LEAVE: The City has a policy which allows time away from work in the event of the death of a family member as defined by our Personnel Policy.
MILITARY LEAVE: The City grants military leave in accordance with the provisions of State law.
JURY LEAVE: Employees required to serve as a juror shall be entitled to leave according to the provisions of the Personnel Policy.
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT (FMLA): Eligible employees are granted up to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period according to the law.
PAYROLL DIRECT DEPOSIT: Employees may have their paychecks deposited directly into checking or savings accounts at their bank through the Sure-Pay direct payroll deposit plan offered by the City.
CREDIT UNIONS: City employees may participate in credit union membership through payroll deduction. Two local credit unions have payroll deduction slots and employees may make savings or checking account deposits or have loan payments deducted through payroll deduction authorization.
SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM: Each month, employees may request and take two hours off with pay to volunteer their time in classrooms or at other qualified school programs. Employees do not need to have children in school to participate in this volunteer program. A School Involvement Program form must be filled out by the employee and signed by a teacher or administrator from the school in which the volunteer activity took place.
TUITION REIMBURSEMENT: Regular full-time employees are eligible to request tuition reimbursement according to the policy requirements.
