Benefits Explained
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MEDICAL benefits
What does this provide? SREC offers two plans through Kaiser Permanente for employees to choose from, so you can decide what best fits your needs. SREC Employees only pay 5% of the total premium for employee-only coverage and 10% of the total premium if covering a dependent(s) or spouse. Current rates can be found on SRECNET in the 2024 Benefits Booklet on page 24. Why does this matter? Having access to good medical coverage is important and gives you peace of mind. SREC is committed to providing some of the best coverage employees can get—compare coverage percentages with other employers and you’ll see that you’re getting outstanding value at a minimal cost. Vision benefits
What does this provide? Vision benefits are included with your medical plan. PPO – pays $300 per 12 months for adults 19 and over for frames/lenses. Under 19 – pays for one pair of frames and lenses per year or contacts covered at 50% HMO -pays $150 per 24 months for adults 19 and over. Under 19 –pays for 1 pair of frames and lenses per year or contacts covered at 50% Why does this matter? Do you, your spouse, or your kiddos wear glasses? This benefit is tied into your medical benefit and covers eye exams (typically one per year) and hardware or contacts. Another great way to help fund your vision needs is through a Flex Spending Plan (see more information in the FSA section). An FSA helps fill in the gaps if the vision coverage provided doesn’t quite cover your glasses or contacts for the year. Dental benefits
What does this provide? SREC offer two plans for employees to choose from, so you can decide what fits your needs. Willamette Dental is an HMO style plan so you must see their dentists but the trade off is you only pay a co-pay for dental procedures (other than preventative checkups which are covered) which are typically much less than a traditional dentist. Delta Dental is your typical dental insurance. Most dentists in Spokane take Delta Dental. If you have a dentist that you already see and love, Delta will probably be best for you. Why does this matter? Dental health is an important indicator of overall health—and with two cleanings per year covered at 100%, there’s no reason not to take advantage of this important benefit. With Delta, child orthodontia is covered up to $1,500 lifetime max. Willamette is a copay system and may provide considerable savings in this area. Talk to HR for more details. life insurance
What does this provide? SREC offers employer paid coverage of $25,000 for employees, $5,000 for partners, and $1,000 children. Employees can choose to cover themselves, their spouse and children, at increased amounts at their own expense. Why does this matter? Even though we don’t like to think about it or talk about it, it’s a good idea to plan ahead. Life Insurance can cover funeral, burial, or end of life costs. Long-Term disability
What does this provide? LTD insurance replaces part of your income for longer term issues such as:
Why does this matter? If you can no longer do your job due to a qualified medical condition, LTD offers you financial protection. For more information about LTD, including limitations and qualifications, contact HR. flexible spending plan - medical
What does this provide? A flexible spending plan allows you to use pre-tax dollars on eligible medical spending. It reimburses you for out of pocket expenses like co-pays. It also covers items that may not be covered or covered on a limited basis like acupuncture, massages, fertility treatments, prescriptions glasses, contacts, or sunglasses, and lots of other items (sometimes restrictions apply). The amount you wish to contribute for the year is available to you in full on January 1. Your dollars can also be used for personal items, over the counter medication, band aids, sunscreen and other eligible FSA items. Many people choose to use www.fsastore.com. Why does this matter? Medical needs are expensive. And, while we have great insurance sometimes you have to pay out of pocket for things or something may have limits on what it will cover (vision benefits). Flex spending dollars help pay for medical expenses you will have to pay for anyway but help lower your taxable income. You choose during open enrollment how much you would like to contribute for the next year. Then, the total amount is split up over 24 pay periods and taken out of your paycheck. For example, if you wish to contribute $1,200 for next year, all $1,200 is available for you to use as of January 1. Then each month $100 would be taken out as a FSA-medical deduction. You will receive an easy-to-use debit card from our provider that you can use for copayments and more. What’s the catch? Flex spending is a program managed by the IRS. Because there are tax advantages, there are also rules. The maximum you can contribute to a FSA for 2024 is $3200. All claims must be dated within the calendar year (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) and submitted by March 15th of the following year. FSA money is also “use it or lose it” to a point. If there is money left over in your FSA, only $640 will roll over to the next year. Due to this, it is important to only contribute what you think you may use for eligible expenses. flexible spending plan - dependent care
What does this provide? A dependent care flexible spending plan allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible dependent care expenses. The money you contribute allows you to pay for infant and child daycare, nanny expenses, summer camp for a school age child, or other dependent care related expenses. Why does this matter? You choose during open enrollment how much you would like to contribute for the next year. Then, the total amount is split up over 24 pay periods and taken out of your paycheck. For example, if you wish to contribute $1200 for next year, each paycheck $100 would be taken out as a FSA-dependent care deduction. Unlike a medical FSA, only the amount you have contributed through payroll deduction is available to pay for dependent care expenses. The funds are not all available Jan. 1 like they are for medical FSA. The maximum you can contribute to a dependent care FSA for 2024 is $5000. All claims must be dated within the calendar year (Jan. 1 – Dec. 31) and submitted by March 15 of the following year. Dependent care FSA funds do not rollover. If you do not use the funds within the plan year, you will not receive them back. aflac voluntary insurance programs
What does this provide? Voluntary benefits provide an extra layer of financial protection when unexpected events occur. SREC offers voluntary benefits through Aflac (you pay the premium) to help you source and buy protection you may want for your family in the categories of:
Why does this matter? Sometimes you just want extra peace of mind when it comes to unexpected events that may occur in life—whether it’s from an accident, hospitalization, or a critical illness. You can choose to participate in one or more of these plans. Rates and more information are available on SRECNET or by contacting HR. pto cash out
What does this provide? For employees who have worked for SREC for 5+ years you will have the option to cash out 40 hours of PTO. You must have a balance of 160 hours in your PTO bank after your PTO cash out. PTO is cashed out the second paycheck in March but you must let HR know you would like to cash out your PTO between December 1st and December 31st of the previous year. Why does this matter? Need some spending money for you bid vacation or need to lower your PTO bank due to maximum accrual? PTO cash out may be a solution for you. Please see more information in your collective bargaining agreement. Holidays
What does this provide? SREC offers 9 paid holidays and 3 personal holidays to all employees. See the list here. Why does this matter? Because we are a 24/7 365-day organization, employees who work or volunteer to work on holidays are paid for both the holiday and their OT shift. compensatory time
What does this provide? Compensatory time can be accrued instead of OT payment for OT hours worked. If you choose to collect comp time for OT worked, holiday, or holiday worked, or holiday OT, you earn time off instead of payment for the OT. If you work 4 hours of OT and convert that to comp, you would earn 6 hours compensatory time to use in a later pay period. Why does this matter? You earn comp time by working OT. Comp time may help you buffer and stretch your PTO hours. Some employees like to build up their comp bank for a bid vacation or build it up and leave it in case of illness that requires you to take time off. You can accrue a maximum of 60 hours of compensatory time. You have the option to cash out your comp time twice per year, in April and October. Comp time not scheduled to be used by December 1st of the year will be cashed out in the last pay period of the month. Comp time accrued in any pay period in December will roll over to the next year. Please see more information in your collective bargaining agreement. retirement
What does this provide? SREC employees are covered under WA State Department of Retirement system and eligible for Public Employee Retirement System Plans (PERS Plan). There are two plans you are able to choose from, PERS Plan 2 and PERS Plan 3. Why does this matter? Depending on your age, retirement may not seem important to you, but being part of a State retirement system provides you with an additional source of income once you retire. deferred compensation
What does this provide? Deferred compensation is another retirement vehicle separate from your state retirement. Deferred compensation is managed through Nationwide and gives you the option to contribute to a pre-tax account or a Roth account. Why does this matter? You can never have too much money for retirement. SREC matches your deferred compensation contributions 100% up to a maximum of $300 per month. If you have a retirement account at a former employer (401k) you may be able to do a rollover into your deferred compensation account, allowing you to keep your retirement money in one place. If you leave employment with SREC, the money you have contributed and any matching contributions are yours. There is no vesting period. fmla
What does this provide? FMLA is a federal leave program that protects your job and benefits if you need to take leave for a qualifying medical condition. FMLA does not offer payment for medical leave (that’s what PFML and accrued leave is for). Why does this matter? FMLA protects your job should you have to be away for a qualifying medical condition. SREC continues to pay your portion of medical and dental insurance premiums while you are on FMLA (or PFML). You can contact HR to set up a payment plan to repay missed insurance premiums when you return. To be eligible for FMLA you must have worked for SREC for 1 year and have worked at least 1250 hours in the last 12 months. Please contact HR for more information and the paperwork needed for FMLA. wa state paid family medical leave
What does this provide? Washington State’s PFML offers employees 90% coverage for qualified medical conditions up to a max of $1,427 per week. SREC pays all the employee premiums for this benefit. Why does this matter? This coverage allows SREC employees to receive pay while taking care of a qualified medical condition, creating the opportunity for you to concentrate on getting healthy or taking care of someone while they get healthy. While on PFML, you are not paid through SREC and in a LWOP status. SREC continues to pay your portion of medical and dental insurance premiums while you are on PFML. You can contact HR to set up a payment plan to repay missed insurance premiums when you return. To be eligible for payment under PFML you must have worked a minimum of 820 hours for a qualifying WA state employer in the last year. SREC is a qualifying employer and most likely, if you have worked for another WA employer in the last year, you will qualify for this benefit. employee assistance program
What does this provide? SREC’s Wellspring EAP program is designed to give employees support across a multitude of topics from mental health support to legal or financial advice. Wellspring also offers referrals for child care, pet sitting, elder care and more. Why does this matter? As employees working in public safety, you may find you need additional support for mental health. This is perhaps the biggest use of EAP for our agency. Employees receive 6 sessions FREE per issue. You will be matched with therapist for in person sessions, phone / virtual sessions, or through Better Help and TalkSpace. What many employees don’t know is you can also use Wellspring to get a free 30-minute legal consult per topic and 25% discount on services thereafter, or use Wellspring to help find daycare resources such as who has openings to fit your needs. Financial advisor consultations are also available for 30-minute initial meetings. There are so many wellness tools available on their website. Check it out today! (User Name: Spokane Regional Emergency Communications). pet insurance
What does this provide? We offer subsidized pet insurance through nationwide. SREC pays ½ of your pet’s premium up to a maximum of $30. Pet insurance is available for all types of pets. You can enroll in pet insurance at anytime and it’s not subject to open enrollment deadlines. Why does this matter? This is a great way to protect yourself and your pet against unexpected vet costs. It’s easy to file claims online and payments come quickly. gym membership
What does this provide? Working in emergency services is stressful and physical activity can help reduce stress. The Y offers full service membership opportunities such as child care, wellness programs, group exercise classes, summer camp discounts, swimming, saunas, racket sports, and more. Why does this matter? We offer a subsidized membership to the YMCA. SREC pays $30, the YMCA pays 20%, and employees pay the rest. Provides access to 5 local YMCA (or any YMCAs if you’re traveling). A typical single adult pays about $35/month, and a family is about $67. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM
What does this provide? SREC will pay $300 per month to your student loans if you make your regular payment. You are eligible for this benefit 6 months after your date of hire. Why does this matter? Free money?? Yes, please. This benefit may help you pay off your student loans early, and who wouldn’t like to get that monthly bill out of your life? |
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