Jackson County Benefit Summary - JCSEA
Jackson County provides an excellent, generous and comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees and their dependents, as applicable.
This overview provides highlights of the comprehensive benefits package Jackson County JCSEA represented employees receive. If any statement conflicts with the applicable plan documents, Codified Ordinance, Jackson County policies, and/or collective bargaining agreement, the applicable documents will govern.
Insurance
- Health Insurance – As of November 6, 2023, regular full-time employees and their eligible dependents receive medical insurance, including prescription and chiropractic, dental, and vision coverage at a cost of $23.74 per pay period to the employee. Regular full-time employees may not waive coverage. Regular part-time employees may enroll in the full plan, with a prorated composite premium depending on their hours worked in the pay period, or may elect to waive benefits. Coverage begins on the first of the month following an employee’s date of hire.
- Group Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), the benefit is equal to one time the employee’s base annual salary, with a minimum of $50,000. Insurance in excess of $50,000 is a taxable benefit.
Long-Term Disability – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), employees are eligible the first of the month following date of hire. Benefits are payable after a waiting period of 60 days at a rate of 66 2/3 percent of base salary, up to a maximum monthly benefit of $5,000.- Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Regular employees may choose to participate in additional AD&D coverage through payroll deduction, and have the choice of plan and coverage amounts.
Leaves
- Vacation – Regular full-time employees earn vacation leave at a rate of 96 to 200 hours annually depending upon months of continuous full-time service. Regular part-time employees accrue vacation leave on a prorated basis. Employees can carry forward up to two times the annual vacation accrual (prorated for part-time employees). Vacation leave cannot be used during the first six full months of regular employment. Twice per fiscal year, employees may request to be paid for vacation accruals, provided specific requirements are met.
Months of Continuous Full Time Service Annual Vacation Accrual (26 pay periods
12 months 3.70 hours/pay period
13 to 36 months 4.00 hours/pay period
37 to 60 months 4.62 hours/pay period
61 to 120 months 5.24 hours/pay period
121 to 180 months 6.16 hours/pay period
181 to 240 months 6.77 hours/pay period
Over 240 months 7.70 hours/pay period
- Sick Leave – Regular full-time employees earn sick leave at the rate of 3.70 hours per pay period (96 hours annually), which starts to accrue during the first pay period and may accrue without limit. Regular part-time employees accrue sick leave on a prorated basis. Accrued sick leave may be used as soon as it is accrued.
- Holidays – In lieu of holidays, each regular full-time employee receives, on July 1, a block 104 hours; prorated for regular part-time employees. Employees hired after July 1 will have holiday hours assigned on a prorated basis. Unused holiday hours at the end of the fiscal year cannot be carried forward. Holiday hours remaining at the end of the fiscal year will be paid to the employee at the employee’s regular straight-time rate of pay except for required HRA VEBA contributions. All personnel regularly assigned to investigations, property, civil, evidence and Court security or day shift will use this block of hours on those holidays the Jackson County Courthouse is customarily closed or the State courts are closed.
Retirement
- Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System – Jackson County participates in the State of Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS). PERS has Tier One, Tier Two, and the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) pension programs, as well as the Individual Account Program (IAP). Tier One covers members hired before January 1, 1996; Tier Two covers members hired between January 1, 1996 and August 28, 2003; and OPSRP covers members hired on or after August 29, 2003.
IAP contains all member contributions (currently County-paid) made on or after January 1, 2004. The legislature created the IAP in 2003 to provide an individual account-based retirement benefit for new workers hired on or after August 29, 2003, and for Tier One/Tier Two members active on or after January 1, 2004. The IAP benefit is in addition to the member’s other retirement program benefit (i.e., Tier One, Tier Two, or OPSRP). Employees are automatically vested in their IAP account when their account is established.
IAP Redirect - Per Senate Bill 1049 (2019) contributions remain at the rate of 6% however, a portion of that 6% is redirected to the Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA). 2.5% is redirected for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 members and 0.75% is redirected for OPSRP members. The rest of the county-paid contribution is directed to the employee’s IAP. Employee’s may choose to make voluntary contributions for the amount of the redirect through the Oregon PERS Online Member Services (OMS) at www.oregon.gov/PERS.
Salary Limit - Beginning January 1, 2020, SB 1049 changed the definition of “salary” for PERS purposes and created new limitations on annual and monthly “subject salaries.” Your salary is used to determined member Individual Account Program (IAP) contributions, employer contributions to fund the pension program, and the final average salary used in calculating retirement benefits under formula methods. The 2022 limit $210,582 per year. The limit is prorated when members work fewer than 12 months in a calendar year.
OPSRP is designed to provide approximately 45 percent of an employee’s final average salary at retirement (for a general service member with a 30-year career or a police and firefighter member with a 25-year career).
OPSRP General Service: Unless employees are in a police or firefighter position, they are considered a general service member. In addition to other retirement programs or any social security benefit, when employees retire, if vested, PERS will calculate monthly benefit using the following formula:
1.5 percent x years of retirement credit x final average salary. Normal retirement age for general service members is age 65, or age 58 with 30 years of retirement credit.
General Service Benefit Calculation Example (employees can estimate their benefit using any number of years and any final average salary)
Final average salary: $45,000
Retirement credit: 30 years as an OPSRP member
30 (years) x 1.5 percent = 45 percent
45 percent x $3,750 (final average monthly salary) = $1,687.50
Single Life Option monthly benefit = $1,687.50 ($20,250 annual benefit)
OPSRP Police and Firefighter (P&F): To be classified as a P&F member at retirement, employees must have been employed continuously as a P&F member for at least five years immediately preceding their retirement. In addition to other retirement programs or any social security benefit, when employees retire, if vested, PERS will calculate monthly benefit using the following formula:
1.8 percent x years of retirement credit x final average salary. Normal retirement age for P&F members is age 60, or age 53 with 25 years of retirement credit.
P&F Benefit Calculation Example (employees can estimate benefits using any number of years and any final average salary)
Final average salary: $45,000
Retirement credit: 25 years as an OPSRP member
25 (years) x 1.8 percent = 45 percent
45 percent of $3,750 (final average monthly salary) = $1,687.50
Single Life Option monthly benefit = $1,687.50 ($20,250 annual benefit)
- Voluntary Deferred Compensation Program – Jackson County offers regular employees the option to enroll in IRS Section 457 Deferred Compensation Retirement Plans. The employee defers compensation through voluntary payroll deductions into this supplemental retirement plan. The 457 plan is a separate retirement plan from PERS.
Other Benefits-
Health Reimbursement Arrangement/Voluntary Employee’s Beneficiary Association (HRA VEBA) – Employees participate in an HRA VEBA plan through Gallagher VEBA. The pre-determined funding arrangement is chosen by the Union.
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Mandatory Direct Deposit – All employees receive their paychecks through direct deposit. Employees can choose up to four accounts to receive direct deposit funds. Most banks allow participation of this program.
- Voluntary Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Section 125 Plan – The FSA is a tax-free regular employee-funded account. Regular employees may choose to participate in pre-tax health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket unreimbursed eligible health care expenses, dependent care expenses, and qualified transportation expenses, in order to have “before-tax” dollars deducted from their paychecks.
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – The County has a fully-funded Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) to offer. The EAP is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL benefit that can assist you and your eligible family members with personal problems, large or small. The EAP provides confidential services to help people privately resolve problems that may interfere with work, family, and life. The EAP is offered to regular employees, their dependents, and any household members. Services include up to four face-to-face counseling sessions per issue per year, 24/7/365 crisis access to counselors, and convenient access to on-line consultations with licensed counselors.
