2026 Benefits Summary - Effective July 1, 2026 - Pending City Council approval
Unrepresented Safety Management Employees
Cafeteria Health Plan
The employer’s “Flexible Benefit Plan” contribution will make available for each employee a monthly amount equal to the high median of the monthly premiums of all CalPERS health plans available in San Diego County. Under the City’s Section 125 Cafeteria Benefits Plan qualified benefits include: health, dental, vision, dependent care flexible spending account (FSA) and healthcare FSA. The remaining balance is available as additional taxable income capped at one-half of the monthly cafeteria contribution.
Retirement
The City contracts with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS):
Retirement Tier Retirement Formula
Tier 2 - Classic: 3.0% @ 55
Tier 3 - New Member: 2.7% @ 57
457 and 401a Deferred Compensation
The City offers a 457 and/or 401(a) deferred compensation. These accounts are voluntary and employee funded.
Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
The City provides Basic Group Term Life Insurance equal to 1x your basic annual earnings up to a maximum of $150,000. AD&D is up to the amount of your Group Term Life Insurance.
Employees may choose to purchase additional life insurance through the City’s Voluntary Optional Life Insurance program.
Short-Term Disability Insurance (STD)
STD benefits are 70% of your weekly earnings up to a maximum of $3,500 per week.
Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)
LTD benefits are 66% of monthly earnings up to a maximum of $8,000 per month. San Dieguito Water District employees pay for their LTD premium.
Sick Leave
Unrepresented full-time employees accrue nine (9) hours of sick leave for each calendar month of paid status (4.153 hours per pay period). New employees are granted a beginning balance of (9) hours. Less than full time employees accrue sick leave in an amount prorated by FTE status. Accrued sick leave carries over from year to year.
Paid Leave for Family Member Illness
Each new full time employee is granted a beginning balance of fourteen (14) hours of paid time off to attend to family member(s) in need of the employee’s assistance in times of illness or parental leave to bond with a new child; 1.85 hours of additional paid leave is accrued each pay period. The maximum accrual is eighty-three (83) hours.
Parental Leave (Baby Bonding)
Employees who qualify for California Family Rights Act (CFRA) baby bonding will be eligible for twelve (12) weeks of employer paid leave. Available leave is prorated based on FTE status.
Vacation Leave
Employees earn vacation hours based on the following years of service:
Years of Service Annual Accrual
Hire - 5 Years 104 hours
6 - 10 Years 128 hours
11 - 15 Years 152 hours
16+ Years 184 hours
Credit is given to new employees for related continuous prior public service employment at the rate of one year for every two years worked.
General Election Leave
Employees shall be provided a half day of paid leave to vote at the employee’s polling location or a full day of paid leave to volunteer for the County Registrar of Voters for a General Election.
Holiday Closure
Each year, City Hall is closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.
Holidays
Employees receive thirteen (13) fixed holidays and five (5) floating holidays (45 hours) per fiscal year.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Confidential services are available to employees and household members to assist with personal and professional issues. Five sessions per issue are available each calendar year.
Education Incentive Pay
Whenever a Firefighter is promoted from within the Encinitas personnel system to become an unrepresented management Fire Chief Officer, that Encinitas Firefighter may retain the Education Incentive premium pay rate they held at time of promotion or $100 per month for employees who have a Bachelor’s Degree or higher and have a Fire Officer Certification.
Computer Purchase Program
The City will loan employees who successfully complete the probationary period of employment an interest free loan of up to $3,000.
Tuition Assistance
Eligible employees may receive up to $1,200 in reimbursement per fiscal year for approved coursework tuition, required textbooks and registration.
Vehicles Taken Home
Specified safety personnel are authorized 24-hour use of their assigned vehicles. Operations personnel “on duty” and specified operational supervisors are also authorized to take home their vehicles.
Social Security and Medicare
The City does not participate in the Social Security program. The City and employees each pay 1.45% to Medicare Insurance.
