[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018; Ord. No. 22-0184, 3-16-2022; Ord. No. 23-0484, 11-27-2023]
A. Policy.
1.
Jefferson County has established a comprehensive package of
employee benefits plans. Regular full-time employees who have completed
one (1) calendar month of continuous employment are eligible for this
plan.
2.
An active part-time/temporary/seasonal status employee who becomes
a regular full-time employee whose length of service is greater than
one (1) calendar month, he/she will be eligible to participate in
these plans as a regular full-time employee who has satisfied the
requirement of one (1) month of continuous employment.
3. Health insurance shall be provided to all employees occupying permanent
positions working thirty (30) hours or more per week, and elected
officials.
4.
The employee group insurance programs include:
a.
Medical. Coverage for eligible employees and eligible dependents
is effective on the first day of the month following one (1) month
of continuous employment. Coverage terminates on the last day of the
month in which the employee's employment with the County terminates.
b.
Dental. Coverage for eligible employees and eligible dependents
is effective on the first day of the month following one (1) month
of continuous employment. Benefits terminate on the last day of the
month in which the employee's employment with the County terminates.
c.
Life. Coverage under this program is determined by the County
Council. Additional life insurance coverage in the amount in effect
is provided in the event of accidental death or dismemberment. Life
insurance coverage terminates on the last day of employment with Jefferson
County.
5.
Further details regarding health and wellness benefit plans
and costs may be found by contacting the Human Resources Manager and
in the various plan booklets and/or related certificates issued by
the insurance companies.
B. Procedure.
1.
All employees who are eligible for Group Insurance Programs
will be given a new employee benefits package on the first day of
employment with Jefferson County.
2.
The Division of Human Resources will conduct an orientation
explaining eligibility dates and a brief description of each of the
group insurance benefit programs.
3.
The group insurance benefit program enrollment forms will be
completed by the employee and returned to the Division of Human Resources.
The Division of Human Resources will then notify the group insurance
carrier and ensure coverage of the employee.
[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018]
A. Jefferson County has established a cafeteria plan under Section 125
of the Internal Revenue Code that includes health care flexible spending
accounts and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
B. Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts. Expenses eligible for reimbursement
include qualified medical expenses as defined by the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS).
C. Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. Expenses that may be reimbursable
include the following:
1.
Payments to babysitters or companions inside or outside the
employee's home;
2.
Fees paid to licensed child-care centers;
3.
Wages paid to housekeepers working in the employee's home who
also care for the employee's dependents; and
4.
Federal taxes the employee pays on wages for dependent care
providers.
D. The dollars set aside in a flexible spending account must be used
to pay for eligible expenses incurred during the same plan year in
which the contributions were made. Any employee contributions that
remain unspent at the end of the plan year are forfeited to the County.
[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018]
A. Policy.
1.
Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA),
Jefferson County is required to offer employees and their families
the opportunity of a temporary extension of health coverage (if the
employee has already elected health coverage), at the employee's expense,
in certain instances where health coverage would otherwise end.
2.
An employee has the right to choose this continuation coverage
under the following circumstances:
a.
The employee, spouse, or dependent children can elect continuance
for up to eighteen (18) months upon termination of the employee's
employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct); or
b.
Upon reduction in the employee's employment hours to the extent
that it makes the employee and his/her spouse and/or dependent children
no longer eligible to continue to participate in the County's health
plans.
3.
Coverage may be available for up to twenty-nine (29) months
for a qualified beneficiary who is classified as disabled under the
Social Security Act at the time the termination or reduction in hours
occurs or within sixty (60) days of these events. A copy of the Social
Security disability notice must be given to the Plan Administrator
within sixty (60) days after it is received and before the initial
eighteen-month continuance ends.
4.
Eligible dependents of employees may extend their coverage in
the County's group health plans for up to thirty-six (36) months in
the event of the death of the employee, divorce or legal separation
from the employee, the employee's enrollment in Medicare benefits,
or when a child ceases to be eligible for coverage as a dependent
under the terms of the plan of which he/she is a member.
5.
An employee who chooses continuation coverage will be provided
coverage identical to the coverage provided under the plan in effect
at the time. Should an employee or his/her eligible dependents elect
to continue as members of the County's plans, he/she/they will be
charged the applicable premium charged to the County plus an additional
two percent (2%). Individuals who qualify for the Social Security
disability extension will be charged an additional fifty percent (50%)
of the applicable premium during the 19th through 29th month of continuation
coverage. The premiums charged participants are subject to change
if the rates charged to the County change.
6.
Continuation coverage may end if any of the following events
occur:
a.
Failure to make timely payments of all premiums;
b.
Coverage under another group health plan that does not exclude
or limit coverage based on a preexisting or limiting condition, unless
the preexisting condition clause does not apply to the employee due
to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act;
c.
Enrollment in Medicare/Employee reaches age sixty-five (65);
or
[Ord. No. 22-0184, 3-16-2022]
d.
Termination of the County's group health plans.
7.
If this election for continuation coverage is made, individuals
will also have the right to convert coverage to an individual policy
with the County's insurance carriers at the end of the continuation
period.
8.
If an employee does not choose COBRA continuation coverage,
health insurance coverage will end on the last day of the month in
which the employee's employment with the County terminates.
B. Procedure.
1.
The County's benefits specialist/plan administrator will contact
the employee (as well as his/her spouse and dependent children) about
this continuation coverage at the time termination occurs or work
hours are reduced, and will contact the other qualified beneficiaries
in the event of the employee's death or enrollment in Medicare benefits.
2.
In the event an employee becomes divorced or legally separated,
or one (1) of his/her dependent children ceases to be eligible for
coverage under the County's group health insurance plans, the employee,
his/her spouse, or children are responsible for contacting Human Resources
and the Plan Administrator within sixty (60) days of the event to
discuss their continuation and/or conversion rights.
3.
The employee and/or his/her spouse or children are also responsible
for notifying Human Resources and the Plan Administrator within sixty
(60) days of qualifying for Social Security disability benefits to
ascertain whether eligibility for a disability extension exists.
4.
If the employee, his/her spouse, or dependent children accept
the continuation coverage, Human Resources will notify the Plan Administrator.
Coverage will be retroactively reinstated without penalty.
[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018; Ord. No. 23-0484, 11-27-2023]
A. Policy.
1. Jefferson County participates in the Missouri Local Government Employees'
Retirement System (LAGERS), a defined benefit plan, and the County
Employee Retirement Fund (CERF), a defined contribution benefit plan.
2. A regular full-time employee is eligible to become a member in the
LAGERS plan after having completed six (6) months of service and attaining
the age of twenty-one (21). Employees are fully vested in the plan
after completing five (5) years of credited service.
3. A regular full-time employee is required to participate in CERF and
is fully vested in the plan after completing eight (8) years of credited
service.
4. Jefferson County also offers a deferred compensation plan in which
an employee defers a portion of his/her earnings each pay period for
retirement.
B. Procedure.
1. An employee that is vested in one (1) or both County retirement plans
must notify the Human Resources Department of the intention to retire
prior to thirty (30) days before the intended retirement date.
2. The employee must notify his or her supervisor of the intention to
retire at least two (2) weeks prior to the intended retirement date.
[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018]
A. Policy.
1.
Employees who have a work-related illness or injury may be entitled
to benefits under the State workers' compensation laws depending upon
the seriousness of the incident and the length of time off work.
2.
Any work-related injury or illness must be reported immediately
to the employee's supervisor or division manager. Arrangements will
be made for medical treatment, if necessary. Medical treatment without
authorization is at the employee's expense.
3.
If an employee is temporarily disabled by a work-related injury
or illness, the employee is entitled to payments of two-thirds (2/3)
of the employee's average weekly pay, to maximum set by State law,
until released by the doctor to return to work. Payments are not made
for the first three (3) days of disability unless the employee is
hospitalized or unable to work for more than fourteen (14) days. An
employee may, if available, use annual leave or sick leave for the
three (3) days not paid under workers' compensation for any work-related
injury or illness lasting less than fourteen (14) days.
4.
If the injury or illness results in a permanent disability,
permanent disability payments will be made after maximum recovery.
If the injury results in death, benefits will be paid to surviving
dependents.
5.
Every case, regardless of severity, requires that a report of
injury report be prepared and the County's workers' compensation insurance
carrier be notified.
6.
In the case of a work-related accident that requires that the
employee receive medical attention, the County will compensate the
employee for any regular work time lost by the employee on the day
of the accident.
7.
If an employee's work-related injury or illness meets the criteria
of a serious health condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA) and the employee qualifies for FMLA, the County will designate
the time lost by the employee as FMLA leave and it will count against
his/her twelve-week FMLA allotment in any rolling twelve-month year.
B. Procedure.
1.
An injured employee must report any injury to his/her supervisor
immediately.
2.
The elected or appointed County Officer in charge will ensure
that the injured employee receives any required first aid or emergency
medical treatment at the medical facility of the County's choosing.
If the injury is life-threatening, any available employee will call
911 and then notify the supervisor. The employee will receive treatment
at the closest appropriate medical facility.
3.
The employee should be accompanied to the medical facility by
his/her supervisor or another employee designated by management, and
the facility rendering the treatment should be informed that the employee
sustained a work-related accident or illness and be informed of the
County's address where the individual is employed.
4.
The elected or appointed County Officer must ensure that he/she
contacts Human Resources within twenty-four (24) hours of an accident
or the onset of any work-related illness to provide Human Resources
with the necessary information pertaining to the accident or the illness.
The employee must contact Human Resources to complete the report of
injury form as required by applicable State law. Human Resources will
then file the claim with the County's workers' compensation insurance
carrier.
5.
All medical bills submitted to the County by the employee incurred
as a result of the accident or illness should be forwarded to Human
Resources for processing and reimbursement.
6.
If the accident/illness involves lost work time, the elected
or appointed County Officer will complete an employee status change
form indicating that the employee is on leave of absence status due
to workers' compensation, the last day worked, and the expected return
date, if known.
7.
If the lost time resulting from an injury/illness is designated
FMLA eligible, the employee and the appropriate elected or appointed
County Officer will be notified in writing by the Human Resources
Manager.
8.
In the event that the employee is released to modified duty,
the elected or appointed County Officer should try to find modified
work for the employee that falls within the job restrictions ordered
by the treating physician. If no modified duty is available, then
the employee will be permitted to return to full duty when the employee
submits a statement from the treating physician that the employee
is able to resume all essential job functions with or without reasonable
accommodation.
9.
When the employee returns to work, the elected or appointed
County Officer will complete an employee status change form indicating
that the employee is no longer on leave of absence status and the
employee's return to work date.
10.
A copy of the workers' compensation claim and all documentation
will be placed by Human Resources in a confidential medical file.
[Ord. No. 11-0218 §§ 1
— 2, 6-28-2011; Ord. No. 13-0364 § 1, 9-9-2013; Ord. No. 18-0507, 12-10-2018]
A. The County has established an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to
provide employees with assistance in dealing with a variety of personal
problems that may affect their work or home life. The services the
County has established makes prepaid, confidential, professional assistance
available to eligible employees and their eligible family members.
B. The decision to seek or accept assistance through the Employee Assistance
Program is the personal choice of the individual and will in no way
be detrimental to an employee's job security or advancement opportunities.
It is the supervisor's responsibility to evaluate employees only in
terms of work performance.
C. Participation in the Employee Assistance Program in no way relieves
the employee of the responsibility to meet acceptable work performance
standards. Implementation of this policy will not require or result
in any special regulations, privileges, or exception from existing
management practices with regard to job performance standards or disciplinary
actions. This program is not intended to supplant the normal disciplinary
process or in any way block any employee's legitimate access to established
grievance procedures.
D. All records and information pertaining to the Employee Assistance
Program will be treated with a high degree of confidentiality. Employee
Assistance Program records and information will not be disclosed to
anyone other than the employee without the employee's written permission
to do so legally pursuant to all Federal and State laws. Neither management
nor the employee shall attempt to obtain EAP records as a part of
any job action.
E. It is the responsibility of the employee to comply with the action
plan recommended by the Employee Assistance Program when personal
problems are affecting the employee's performance. When an elected
or appointed County Officer makes a referral to the program on the
basis of declining work performance, the elected or appointed County
Officer will be told only whether or not the action plan is being
followed. The elected or appointed County Officer will not be told
the nature of the problem or what was discussed during counseling
sessions. Voluntary, self-referred employees or family members seeking
assistance will be able to do so with complete anonymity.