Benefits

Benefits are provided to City employees in full time positions (budgeted at least 40 hours per week) and also for employees in part time positions (budgeted at least 20 hours per week).

Insurance Benefits

Health Insurance
The City offers two health plans: Choice (HMO) and Choice Plus (Point of Service). Coverage begins the first of the month following one full month of employment.

Dental Insurance
The City offers a traditional dental insurance program with minimal cost to the employee and at reduced rates for coverage of dependents. Total benefit is up to $1,250 annually for each covered participant. Coverage begins the first of the month following one full month of employment.

Life Insurance
Life insurance equivalent to two times an employee’s base annual salary is provided by the City at no cost to the employee. Coverage begins the first of the month following one full month of employment. In addition, a death benefit in the amount of one times the employee’s annual salary (not less than $25,000 and not more than $50,000 maximum) is provided through the NC State Retirement System after one year of service with the City.

Retirement and Deferred Compensation Benefits

State of North Carolina Local Government Employees' Retirement System (LGERS)
By state law, all benefit eligible employees belong to the LGERS and must contribute six percent of their salary (pre-tax deducted) to this program; there is an equivalent contribution from the City. If an employee decides to leave the City prior to being eligible for retirement (completing five years of service), they may apply to the retirement system for a refund of their contributions. Coverage in the retirement system begins immediately upon employment, and employees are “vested” (eligible for retirement) after five years of service. Retirement credit also transfers to other LGERS covered employers within the state.

North Carolina 401k Plan
In January 2007, the City began offering all eligible employees the option to join the North Carolina Supplemental Retirement Income Plan, commonly referred to as the NC 401(k) Plan. This plan provides employees with options to save part of their income toward retirement, either through a tax-deferred basis or through a Roth 401(k) (after-tax) contribution. The NC 401(k) Plan is offered on a voluntary basis in addition to the City's 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. The City does not make a contribution or a matching contribution to this plan other than sworn police officers. It is available for employee contributions. For additional information, contact the plan administrator at 1-866-NC401K1, or visit the website at http://www.nc401k.prudential.com

Tax Deferred Annuity Program
The City provides a tax deferred (457) supplemental retirement benefit equivalent to two percent of an employee's base salary. It is fully funded by the City and coverage begins the first of the month following one year of benefit eligible employment. Sworn Police personnel participate in different programs. Employees may also voluntarily participate in this program by setting aside part of their earnings (before taxes) for investments of their choice. This program is similar to an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) but without the tax limitations generally found in IRAs. Eligibility starts when first employed.

Social Security
Benefit eligible general employees are required to participate in the Social Security system (FICA), with the City sharing equally in the cost of the program. Coverage begins immediately upon employment. Police and Fire personnel do not fully participate in the Social Security program.  However, they do contribute to the Medicare portion which is currently 1.45 percent of pay from the City and a matching amount from the employee.

Paid Leave Time

Annual Leave
Benefit eligible full time employees earn annual leave (vacation) time based on length of service. The amount earned starts at 12 days per year and increases with service time up to a maximum of 24 days per year. As of February 1 of each year, employees can carry forward a maximum balance of 30 days (240 hours). Earnings start immediately upon employment, but leave is not available for use until an employee successfully completes six months of employment.  Half the full time amount is earned by part time employees.

Sick Leave
The City provides 12 days of sick leave each year for benefit eligible employees and there is no maximum amount that can be accumulated. As a result, retention of sick leave is an excellent insurance program against short-term or long-term illness and should not be abused. In addition, unused sick leave may be applied as additional service credit at the time of retirement which has the effect of increasing retirement benefits. Coverage begins immediately upon employment. Newly hired City employees who come from another North Carolina government entity (covered by the Local or State Governmental Employees' Retirement System) are eligible to transfer a portion or all of their existing sick leave balance to the City.

Holidays
The City observes 10 paid holidays per year. Coverage begins immediately upon employment.

Miscellaneous Benefits

Educational Assistance
The City values continued education of its employees. To meet this objective, the City has provided funding in the form of tuition assistance to allow employees to take college level course work to improve job performance, enhance skills for the current job, or to prepare for advancement or alternate careers with the City. Unfortunately and due to budgetary considerations, the tuition assistance program was not funded for the fiscal year July 2007 thru June 2008.

Safety Glasses
Employees and their families may purchase prescription safety glasses for on the job or everyday wear at a greatly reduced price and pay for them through payroll deduction.

Credit Union
Full time and part time employees may join the Greensboro Municipal Credit Union and participate in its savings, loan, and other financial programs.

Family Friendly Benefits

Part-time Benefits
This allows those individuals who desire to participate in the organization but on a less than full time basis to do so. In some cases, employees may enjoy a full career in this fashion but the more probable model is one in which an employee alternates between full- and part-time employment at various stages of his/her career or life.

Job Sharing
Part-time benefits allow managers to hire two people to fill one full time job.

Flextime/Flex Schedules
In many cases, it may be possible and feasible to allow employees, including nonexempt employees, to work a schedule other than the usual 8 am to 5 pm work schedule.

Alternative Work Arrangements/Telecommuting
With improvements in the City's technology systems in recent years, some jobs can be performed from remote locations. This creates many possibilities for jobs in which some of the work is performed in a typical, on-site office setting with the remaining work being performed from an employee's home or other nontraditional location.

CityFlex (IRS Section 125 Program)
Although the City does not provide child care services, employees can participate in a dependent care reimbursement account within the City’s CityFlex program. By participating in these “pre-tax” programs, employees can potentially save 30-45 percent on the cost of child care (or adult dependent care) without creating undue cash flow problems. CityFlex also offers a medical reimbursement program that provides the ability to save 35-40 percent on medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Flexible Benefits
Through the CityFlex program, employees may choose to:

• Pay their portion (if any) of health and dental premiums on a pre-tax basis
• Set aside (pre-tax) part of their paycheck to pay for medical related expenses not covered by the health and dental programs, or to pay for child or adult day care, and/or
• Pay for parking in any City operated facility on a pre-tax basis.

In each case, it is estimated an employee will save 30-45 percent of the cost of these items by participating in the program.

Planned LWOP (Leave Without Pay)
Many employees value more time with their families or to pursue recreational or other personal interests over marginally better income. This program allows employees to choose between more take home pay and more free time. 

Retiree Rehire
For many years, it has been common for retired employees to return in temporary, seasonal or project capacities. The employee has the advantage of some additional post-retirement income (up to maximums established by the retirement system), does not have to leave the workforce completely, and does not have to endure a sudden break from longtime friendships. The organization receives the value provided by experienced, competent employees. This is a common practice in Greensboro and occurs more frequently than in many other organizations.

Donated Leave
In instances where an employee has exhausted all available leave due to personal or family illness, he or she is eligible to accept voluntarily donated annual leave from other employees in order to remain in a paid status during the crisis.  The donated leave is converted to sick leave for the receiving employee to use.

Parental Leave
The City of Greensboro provides benefit eligible employees up to six months of leave for the birth or adoption of a child and to care for the child after birth or adoption. The total time may be a combination of various kinds of leave (paid or unpaid) depending on the circumstances.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The City provides assistance for employees to help deal with personal and/or family issues which may be causing stress or other problems through both an internal EAP and through Care24, a program offered by the City's health insurance provider.