Benefits Summary and Costs

St. Louis County offers its employees many excellent benefits. Highlights of the various programs are offered below. These benefits are available to full-time or part-time personnel as noted.

For additional information regarding Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Long-term and Short-term Disability Insurance, Flexible Spending, Deferred Compensation, Dependent Care, Retirement or the Employee Assistance Program call the Retirement and Benefits Office at (314) 615-8110. For information regarding other benefits, call the Division of Personnel at (314) 615-5429. You may email us at personnel@stlouisco.com.

Paid Time-Off

Employees hired after January 1, 2002 participate in a paid time-off program (PTO) in which new employees earn 160.16 hours (20 days) off after one year. Employees earn 25 days off after 5 years, 30 days off after 10 years, 35 days after 20 years and 40 days after 30 years of service. These days may be used for vacation, illness or any personal reason. Hours are accrued each pay period and employees may accumulate approximately one and one half years' earnings at any time. At the time of retirement or termination, 100% of the PTO balance is paid providing the employee has completed at least 6 months of service.

Part-time employees regularly working 20 or more hours a week receive a prorated portion of hours based on a full-time schedule.

Employees should consult their department policy regarding any limitations on use of PTO.

Holidays

Employees enjoy ten scheduled holidays. The scheduled holidays are: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Part-time employees regularly working 20 or more hours a week receive a prorated portion of hours based on a full-time schedule.

Medical Insurance

Full-time (30 hours per week or more) employees may choose from three plans with different plan options and levels of benefits. St. Louis County pays the cost for employees enrolled in the Basic and Primary plans. A Comprehensive plan is available to employees but requires a contribution. Dependent coverage is available at group rates and is paid by the employee. Dependent coverage tiers are available for 1 dependent and 2 or more dependents.

Important Note: Health insurance becomes available to new hires on the 1st day of the month following one full calendar month of work. (Example: a person hired on the 23rd of May would be eligible for coverage on July 1st). The County's plan year begins on October 1.

• GHP Basic

This plan provides a basic level of coverage for medical services. You and your covered dependents may utilize both network and non-network providers with similar levels of coverage (non-network benefits are subject to Reasonable and Customary Charges). All services, such as lab work, inpatient or outpatient hospital services will be covered at 80%, after a $1,100 individual deductible is satisfied. The maximum out of pocket expense for an individual is $4,000. Preventative Care office visits to a physician are $25 for in-network and not subject to deductible. Prescription drug copayments are $10, $25, and $40 depending on whether generic preferred, name brand preferred, or non-preferred drugs are used and only apply after the deductible has been satisfied. Those enrolling in this plan do not have to designate a primary care physician.

• GHP Primary POS & Primary PPO Select

These plans provide a higher level of coverage for medical services. You and your dependents may utilize both network and non-network providers but more coverage is provided for network providers. Doctor office visit copays are $15 for a primary care physician and $15 for specialists. Other network provider services, such as lab work, inpatient or outpatient hospital services will be covered at 80%, after a $250 individual deductible is satisfied. The maximum out of pocket in-network expense for an individual is $1,250. Prescription drug copayments are $10, $25, and $40 depending on whether generic preferred, name brand preferred, or non-preferred drugs are used. Prescription copays are not subject to the deductible and do not apply to out of pocket maximum. Those enrolling in this plan do not have to designate a primary care physician. The Primary POS Plan includes the broadest GHP network. The Primary PPO SELECT network does not include any hospitals or physicians affiliated with BJC Health Care.

• GHP Comprehensive POS & Comprehensive PPO SELECT

These plans provide the highest level of benefits for medical services and offer the option to use network or non-network providers each time you and your dependents seek medical care. The non-network benefit resembles a traditional indemnity plan and requires that you pay a higher percentage of the cost (25% after a $300 annual individual deductible). The network benefit includes copays for certain services and 100% coverage without copays for others. Doctor office visit copays are $15 for a primary care physician and $15 for specialists. Prescription drug copays are $10, $25 and $40 depending on whether generic preferred, name brand preferred, or non-preferred drugs are used. Those enrolling in this plan do not have to designate a primary care physician. The Comprehensive POS Plan includes the broadest GHP network. The Comprehensive PPO SELECT network does not include any hospitals or physicians affiliated with BJC Health Care.

Semi-Monthly Costs
	GHP Basic	GHP Primary		GHPComprehensive
		PPO SELECT	POS	PPO SELECT	POS
Employee Only	n/a	$   0.00	$   0.00	$   10.71	$   26.84
Employee + 1	$  32.03	$  53.32	$  85.00	$118.77	$173.21
Employee and family	$  91.96	$132.88	$193.42	$254.94	$343.57

Voluntary Dental Care Options

• CIGNA Dental Care

CIGNA Dental Care (a Dental Health Maintenance Organization) covers preventive, diagnostic, general, major, and orthodontic services. Participants pay a portion of the cost for some services. Some co-payments have increased while others have decreased or remained the same. Office visit co-payments are $5. At enrollment, participants must elect a CIGNA Dental provider from a network of dentists located throughout the metropolitan area. The CIGNA Dental Care provider list is subject to change during the plan year. Employees will not be allowed to drop or switch plans during this plan year because a dentist no longer participates with CIGNA Dental Care.

• CIGNA Dental PPO

CIGNA Dental PPO (a traditional indemnity plan) does not require that you choose between network and non-network providers. Preventive benefits are covered at 100%, with no deductibles. All other services include a $50 deductible, then either 80% or 50% coinsurance. As part of this plan, CIGNA offers a Preferred Provider Organization. Out-of-pocket costs are reduced for employees who choose these network providers. Services performed by non-network providers are subject to Usual and Customary limits. Dental coverage may be purchased on a pre-tax basis. Rates are subject to change October 1, 2004.

Semi-Monthly Costs
	CIGNA Dental Care	CIGNA Dental PPO
Employee	$  6.53	$15.35
Employee and 1 dependent	$12.25	$30.70
Employee and 2+ dependents	$15.91	$46.05

Voluntary Vision Plan

EyeMed Vision Care (a preferred provider network) covers eye examinations, frames, lenses, and contacts. Participants can elect to use providers from the network and receive higher benefits or use non-preferred providers and receive lower benefits. Network providers are located throughout the metropolitan area and are typically located in major malls (i.e. Pearle Vision, Sears, J.C. Penney, Famous Barr, LensCrafters). Vision coverage may be purchased on a pre-tax basis.

Life Insurance

Underwritten by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of America.

The Employer-paid Basic Coverage:

Full-time (30 hours per week or more) permanent employees under age 70 receive paid life insurance benefits equal to 1x the employee's annual salary, rounded to the next higher $1,000. Life insurance benefits reduce on the employee's 70th birthday to 50% of annual salary. A living benefit is available to terminally ill employees.

• Employee Amounts 1x, 2x, 3x or 4x annual salary rounded up to the next $1,000.
  

  Select multiples of your salary (1, 2, 3 or 4 times your annual salary) up to a maximum of $500,000. You will need to complete an Evidence of Insurability Form for amounts greater than $200,000.

• Spouse Amounts ½ x, 1x, or 1 ½ x Employee Salary
  

  If the amount you select is over $37,000, you must submit an Evidence of Insurability Form. You may elect ½ x, 1 x, or 1 ½ x your annual salary as the life insurance coverage for your spouse. A spouse cannot enroll for more coverage than an employee has for base and supplemental combined.

• Child Amounts $5,000, $10,000, or $25,000
  

  Child age for benefit is 15 days to age 21, or to age 25 if a full-time student. In order to obtain child coverage, either the employee or spouse must enroll for supplemental coverage. A child cannot be enrolled for more coverage than an employee has for base and supplemental combined.

• Guarantee Issue Amount

  If your total insurance amount (your basic County-paid life plus your selected supplemental life) does not exceed the amount listed below and you apply for coverage within 30 days of employment, Metropolitan will not require you to show you are in insurable health. If you select total insurance coverage greater than the amount listed below or you apply for coverage after 30 days of employment, you will need to complete an Evidence of Insurability form and have it reviewed and approved by Metropolitan before the higher coverage(s) will be effective.

  • Employee: $200,000 (Basic and Supplemental combined)
  • Spouse: $ 37,000 (Supplemental only)
  • Child(ren): All amounts for dependent children are Guarantee Issue
  
  
• The Cost of Your Life Insurance Plan

Supplemental Life Insurance Rates for Employees and Spouses
Age	Monthly Rate per $1,000 of coverage
Under 30	$    .066
30 to 34	$    .088
35 to 39	$    .110
40 to 44	$    .176
45 to 49	$    .297
50 to 54	$    .517
55 to 59	$    .814
60 to 64	$    .935
65 to 69	$  1.65
70 to 74	$  2.981
75 to 79	$  4.774
80 and over	$11.495
Supplemental Life Insurance Rates for Dependent Children
Option (per child)	Monthly Rate
$5,000	$  .72
$10,000	$1.43
$25,000	$3.58


This monthly rate is for all of your children; it is not a "per child" rate.

Long-Term Disability Insurance

For full-time (30 hours per week or more) employees, the County provides a paid core level benefit equal to 50% of your monthly salary (maximum benefit $2,000 a month). Employees have the option to purchase additional protection of up to 66 2/3 of their monthly salaries (maximum benefit $5,500 a month) within two weeks following date of employment or during annual open enrollment period.

If you are disabled according to our policy's definition of disability, you will be eligible to receive a monthly benefit based on your choice of 50% or 66 2/3% of your basic monthly earnings. Benefits would begin after an "Elimination Period" of 180 days and would be paid for as long as you continue to meet the policy's definition of disability for the benefit duration specified. You would not be required to pay your premium during the time you are receiving benefits.

1. Annual Salary (base salary only - do not include overtime or shift differential)
2. Divide by 12
3. Multiply by rate from chart above
4. Divide by 100
5. Monthly premium cost

1. Annual Salary = 24,000
2. Divided by 12 = 2,000
3. Multiplied by rate above (.229) = 458
4. Divided by 100 = 4.58
5. Monthly premium cost is $4.58

Short-Term Disability Insurance

Full-time (30 hours per week or more) employees who are in the PTO plan are provided basic short-term disability (STD) coverage. This coverage replaces 50% of basic weekly earnings to a maximum of $500 per week if an accident or illness prevents an employee from working after an elimination period of 7 calendar days. Employees are able to purchase additional coverage up to 66 2/3% of their basic weekly earnings to a maximum of $1375 per week. Employees must use all other paid time they have accumulated before STD is available. STD benefits are payable up to 26 weeks if an employee is disabled. Long-term disability benefits are payable to those employees who are disabled and have been disabled for 26 weeks.

1. Multiply hourly salary by 2080. Result is annual salary. (Use base salary only - do not include overtime or shift differential.)
2. Divide by 52. Result is weekly salary.
3. Multiply by 66 2/3% (.6667). Result is buyup weekly benefit.
4. Divide by 10
5. Multiply by buyup rate from chart above. Result is monthly buyup cost.
6. Multiply weekly salary (# 2) by 50%. (Maximum base weekly benefit amount is $500. If amount is more, use $500 for next calculation.) Result is base weekly benefit.
7. Divide by 10
8. Multiply by base rate from chart above. Result is monthly base cost.
9. Subtract monthly base cost (# 8) from monthly buyup cost (# 5). Result is monthly cost to employee.

1. Annual Salary $24,000/52 = Weekly salary $461.54
2. Weekly salary $461.54 x 66 2/3% = Buyup weekly benefit $307.66
3. Buyup weekly benefit $307.66/10 x rate .251= $7.72 Buyup monthly cost
4. Weekly salary $461.54 x 50% = Basic weekly benefit $230.77
5. Basic weekly benefit $230.77 x rate .206 = $4.75 Basic monthly cost
6. Buyup monthly cost $7.72 - Basic monthly cost $4.75 = Monthly cost to employee $2.97

Tuition Reimbursement

Reimbursement is made for tuition only. All other fees and expenses are excluded. Appropriate documentation is required that itemizes tuition costs from other fees. There is a $2,100.00 reimbursement limitation per year for each employee, beginning January 1 and ending December 31. The year within which class attendance begins is used for this determination (negotiable for institutions with non-traditional terms).

Letter grade A or A-; numerical score 90% and above - 100%
Letter grade B+, B, or B-; numerical score 80 to 80% - 75%
Letter grade C+, C, or C-; numerical score 70 to 79% - 50% (graduate level = 0%)
Pass (when letter or numerical grade is available) - 50%
Pass (when course is pass/fail only) - 75%

The Tuition Reimbursement Program has been established to encourage the employees of St. Louis County Government to take advantage of educational opportunities which may:

• tangibly upgrade their performance within their current position;
• expand their knowledge and skill base beyond current job responsibilities;
• enable them to assume greater responsibility within the organization;help them keep up with an ever-changing societal and business environment; encourage continual self-improvement and professional growth, through which the organization and the citizens of St. Louis County may benefit;
• fulfill training and education requirements which may exceed the County's in-house capabilities.

Employee Eligibility

In order to participate in the Tuition Reimbursement Program, employees must meet the following eligibility requirements prior to the first course start date contained in the application:

• Permanent full-time (probation completed).
• Permanent part-time (probation completed), 30 hours per week or more.
• The employee must maintain an overall performance rating of successful, meets expectations, etc. (3 on a 5-point scale, or 2 on a 4-point scale) or above for the period preceding application.

Course Eligibility (approved courses)

Courses must meet all of the following requirements in order to be eligible for reimbursement:

• Competency Demonstration - A final indicator of content/skill mastery is required, as indicated by letter grade, numerical grade, "pass" or "satisfactory" designation. Without a specific competency measure as a course outcome, programs are not eligible for tuition reimbursement. Such programs should be pursued through travel for educational purposes.



• Recognized Authority Sanction - Colleges and universities must be accredited by a recognized accreditation body (e.g., North Central Association of Colleges and Universities). Courses required to obtain or maintain professional certification and licensure must be provided by organizations recognized by the State of Missouri e.g., Missouri Bar, Missouri State Board of Healing Arts).



• Of Value to the Organization - By approving the course or courses, the Appointing Authority determines that the course(s) and/or the degree, certification, or licensure being pursued is of decided value to the unit, department, and St. Louis County Government.

Course approval is granted on an individual case-by-case basis.

Deferred Compensation

As a St. Louis County full or part-time employee, you are eligible for a special employee benefit program which offers an opportunity for you to save money for your retirement and to reduce your current tax liability at the same time. This program is called a Deferred Compensation (457) Plan - a voluntary pre-tax savings plan available under Section 457 of the IRS Code. Participants may defer $15,000 of their salary. The Plan allows you to put aside a percentage of your salary before it is subject to federal or state income tax. Your before-tax contributions are taken automatically from your paycheck; you decide how much you want to defer. You decide which investments fit your goals and needs. These contributions and the investment income are not taxed until you begin receiving payments.

You may enroll in the Deferred Compensation Plan at any time. St. Louis County Government offers two providers: Prudential and Nationwide Retirement Solutions.

Retirement Benefits

Permanent full-time employees working 30 hours or more will be enrolled in the County's Retirement Plan. Full County retirement benefits are payable at the Plan's normal retirement age of 65 or if the employee's age and years of service combined equal a sum of 80. Reduced benefits may begin as early as age 55 for employees with sufficient years of service under the Plan. There is a deferred vested pension for employees who leave St. Louis County after five years of service. St. Louis County pays the full cost of the Retirement Plan. County employees are also covered by Social Security.

Employee Assistance Program

The County has retained the services of Employee Counseling Service (ECS), a division of Provident Counseling, for a prepaid Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Licensed professionals offer confidential counseling services 24 hours a day to you or your family members. The EAP provides professional counseling services for:

• Work/Personal Problems
• Stress Management
• Legal or Financial Problems
• Family/Relationship Issues
• Alcohol and Drug Problems
• Emotional Setbacks

Conveniently located offices throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area offer flexible appointment times, including evening and weekend hours.

Flexible Spending/Dependent Care

• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Health Care Reimbursement Plan

A FSA Health Care Reimbursement Plan lets you set aside pre-tax dollars from your paychecks to cover eligible health care expenses not reimbursed by any medical, dental, or vision plan you or your eligible dependents may have. Pre-tax benefits save you money. The taxes you would have otherwise paid represent your savings under this Plan. The more out-of-pocket health care expenses you normally incur during the year, the more a FSA Health Care Reimbursement Plan will benefit you by saving you money. St. Louis County offers this unique and valuable fringe benefit to all employees (working 30 or more hours per week) on the active payroll prior to the beginning of each year. Enrollment is held in November.

• Child & Dependent Care Payment Plan

This Plan offers you the opportunity to earmark up to $5,000 of income per year to pay for dependent care expenses. Since this amount is not subject to federal, state or FICA taxes, your take-home pay (after taxes and dependent care expenses) is greater than if you pay for dependent care expenses with after-tax income. Newly hired employees are eligible to join the Plan the first day of the next month following thirty (30) days of service; however, you must enroll within thirty (30) days of hire.

Parking/Mass Transit

Most employees who work in Clayton at the County Government Center or surrounding buildings are able to park in nearby parking garages for a fee of $10 per month. Employees who work at outlying areas such as parks, highway district garages, health centers, North, West or South County Government Centers, etc. have free parking.

For those employees preferring to utilize mass transit, the County provides the opportunity for participants to pay for transit on a pre-tax basis.

Credit Union

All County employees and their families may become members of the County Credit Union. A variety of services are available including savings, certificates of deposit, IRA, direct deposit, mortgage loans, home equity loans, auto loans, checking (share draft), payroll deduction, loans, money orders, Visa card, travelers' checks, Christmas savings, night depository and ATM.