Town of South Berwick, ME Benefits

§ 31-72 Hospital, surgical and major medical insurance.

[Amended 6-28-2004; 1-26-2009; 6-29-2009; 11-25-2014; [9-13-2016]

The Town participates in a group health insurance program. Full-time employees are eligible to participate in the health insurance program. Coverage becomes effective the month following date of hire.

Effective September 1, 2016, to August 30, 2017, the Town's contribution rate to the premium will be as follows:

(1)

Employee: 82%.

(2)

Dependent: 82%.

Effective September 1, 2017, to August 30, 2018, the Town's contribution rate to the premium will be as follows:

(1)

Employee: 80%.

(2)

Dependent: 80%.

Effective September 1, 2018, to August 30, 2019, the Town's contribution rate to the premium will be as follows:

(1)

Employee: 80%.

(2)

Dependent: 80%.

The employee will pay the remainder of the premium cost through weekly payroll deductions.

§ 31-72.1 Alternative medical health insurance benefit.

[Amended 9-13-2016]

Any full-time employee who elects not to enroll or chooses to withdraw from the health insurance program is entitled to receive a monthly allotment of $300 per month effective the first of the month for which he/she is eligible to waive the coverage. This allotment is available only to employees who are covered under another group health coverage (for example, group health coverage offered through a spouse's employer). This allotment is not available to employees who purchase individual health insurance coverage.

Employees choosing this benefit will still be eligible to receive life insurance, disability insurance, and be entitled to the optional dental coverage.

§ 31-73 Income protection.

[Amended 9-13-2016]

The Town participates in the Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust. The Town pays 100% of the cost of the income protection premium at the appropriate level of coverage for all eligible full-time employees requesting coverage. Employees with accrued leave available may receive wages to offset the income protection benefit, not to exceed 100% of regular weekly earnings.

§ 31-74 Life insurance.

The Town participates in a group life insurance program and pays 100% of the premium for term life insurance in an amount equal to the annual wage or salary, rounded to the nearest $1,000, of the employee for all eligible full-time employees requesting coverage.

§ 31-75 Workers' compensation.

Employees are eligible for benefits under the Workers' Compensation Act for a personal injury or compensable illness arising out of and in the course of employment. (See § 31-53.)

§ 31-76 Social security.

In addition to the Maine State Retirement System, the Town participates jointly with employees in social security payments. Benefits provided include a retirement feature, survivor's benefits, payment if death occurs before retirement, disability insurance, and Medicare coverage.

§ 31-77 Retirement.

[Amended 8-8-2005; 6-29-2009; 7-24-2018]

Effective January 1, 2017, employees who are regularly scheduled 20 hours or more per week have the option to participate in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS) or in a 457(b) Retirement Fund in which the Town is a member. Contributions are made by the employee through weekly payroll deduction in accordance with the plan document and regulations of their chosen retirement option.

The Town agrees to contribute the rates for MainePERS in accordance with their published rates each fiscal year. The Town will contribute up to a 6.5% match for contributing participants to a 457 plan. Eligible employees may opt to participate in both plans, but would only be entitled to the single mandatory employer contribution to MainePERS.

Due to changes in legislation for compliance with federal IRS law, as of July 12, 2010, new employees are only eligible to join MainePERS at the time of their enrollment eligibility. All eligible new hires and employees accepting a status change to a regularly scheduled 20 hours a week or more are required to fill out the MainePERS membership application on the date of hire or status change opting to join or not join. Eligible employees who opt out at time of hire or first eligibility can only join in an optional membership plan later if they change employers. Employees who join the MainePERS defined benefit plan are not eligible to withdraw contributions or stop participating unless they terminate employment (https://www.mainepers.org).

Eligible employees may join the 457(b) at any time. Contributions may be changed or stopped if requested during their employment. If in agreement with the existing plan document, under qualifying conditions, an employee may apply for a loan providing they meet the requirements of the plan and federal IRS law (https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/plan-participantemployee/ retirement-topics-loans).

§ 31-78 Unemployment compensation.

The Town provides unemployment compensation benefits to employees who are laid off while in good standing with the Town.

§ 31-78.1 Retirement health savings plan.

[Added 12-11-2006; amended 6-25-2007; 6-29-2009; 1-14-2014]

The Town participates in a retirement health savings plan (RHS). The plan is an employer-sponsored health benefit savings vehicle that allows full-time employees to accumulate assets to pay for medical and dental expenses on a tax-free basis upon retirement or at termination of service. The outline of the plan is as follows:

Employees hired before January 1, 2007, may elect the initial one-time medical leave (sick leave) buyout of 50% of hours over 400 and the remaining 50% forfeited. The buyout hours will be contributed to RHS at the employee's present rate of pay.

Employees hired January 1, 2007, and after will have a maximum accrual of 400 medical leave hours.

On December 31 of each year, employees shall contribute a percentage of their unused annual medical leave accrual as follows:

(1)

Employees with 100 to 400 medical leave hours shall contribute 25% of the value of their unused annual accrual. The remaining 75% will accumulate until 400 hours is obtained.

(2)

Employees with more than 400 medical leave hours shall contribute 50% of the value of their unused annual accrual. The remaining 50% will be forfeited.

(a)

Medical leave used during the calendar year is first drawn from the current calendar year's accrual. Additional leave is drawn from the prior accumulation.

(b)

Any medical leave hours forfeited in this plan cannot be donated to the sick leave bank.

Employees shall contribute their annual longevity bonus as outlined in § 31-78.2.

§ 31-78.2 Longevity.

[Added 6-25-2007; amended 6-29-2009]

All full-time nonunion employees having completed 10 years of continuous full-time service and having been at the last step in their pay grade for one full year will be paid an annual longevity bonus on their anniversary of date of hire. The payment shall be deposited into the employee’s Retirement Health Savings Plan as follows:

Completion of 10 years: $500.

Completion of 15 years: $750.

Completion of 20 years: $1,000.