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Benefits
Benefit Overview
The City of Greenville offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to provide a variety of choices to best fit the needs of our employees and their families. All coverages are effective the first of the month following the employee’s hire date except for long term disability which is effective the 91st day following date of hire.
An employee's deductions for medical and dental premiums, flexible spending accounts, deferred compensation, and the City's retirement plans are all taken on a pre-tax basis. This means that before federal, state, and social security taxes are calculated and deducted from an employee's pay, these deductions are used/taken to reduce gross pay and thereby reduce taxes.
- Insurance Options
- Leave & Holiday Benefits
- Retirement Benefits
- Awards & Recognition
- Other Benefits & Opportunities
Insurance Options
Medical/Vision: The City offers the choice of two plans, PPO I and PPO II, through our group healthcare provider (both plans include prescription drug and vision coverage at no additional cost to the employee). Medical is available to all eligible full-time and part-time employees and their dependents. The City shares the cost with the employee.
Dental: The City offers one dental PPO Plan to all eligible full-time and permanent part-time employees and their dependents. The City shares the cost with employees.
Basic Term Life Insurance: The City provides all eligible full-time employees two times annual salary up to $300,000 with a minimum benefit of $75,000 Basic Group Term Life, accidental death and dismemberment at no cost to the employees.
Employee Supplemental Term Life: The City offers supplemental term life coverage to all active full-time employees who wish to have life insurance in addition to the Basic Group Term Life. Employees may purchase additional amounts of coverage on themselves (available in increments of $10,000 up to $200,000).
Spouse Term Life Insurance: The City offers spouse term life in increments of $5,000 up to a maximum of $30,000. The cost for this coverage is dependent upon the employee’s age and the coverage level.
Child Term Life Insurance: The City offers supplemental child term life coverage for an employee’s eligible child/ren in the amount of $5,000 or $10,000. Eligible child/ren are not married, under the age of 26 and a child/ren who is 26 or older, primarily supported by you and incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical handicap.
Short Term Disability (STD): The City offers short term disability coverage to full-time active employees. This coverage provides income protection of 60% of an employee's weekly earnings after 14 calendar days of approved disability. The City does not contribute to this premium.
Long Term Disability (LTD): The City offers long term disability coverage to full-time active employees. This coverage provides income protection of 60% of an employee's monthly salary after 90 calendar days of approved disability. The City pays 60% of the premium.
Voluntary Benefits: The City offers voluntary Critical Illness (which includes cancer coverage), Accidental Injury, and Hospital Care (indemnity) insurance. You can sign up for this coverage at economical group rates, which means you pay less for coverage; Critical Illness insurance includes cancer coverage and Hospital Indemnity is included as an additional option.
Leave & Holiday Benefits
- General Leave is earned/accrued biweekly by all regular, full-time and permanent part-time employees as a percentage of normal work hours.
- Funeral Leave is provided to all regular, full-time employees in the case of death of an immediate family member.
Holidays
The City of Greenville offers 11 paid holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- President's Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Day Before Christmas
- Christmas Day
- Floater Holiday
South Carolina Retirement System
The City is a member of the South Carolina State (SCRS) and Police Officers (PORS) defined benefit Retirement Systems. All full-time and permanent part-time employees are required by state law to contribute to the system through payroll deduction.
Civilian Employees Class II
Those with a membership date in the SCRS on or before June 30, 2012 may retire and be eligible to receive vested benefits if the member has at least 5 years of earned service in the SCRS and has separated from service:
- Upon reaching 28 years of service credit on the date of retirement
- Upon reaching 65 years of age or older
- Upon reaching age 60 but less than age 65, with a 5% permanent reduction for each year less than age 65
- Upon reaching age 55 but less than age 60, with 25 years of service credit. The benefit is permanently reduced 4% for each year of service credit less than 28 years.
Civilian Employees Class III
Those with a membership date in the SCRS on or after July 1, 2012 may retire and be eligible to receive vested benefits if the member has at least 8 years of earned service in the SCRS and has separated from service:
- Has satisfied the Rule of 90 (i.e., the employee's age and years of service equals 90)
- Upon reaching 65 years of age or older
- Upon reaching age 60 but less than age 65, with a 5% permanent reduction for each year less than age 65
SWORN POLICE
SC PORS CLASS II
Officers with a membership date in the PORS on or before June 30, 2012 are eligible to retire and receive vested benefits if the member has at least 5 years of earned service in the PORS and has separated from service:
- Has completed 25 years of service in the retirement system, or
- Upon reaching age 55
SWORN POLICE
SC PORS CLASS III
Officers with a membership date on or after July 1, 2012 are eligible to retire and receive vested benefits if the member has at least 8 years of earned service in the PORS and has separated from service:
- Has completed 27 years of service in the retirement system, or
- Upon reaching age of 55 or older
SWORN FIREFIGHTERS
Sworn firefighters must participate in the Firefighter's Pension Fund to be vested in City contributions. Members have a vested interest in the retirement plan of 10% after 10 years of service. The vested retirement benefits are paid at the normal retirement age of 55.
Employee Recognition & Awards
To further recognize those employees who have set examples of performance worthy of emulation by others, the City has established the Employee Recognition & Awards (ER&A) Program. The awards are presented to recipients at the City's annual departmental awards celebrations. A committee made up of staff from each department decides how awards will be given.
Employee Service Awards
The service awards program recognizes and commends the long-term commitment that loyal employees have made to the City, recognizing that much of the City's organizational history resides with these employees.
Longevity Bonus
All regular, full-time and permanent part-time employees of the City of Greenville are recognized with a service award and a one-time lump sum longevity bonus, added to one's payroll check at each consecutive 5th year anniversary.
Worker's Compensation
All City employees are covered under the provisions of the Workers' Compensation Act. This act provides monetary protection for the employee and his or her dependents in the event of injury or death while conducting work for the City.
Deferred Compensation
The City offers all employees the option of contributing on a payroll deduction basis to the State Deferred Compensation System's 401(k) or 457(b) plans. These plans offer long-term, tax-deferred savings. These programs allow an employee to defer current income in order to provide additional income upon retirement. These plans are voluntary and enrollment or changes are allowed on an ongoing basis. The City does not contribute towards these plans.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
The City offers flexible spending accounts (FSA). FSAs allow employees to pay for out-of-pocket health and dependent daycare expenses with pre-tax dollars. This means that before federal, state, and Social Security taxes are calculated and deducted from pay, the FSA funds are taken to reduce the employees' gross pay, thereby lowering the taxable income. The IRS sets limits for the annually for the FSA accounts.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The City offers a free benefit to all employees and their eligible dependents an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This is a professional counseling service that offers confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, prevention, and education services. The City's current plan provides up to five individual counseling sessions for each person, per year.