Benefits & Compensation
The City provides a competitive package of employee benefit programs designed to meet the diverse and changing needs of employees and retirees. The Human Resources Benefits Office serves as a valuable resource for a variety of employee and retiree services, including:
- New hire orientations
- Benefit orientations
- Insurance enrollment
- Benefit changes and inquiries
- Flexible spending accounts
- Post-Retirement benefits
EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION
The City of Huntsville Fiscal Year 2024 Salary Schedule is available HERE.
INSURANCE
Group insurance benefits are available to all regular full-time employees and eligible dependents. Post-retirement benefits are also available. Group life insurance benefits are available for active employees and eligible retirees. Benefits for group insurance have a 30-day waiting period from the date of employment, however, coverage for group life insurance begins after completing one full day of employment. The City Benefits Department works to contain costs and minimize increases in premiums. Insured participants share in the responsibility as well by committing to healthy lifestyles which can positively impact the cost of benefits for co-workers, retirees, and the City.
- The City’s Group Health Plan, BlueCard PPO, is a self-insured plan administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. The BlueCard PPO plan utilizes a national network of PMD providers and health care facilities. (Part time employees averaging or hired to work more than 30 hours per week may be eligible to enroll in the group health plan benefits as entitled under the Federal Affordable Care Act.
Benefit Summary Blue Card PPO High Deductible
Benefit Summary Behavioral Health Blue Card PPO
Privacy Notice of the City of Huntsville Group Health Plan
Privacy Notice for Health & Wellness Center
The City of Huntsville provides links (below) to access machine readable files as required by the Transparency in Coverage Rule. The files include negotiated service rates and out-of-network allowed amounts. The files are formatted to allow researchers, regulators, and application developers to access and analyze healthcare pricing data more easily.
Transparency in Coverage Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama
Transparency in Coverage Behavioral Health Systems
- The City’s Group Health Plan also includes Mental Health/Substance Abuse Program benefits. These benefits are self-insured and administered by Behavioral Health Systems, Incorporated (BHS). Treatment and services must be pre-certified and approved through BHS. Services may be obtained by contacting BHS or the City’s Health Center Resources and Program Manager prior to treatment being rendered.
- The City of Huntsville offers a Voluntary Dental Plan administered by Delta Dental Insurance Company. Benefit coverage includes preventive care, basic and major services, as well as orthodontic services for dependent children under 19 years of age. The dental plan is a fully-insured, supplemental benefit.
- A Voluntary Vision Plan is also offered that provides benefit coverage for eye examinations, frames, and eyeglass lenses with applicable co-pays. There is also an allowance for contact lenses. The plan is administered by Vision Service Plan (VSP). The vision plan is a fully-insured, supplemental benefit.
- Two Flexible Spending Accounts are available: medical reimbursement and dependent care. These pre-taxed accounts are administered by WageWorks and can be utilized electronically through a debit card provided to enrollees, or by filing claims for reimbursement.
Privacy Notice of the City of Huntsville Flexible Benefits Plan
- Two voluntary Cancer plans are available through Allstate Benefits. The Cancer plans provide first occurrence, hospital confinement, radiation & chemotherapy, as well as an annual wellness benefit.
- The City also provides a $20,000 Life Insurance policy at no cost to the employee. The plan includes accidental death and dismemberment, seat belt, and airbag riders. Coverage begins after completing one full day of employment.
Long Term Disability Plan Summary
Additional Voluntary Benefits Available:
The City of Huntsville provides eligible employees and their eligible dependents the opportunity to enroll in the following supplemental benefit plans:
- A Voluntary Term Life Insurance plan is available through Lincoln Financial Insurance Company. This supplemental coverage may be purchased in designated increments for the employee, spouse, and/or eligible dependents. Premiums are based upon age for the employee and spouse, and premiums for children are based on a flat rate.
- An optional Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance plan is offered for the employee and his/her family. The minimum level of coverage is $20,000. The plans are administered by Lincoln Financial Insurance Company.
- The City provides a limited Long Term Disability policy for eligible employees with one year of service, but less than ten years of service. There is no cost to the employee for this coverage. After ten years of service, disability benefits are coordinated by the Retirement System of Alabama (RSA).
- Allstate Benefits also offers three Off-The-Job Accident plans. The Off-The-Job Accident plans offer annual benefits for out-patient physician visits as well as paying benefits for injuries occurring off the job.
Making changes after enrollment. Changes to benefit plans must be made during Open Enrollment or within 30 days of a “life event”, such as: birth/adoption, marriage, divorce, death, change in employment status, or a dependent who is no longer eligible. Appropriate documentation must be provided for life events.
The Retirement Plan is administered by the Retirement System of Alabama (RSA). Participation is mandatory for all regular, full-time and part-time employees. Employees contribute a percentage of their salary to the plan. The City contributes a percentage as determined by RSA.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLANS
Two optional Deferred Compensation plans are offered. One plan is administered by RSA-1 and the other is administered by Nationwide Retirement Solutions. Employees may defer portions of their salary with pre-tax dollars and invest in fixed or low, medium, and high risk investments for use as a retirement supplement or long-term savings program.
OTHER SAVINGS PROGRAMS
Rocket City Federal Credit Union is an institution that offers membership to all full-time City employees and its dependents. Payroll deduction dollars can be designated to savings and/or checking accounts.
The City’s College 529 Savings Program makes it easy for friends and family to give the gift of a college education. The 529 program is administered by CollegeCounts, through payroll deduction, and offers tax advantages.
The City recognizes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Two additional floating holidays are given each year as authorized by the Mayor.
Sick leave accrual is 4 hours per pay period for all eligible City employees. There is no maximum amount of sick leave an employee may accrue.
Annual leave for eligible employees is accrued as follows: less than 10 years = 4 hours per pay period; 10 to 15 years = 5 hours per pay period; 15 to 20 years = 6 hours per pay period; 20 or more years = 7 hours per pay period. Employees may accrue and carry forward 260 hours (or the equivalent for fire suppression) to the next calendar year.
The City provides a military leave plan that pays regular salary for not more than twenty-one days per year. Also, employees called into active service may receive compensation in an amount equal to the difference in the lower military pay and the higher public employment salary as provided by City Council Ordinance.
Please refer to the City of Huntsville Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual or appropriate Summary Plan Description for more details. If there is a conflict between this publication and the actual plan document or policies, the plan documents or policies will always govern.