The City of Pasadena offers a comprehensive benefits package to meet the needs of its employees and their families. Offering competitive benefits is a top priority for the City. Our employees have access to several benefits, including:
• Dental
• Vision
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Holidays
• Disability Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Behavioral Wellness Program
• Travel Assistance
• Identity Theft Protection
• Retirement
Medical
We offer several Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans administered by CalPERS. We currently offer medical plans with the following providers:
- Anthem Blue Cross
- Blue Shield
- Kaiser
- UnitedHealthcare
- Health Net
- PERS
- PORAC (Fire safety personnel only)
Dental & Vision
Dental
Our employees can choose between our Delta Dental HMO and PPO plans. The HMO dental plan contracts with providers to provide services to members at a fixed price, resulting in lower dental care expenses. The PPO plan allows more flexibility in your choice of dental care but the premiums and out-of-pocket expenses tend to be higher.
Vision
The City offers two vision plans that are administered by Ameritas. Both plans provide for eye exams for a low co-pay amount of $10.00. The discount plan provides discounts for supplies and materials and the second, more comprehensive plan covers lenses and frames and provides and access to other discounted services.
Retirement
Pension
The City of Pasadena contracts with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) to manage our defined benefits program for eligible employees. CalPERS manages the pension and health benefits to more than 1.6 million public employees, retirees, and their families and more than 3,000 employers.
Effective January 1, 2013, new members to CalPERS or an agency with CALPERS’ reciprocity will be subject to the provisions of the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) and will receive the 2% @ 62 benefit formula (if a miscellaneous employee) and 2.7% at 57 benefit formula (if a safety employee).
Employees who are current members of CalPERS or an agency with CalPERS’ reciprocity, or who have less than a six month break in service between employment in a CalPERS (or reciprocal) agency and employment with the City will be enrolled in the 2.5% @ 55 benefit formula (if a miscellaneous employee) or 3% at 55 benefit formula (if a safety employee).
Deferred Compensation
Regular full-time employees are eligible to enroll in a 457 (b) Deferred Compensation Plan. A governmental 457 (b) plan is a retirement savings plan that allows eligible employees to supplement any existing retirement and pension benefits by saving and investing before-tax dollars through a voluntary salary contribution. Contributions and any earnings on contributions are tax-deferred until money is withdrawn. Distributions are subject to ordinary income tax. Employees are also able to make salary deferrals on an after-tax basis.
Empower Retirement Appointments
Empower Retirement representative, Eric Winston, will be available for appointments at the City to assist with your deferred compensation needs.