BeneBreeze Newsletter

The Retiree Benefits Task Team is finalizing its recommendation for an alternative strategy to the County's current method of funding health benefits for non-Medicare eligible retirees. The draft of the recommendation has been forwarded to the Task Team members for review prior to submission to the Appointing Authorities. Effective upon adoption of these recommendations the following would be the new approach to the non-Medicare retiree premium subsidy:

All current non-Medicare eligible retirees and employees enrolled in DROP will remain under the current contribution strategy. This "grand fathered" group will diminish in numbers by attrition as each retiree becomes eligible for Medicare. Approximately 50% of current retirees will be Medicare eligible by 2008.

To be eligible for the subsidy an employee must have been employed by Pinellas County for at least 10 years, the last five of which must be consecutive. An exception would be granted in the rare instance an employee with less than 10 years of service was within 5 years of normal FRS retirement.

For non-Medicare eligible employees retiring or entering DROP on or after the effective date of this program a health insurance premium subsidy, based on length of service with Pinellas County, would be provided. The proposal is that the subsidy range from 25% of the premium for 10 years of service increasing by 3.33% per year of service to a maximum of 75% for 25 years or more. The subsidy amount would be calculated on the single premium of the lowest cost plan. The percentage would be determined using the employee's permanent hire date. The subsidy will be extended to surviving spouses until they become Medicare eligible. Part time employees will receive a prorated benefit.

Additionally, the Task Team recommended the Retiree Health Savings Plan should be adopted as soon as practical and that employees be encouraged to participate. The County should consider providing some amount of financial incentive. Again this might have to be determined annually.

The team was mindful of the fact that in any given year the reality of budget constraints and changes in the healthcare marketplace could necessitate altering this approach. They acknowledged the need for regular review and possible adjustments.

Your Salary + Benefits

In late October, you received your second annual personal Benefits and Compensation Statement. Did you compare its contents with the one you received a year earlier? The statement communicates to employees the whole picture of your compensation with the County. The complete package of salary plus benefits allows the County to recruit and retain a quality workforce.

An understanding of total compensation helps you realize your value to the County as an employee. You may be surprised when you review your statement that approximately one third of the total compensation you receive is in the form of benefits such as health, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and other valuable benefits. This is in addition to the dollars and cents for time worked in the service of the County that you see printed on your pay stub each pay period. Why not take another look at your Benefits and Compensation Statement to see the whole picture!

In addition to the insurance benefits, holidays and leave, and retirement benefits included in your statement, also take into consideration that the following as well as general working terms, conditions and environment are a critical part of the big picture of total compensation.

Tax Savings Plans

Pre-tax plan for health & dental premiums

Flexible Spending Accounts (Health and

Dependent Care)

Bencor 401a Special Termination Pay Plan

Other Programs

Newsletters: Pinellas Pen, BeneBreeze, To Your Health

Wellness Program

Direct Purchase of Supplemental Benefits

Credit Union

Partnership School

And more…

Employee Discounts

Optional Leave Exchange

Employee Suggestion Awards Program

Service Award Program

Career Development Program

Training and Tuition/Education Assistance

Job Enhancement Program

Check out your benefits at www.pinellascounty.org.

Go to Departments*, Personnel Department, Employee Benefits

Recently over one hundred Benefits Statements, as well as insurance I.D. cards, mailed to employees' home addresses were returned because the addresses were incorrect.

It is most important, and your responsibility, to keep your address information up to date. When you have a change, notify your Payroll Clerk so that an ADDRESS CHANGE FORM can be generated. This will insure the change of your address!

Thinking of Retiring and Wondering What You Need To Do?
Follow these steps…

Call and meet with your employer's FRS contact to discuss options and to request a benefit estimate.
FRS Contacts: Supervisor of Elections, Bob Odom, 43551; Property Appraiser, Susan Maxwell, 43368; Tax Collector, Patty Wolf, 43061; Planning Council, Dolly Eylward, 48250; Construction Licensing Board, Anne Diamond, 536-4720. All others should contact Laura Kuklis, BCC/CCC Finance, 48351.

Notify your department in writing of your termination of employment date.
The Florida Retirement System (FRS) retirement date is always the first of a month following your termination of employment. For example, if you terminate employment June 24, your FRS retirement date will be July 1.

Contact Employee Benefits.
You will be provided a Retiree benefits package for review. You will have 31 days from the date of your retirement to enroll as a retiree in the health, dental, and life insurance plans. This 31-day period will be your only opportunity to enroll as a retiree.

And a couple more items to note….

: If you are enrolled in the County's Deferred Compensation Plan, notify your Plan Representative of your termination of employment and retirement date.

If you will have at least $2,500 or more of final pay, it will go through the Bencor plan, saving you tax dollars. You may review the Bencor program at the Benefits website under Tax Savings Programs.

You may start the paperwork 90 days in advance of your FRS retirement date! The Benefits website, and the FRS website, www.myfrs.com, provide retirement information to help you with your planning.