Employee Benefits
The King County Housing Authority provides a comprehensive benefits package to all full-time staff members. The components of KCHA's programs are summarized below. Benefits commence on your date of hire or the first of the month after you have become an eligible employee.
Public Employees Benefit Board (PEBB)
KCHA is pleased to offer the PEBB program — a comprehensive package that includes medical, dental, vision, prescription, life, and long-term disability coverage, as well as optional long-term care, auto and home insurance. Through PEBB, employees can choose from a number of medical plans. All of the plans offer the same basic benefits package and similar cost-sharing requirements, but monthly premiums, provider networks and benefit enhancements vary.
Medical Plans
Standard Managed-care:
In this type of plan, you must see providers in your plan’s network and receive most of your services through, or be referred by, a primary care provider (PCP). Standard managed-care plans available to KCHA Employees are Group Health Classic and Group Health Value. Enrollees pay a flat fee ($10 or $15 for office visits) for most services and annual deductibles, which vary depending on the plan. For more information about both Summary Plan Descriptions, visit www.ghc.org or www.pebb.hca.wa.gov.
Aetna Public Employees Plan Preferred Provider:
The Aetna Public Employees Plan is technically a “preferred provider plan” because enrollees do not need to choose a Primary Care Provider to oversee their medical care. Enrollees pay a flat fee ($10 for office visits) for most services, and there is no annual deductible. For more information about the Summary Plan Description and participating physicians, visit www.aetnahca.com or www.pebb.hca.wa.gov.
Uniform Medical Plan Preferred Provider:
The Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) preferred provider plan offers freedom of choice, allowing you to self-refer to any approved provider in most cases. UMP enrollees pay a percentage of the charges for most services. Most services are subject to an annual deductible. For more information about the Summary Plan Description and participating physicians, visit www.ump.hca.wa.gov or www.pebb.hca.wa.gov.
Retiree Medical Plan
Employees who participate in the medical plans may continue their coverage upon retirement for as long as the employer group continues to participate with PEBB. Visit www.pebb.hca.wa.gov to learn more about retiree benefits.
Dental Plans
Uniform Dental Plan Preferred Provider:
The Uniform Dental Plan (UDP) preferred provider plan administered by Washington Dental Services (WDS) allows you the freedom to choose any dentist. However, it provides a higher level of reimbursement if your dentist is a WDS participating provider. UDP offers services in every county of Washington state. For more information about the Summary Plan Description and participating dentists, visit www.deltadentalwa.com/pebb.htm.
Managed-care plans:
Under DeltaCare, administered by WDS, enrollees select a primary care dentist from the DeltaCare network and must receive care from the selected dentist. Because WDS administers several dental plans, each with its own provider network, be sure to verify that your dentist is in the DeltaCare network. For more information about the Summary Plan Description and participating dentists, visit www.deltadentalwa.com/pebb.htm.
Willamette Dental, requires that the enrollees receive care from a Willamette Dental dentist or specialist. For more information about the Summary Plan Description and participating dentists, visit www.WillametteDental.com/WApebb.
Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
This program has five parts and allows employees to design their own plan.
Part A — Basic Term Life and AD & D
KCHA provides $25,000 of Basic Life insurance for death from any cause and $5,000 Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment insurance both at no cost to employee.
Part B — Basic Dependent Term Life Insurance
This plan provides $2,500 for spouse/qualified same-sex domestic partner and $2,500 for each eligible unmarried dependent child. The employee pays for this benefit.
Part B — Supplemental Spouse Term Life Insurance
If you enroll in Plan B Basic Spouse Insurance, you may apply for additional amounts for your spouse/qualified same-sex domestic partner up to one half of the amount of life insurance you obtain for yourself. The employee pays for this benefit.
Part C — Optional Term Life Insurance
You may choose any amount from half of your annual salary up to the amount of your annual salary. The employee pays for this benefit.
Part D — Supplemental Term Life Insurance
You may apply for additional amounts up to $350,000. The employee pays for this benefit.
Part E — Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment
You may enroll in Part E coverage in multiples of $25,000 up to $250,000 for covered accidental death or covered accidental dismemberment. The employee pays for this benefit.
Long-Term Disability Plan
Basic Plan:
This plan is included in the full benefit package at no additional cost to employees. The Basic Plan provides a benefit of 60 percent of the first $400 of pre-disability earnings, reduced by any deductible income. The maximum benefit payable is $240 per month. The minimum benefit is $50 per month. Benefits begin after 90 days of total disability or after the period of your accumulated sick leave, whichever period is longer, and continue during your disability up to the Maximum Benefit Period. The Maximum Benefit Period is determined by the type of disability and the age of the enrollee when he/she became disabled.
Optional Plan:
This plan allows most employees eligible for the Basic Plan to apply for additional benefits at the employee's expense.
Retirement Plans
KCHA employees receive retirement benefits through the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) managed by the Washington Department of Retirement Systems. There are three PERS plans. Employees who worked for a most government entities prior to Oct. 1, 1977 are members of PERS Plan 1, with a monthly benefit generally being 2 percent x Service Credit Years x employee's highest rate of pay over 24 consecutive service credit months. Employees hired since then can participate in PERS 2 or PERS 3. Like PERS 1, PERS 2 is a defined benefit plan (the monthly benefit generally 2 percent x service credit years x employee's highest average rate of pay over 60 consecutive months). PERS 3 includes a defined contribution component, in which employees can choose how to invest earnings. For complete information, consult the DRS website, http://www.drs.wa.gov.
Deferred Compensation Plans
For the year 2008, KCHA Employees may invest up to $15,500 ($20,500 if age 50 or older), of annual earnings on a pre-tax basis through two IRS Section 457 deferred compensation plans. A plan managed by Great-West Retirement Services offers several investment options. A plan managed by the Washington Department of Retirement Services offers 11 options.
Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
All regular, full-time employees are eligible for the following vacation, sick leave and holiday benefits. Regular, part-time employees also are eligible for these benefits on a pro-rated basis.
Vacation
Vacation is accrued based on the following schedule:
Length of Service |
Days per Month |
Days per Year |
| 1-5 Years |
1 |
12 |
| 6-10 Years |
1-1/4 |
15 |
| 11-15 Years |
1-1/2 |
18 |
| 16-20 Years |
1-3/4 |
21 |
| 21+ Years |
2 |
24 |
Annual leave
can be accumulated, subject to maximum limits. Part-time employees are eligible
for annual leave based on a ratio of hours worked.
Sick Leave
All full-time KCHA employees are granted one day of sick leave for each month worked.
Bereavement Leave
Introductory and regular employees receive up to three (3) days for time lost due to a death in their immediate family.
Holidays
Each calendar year, KCHA provides its regular, full-time employees
with a total of 11 paid holidays. In addition, the agency provides
one personal holiday, which employees can take whenever they want.
Employee Training and Development
KCHA encourages employees to pursue the highest level of excellence in their chosen careers. The Authority contributes to the costs of seminars, classes and other forms of training for employees after they complete their six-month probationary period.
Seminars and Training
Employees are eligible to attend seminars, classes and conferences
related to current or future positions with the agency. If approved,
seminars are paid 100 percent by KCHA.
Tuition Assistance
Employees pursuing a degree related to current or future positions with the Authority can be reimbursed up to 50 percent (maximum $600 per quarter) for tuition fees with pre-approval and a passing grade of "C" or better.
Additional Benefits
Active Employee Association
Annual All Employee Meeting
Annual Party
Annual Flu Shot Program
Credit Union Membership
Direct Deposit
Diversity Committee
Family Medical Leave (FMLA)
Homebuyer Assistance
Leave for Jury Duty and Court Appearance
Military Leave
Non-Medical Leave
Pre-tax Transit Fares for Commuters
Work Environment Committee
For more information, please contact the Human Resources Department
at (206) 574-1101 or HumanResources@kcha.org.
Disclaimer
The King County Housing Authority reserves the right to change or end its benefit plans or programs at any time. The preceding is a summary of the plans or policies or a description of their key features or details. In case of any conflict or question, the official plan documents or applicable policies, as amended from time to time, will govern.