City of Oakland California

The City of Oakland is committed to the well being of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services - and an array of other benefits.

This page and the Benefits Guide summarize the benefits a City employee may receive. Please use this as a general reference.

• Employee Benefits Guide 2017 - Full-Time & Permanent Part-Time Employees
• 2017 Guide Sworn Police
• 2017 Guide Sworn Fire

We encourage you to contact a benefits representative if you have any questions

• Health and Wellness Enrollment
• Dependents
• Dental Plans
• Vision Care
• Continuing Your Benefits
• Retirement
• Deferred Compensation
• Life Insurance
• Disability
• Medical Waivers
• Flexible Spending Accounts

For a look at employee benefits by bargaining unit,  please refer to the 2017 City of Oakland Benefits Summary Matrix. 

New full-time or permanent part-time employees are eligible on the date of hire to enroll themselves and all eligible dependents into City benefit plans.  Learn more about specific Benefit Plans at: Personal Choices.

Remember:

• Coverage is not automatic; an employee must work with their department to establish enrollment. 
• If an employee does not request coverage within 60 days, the  request will be subject to a 90 penalty waiting period per HIPAA guidelines.
• Coverage begins on the first of the month following the receipt of documents.
• Employees can change their health plans during the annual open enrollment each fall. However, any changes made during that period do not become effective until January of the following year.

An employee's dependents may be eligible for coverage under the City's health plans.

Eligible dependents include a spouse; a domestic partner; financially dependent children under age 26 for medical benefits; and financially dependent children under age 18 OR verified students age 19 - 25 for dental and vision benefits.

To add an eligible dependent, please provide appropriate  documents such as marriage certificate, certificate of domestic partnership, birth certificate, legal adoption or guardianship papers, affidavit for financially dependent children, and, if applicable, proof of full-time enrollment in school.

The City participates in CalPERS (California Public Employees Retirement Systems) Health Benefit Services. CalPERS provides employees and their eligible dependents the choice of several medical plans.

For more information on medical plans, visit the CalPERS website.

The City pays the full monthly premium cost for certain designated plans. In other plans, the employee pays premiums with after-tax dollars.

The City offers two dental plans for non-sworn full-time employees, permanent part-time employees and their eligible dependents.

1. The HMO dental plan allows for flat-rate service with no deductibles when visiting an authorized dentist. This plan is administered by DeltaCare.
2. The PPO plan gives members flexibility and coverages a percentage of costs. This plan is administered by Delta Dental. 

Sworn police and fire personnel: dental coverage is provided through your respective unions.

The City offers vision coverage for non-sworn full-time employees, permanent part-time employees and their eligible dependents. Coverage is offered through Vision Service Plan.

The City does not offer the vision coverage benefit to sworn police and fire personnel.

Under COBRA, an employee and enrolled dependents may pay to continue medical, dental or vision coverage for a limited period of time if city-paid coverage ceases for reasons recognized under the law.

The cost for COBRA coverage equals the same premium the City pays monthly plus a 2% administrative fee.
 

Full-time and permanent part-time employees of the City of Oakland are required to participate in the Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).

General retirement benefit information are available for:

NonSworn (Miscellaneous) Employees 
Sworn Police Employees 
Sworn Fire Employees
 

What happens to my PERS benefits if I leave the City?

Portions of your retirement benefits are portable: upon separation from City service, funds may be rolled over into a qualified Individual Retirement Account (IRA). If you leave the City to work for another jurisdiction that also participates in CalPERS, your retirement benefit will continue.

Have questions? Current and former City employees interested in learning more about their retirement benefits may contact CalPERS directly at (888)225-7377 or visit the CalPERS website at www.calpers.ca.gov. Alternatively, current and former employees may contact the City of Oakland's Retirement Office at (510)238-6479, weekdays from 8:30am - 5:00pm.   

The Deferred Compensation Plan, a 457(b) voluntary retirement plan, reduces the employee’s current taxable income while providing the opportunity to accumulate retirement savings.

An employee can contribute a minimum of $10 per pay period up to the maximum allowed by Federal regulations for the calendar year. Several investment options are available through the third party administrator. The City does not contribute to nor match employee contributions.

The life insurance plan provides another important source of financial security for non-sworn full-time and permanent part-time employees and those who depend on them.

Benefit amount: In the event of an employee's death, the beneficiary will receive an amount equal to the employee's current annual salary rounded up to the nearest $1,000. (For example, if the annual salary is $35,500, the life insurance benefit would be $36,000).

If the death is the result of an accident, the designated beneficiary may receive an additional benefit equal to the life insurance amount.

The City pays the full premium cost for coverage. There is no employee contribution and this benefit is not extended to dependents.

Employees who are covered by certain bargaining units and who experience a non-work-related illness or injury are eligible to apply for State Disability Insurance. This insurance is provided through the State of California's Employment Development Department.

Employees who do not qualify for SDI are covered by a third party administrator for both short- and long-term disability. Benefits begin after a seven-day elimination period and are determined by several eligibility factors.

Upon proof of other medical coverage, employees may choose to waive or cancel medical benefits for themselves and eligible dependents and receive cash in lieu.