The benefits you earn as a City of Manchester employee are a significant part of your total compensation package. The City of Manchester's Plan Document and Summary Plan Description document (located under Important Benefit Resources) describes the rules of participation in the City of Manchester's employee welfare benefit plan. It also contains information to which you are legally entitled as a plan participant, and summarizes the eligibility and Plan administration rules of the Plan.
Here you can view what benefits are available to you. Details of the various benefits may differ slightly depending on what Union you are with, please make sure to also check the Employee Handbook and/or your Union Contract.
Under Benefit
Under Others
Bereavement Leave
All employees are entitled to bereavement leave benefits as determined by Collective Bargaining Agreements or City Ordinances. You will be excused from work for not more than five workdays in the event of the death of a spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or a blood relative or ward residing in the same household or abode. Employees may be excused for one day for the death of a grandparent, grandchild, aunt/uncle, and/or brother/sister-in-law.
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Deferred Compensation
The City offers a Deferred Compensation plan for employee savings and retirement planning. The program is offered through the City's deferred comp carrier. This is offered on a pre-tax basis.For more information, please Contact Human Resources.
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Flexible Vacation Benefit Plan
Effective the pay period commencing January 1, of each year, regular full time employees may elect to purchase one or two additional weeks of vacation credits over and above their regular entitlement with pre-tax dollars. An eligible employee shall complete an enrollment form and submit it to his department head for approval and signature. Vacation credits may be purchased in one or two week increments.
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Holiday Schedule for Employees
You are entitled to receive holiday pay and/or time off as defined by City Ordinances & Collective Bargaining Agreements. If a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed on Friday; if a holiday falls on a Sunday, it is observed on Monday.
City Non-affiliated employees observe the following annual paid holidays. Affiliated employees should check their Collective Bargaining Agreement for additional information. You'll find the current Holiday Schedule under the Payroll page.
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- President's Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Election Day
- Veterans' Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
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Jury Duty
Leave with pay may be authorized for jury duty, if selected by a court, when the hours of duty conflict with your work schedule. An employee absent for jury duty is paid the difference between his or her regular City pay and the payment he or she receives for jury duty.
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Leave of Absence Without Pay
A department head may authorize up to 90 days without pay in a rotating year.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen may authorize special leaves of absence, with or without pay, for any period not to exceed one calendar year, so an employee may attend college, address urgent personal business requiring the employee's attention for an extended period and for other purposes deemed beneficial to City service.
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Personal Leave
Employees are entitled to two personal leave days per year, if 6 sick leave days or less are used in the previous full calendar year, exempt as otherwise provided in Collective Bargaining Agreements.
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Sick Leave
Employees are eligible for sick leave as defined by City Ordinances or Collective Bargaining Agreements. The sick leave accrual rate is fifteen days per year with a maximum rate established at 120 days for all employees, except as otherwise defined by Collective Bargaining Agreements.
An employee eligible for sick leave with pay may use sick leave, upon approval of his or her department or office head, in certain circumstances pursuant to City Ordinance or the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement. Such circumstances may include absence due to his or her illness or injury; the illness or injury of a spouse, child or other blood relative or ward residing in your household; or for exposure to a contagious disease.
Refer to the City FMLA Policy for additional information or Contact Human Resources.
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Sick Leave Bank
Sick Leave Bank is a voluntary program offered to all regular employees who have completed the probationary period. You must fill out the appropriate membership application and be accepted to be eligible for the benefit. Membership forms are available in the Human Resources Department or contact your collective bargaining agreement . Members donate one sick leave day per year to the bank. The purpose of the bank is to provide relief to employees who suffer short-term illness or injuries that are non-job related. Please check pertinent sick leave bank practices within your department.
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Vacation
Use of vacation leave must be approved by your supervisor and should be requested well in advance of the scheduled leave date. Vacation leave is not earned during a period of unpaid leave. Vacation leave credits are accrued on a monthly basis for affiliated employees pursuant to the applicable collective bargaining agreement or weekly basis for non-affiliated employees.
Vacation leave is available on a prorated basis, to regular, part-time employees who work more than twenty hours a week and are not seasonal or temporary according to work schedules and with the approval of their department head. No vacation shall accrue on hours in excess of 40 hours per week.
For more detailed information, please refer to your Collective Bargaining Contract or City Ordinances.
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Worker's Compensation
The City continues to pay employees when injured on the job. This pay is called Workmen's Compensation. When the claim is approved (by CCMSI, the City's contracted administrator), the injured employee receives 60% of their average wage earned (including OT and any extra pay) in the most favorable 26 to 52 week period (per state statute). The City then supplements the employee's pay (per ordinance and CBA's) to insure the employee makes at least 80% of their base pay (87% for state retirement employees while totally out injured). If the employee receives sick or vacation time prior to the claim's acceptance, they are required to reimburse the City for all duplicate payments (minus payroll taxes).
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Dental Insurance
Regular, full-time employees (working 40 hours per week) are eligible to receive dental insurance benefits. You must complete an application form to be eligible for coverage and if enrolling dependents, you must submit a copy of your marriage certificate and birth certificates for any children.
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Flexible Spending Plan
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a benefit governed by the IRS and sponsored by your employer. An FSA allows you to pay certain Health Care and/or Dependent Care expenses with pre-tax money. Money is diverted out of each of your paychecks on a pre-tax basis and put into a Health Care Reimbursement Account and/or a Dependent Care Assistance Account.
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Health Insurance
Employees (working 30 hours or more per week) are eligible to receive health insurance the first of the month following the date of hire. You must complete an application form to be eligible for coverage.
For example, if an employee is hired on January 3, 2024, their health insurance begins on February 1, 2024, provided the necessary enrollment forms and applicable documentation (such as marriage certificate or birth certificates of children) are submitted to Human Resources.
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Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive Program
The Health Insurance Opt-Out Incentive Program offers a cash incentive to eligible City of Manchester employees who waive their right to enroll in the City's health insurance plan.
Please check your Collective Bargaining Agreement for more information.
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Health Savings Account (HSA)
An employee must be enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan in order to have a Health Savings Account. A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-exempt savings account used for the express purpose of paying qualified medical expenses.
As long as funds are saved and spent for qualifying medical expenses, all contributions (including those made by the City) and withdrawals remain untaxed. Unlike the Flexible Spending Health Reimbursement account, the funds in an HSA are not subject to a "use it or lose it" policy. Anything you do not spend one year, carries over to the next year. Others may also contribute money to your HSA on your behalf. You can use money in your HSA to pay for your medical care including prescriptions, dental and vision expenses.
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Life Insurance
Employees (working 20 hours or more per week) receive basic life insurance coverage at no cost with an amount equal to 1 times your annual Earnings, rounded to the next higher $1,000, to a maximum of $50,000. Additional employee coverage may be purchased at group rates up to $150,000 with no proof of insurability provided it is requested within 30 days of being hired, and up to $300,000 upon approval with proof of insurability. Optional dependent coverage is also available at group rates. You must complete an application form to be eligible for this additional coverage.
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Long Term Disability Insurance
The City provides Core Long Term Disability for employees (working 30 hours or more per week). The Core Long Term Disability will cover you for 24 months (2 years) from the date of your disability. At your own cost, you can purchase Optional Long Term Disability which will cover you past the 24 month period covered by the City, up to your normal Social Security Retirement Age.
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Retirement
The Contributory Retirement System is a public pension fund covering eligible regular full-time employees, elected and appointed officials who work at least 32 hours per week. The Contributory Retirement System is a defined benefit plan qualified as tax exempt under Section 401(1) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are established by referendum. The current rate is 5% annually. Employees are vested in the plan after five years of service. The amount of the retirement benefit is based on the member's years of service, age, and higher average salary over a three year period within the last ten years of employment with the City.
For more information or to contact the Retirement office, please visit www.manchesterretirement.org.
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Vision Reimbursement Program
Employees (working 30 hours or more per week) who are on the Anthem Blue Cross BlueShield insurance plans are eligible to receive vision reimbursement. Reimbursement amounts vary depending on which health insurance plan you are on.
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Bright Ideas Program
The purpose of the Bright Ideas Program is to improve the quality of city services by recognizing active employees who propose suggestions that directly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of city operations and/or propose suggestions that significantly reduce safety risks in the workplace.
An award may be granted when one or more employees submit(s) in writing a proposal that directly contributes to improved economy, efficiency, effectiveness or safety of city operations.
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Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a voluntary, confidential program designed to help employees, and their families, deal with personal issues or problems that may affect their general well being and /or their job performance.
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Family Medical Leave Act
Employees who work 1,250 hours in the previous twelve (12) month period are entitled to Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for the birth or adoption of a child or if they have a serious health condition (as defined by the Act), or if they need time to care for a family member with a serious health condition. In addition, leave to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness as well as leave due to a qualifying exigency are also available.
Employees who wish to take FMLA must apply to the Human Resources Department. Employees who are granted FMLA leave must first use all paid leave before going on unpaid status for the remaining time period.
When the need for FMLA leave is planned, you must give thirty (30) days notice prior to the expected leave date. When leave is unforeseeable, you must give notice as soon as practical.
Refer to the City FMLA Policy for more information or Contact Human Resources.
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Tuition Reimbursement
This benefit is available to all regular, full-time and part-time (on a pro-rata basis) employees, on a first-come, first-served basis. All employees who have completed six (6) months of continuous employment are eligible. Employees may apply for reimbursement on a fiscal year basis. Employees will receive reimbursement of up to 75% of the cost of tuition and eligible related expenses, with an annual maximum cap per employee (reimbursement amounts are dependent upon applicable union provisions). Employees requesting tuition reimbursement must complete and submit their request to their department head for approval prior to the start date of the educational course, training or program.
For information on current rates, refer to your Collective Bargaining Agreement or Contact Human Resources.
Public Student Loan Forgiveness
The City is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, which means you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after ten years of service.
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