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Employee Benefits InformationThe Town of Brunswick provides a variety of benefits to regular full-time employees and part-time employees who work more than twenty (20) hours per week on a year-round basis. Those benefits that are selected by the employee and paid for by the employee are subject to weekly payroll deductions based upon each benefit and service selected. The Human Resources Department staff are available to provide specific assistance regarding benefit questions and enrollment. Please click on any link below to bring you to the benefit selected.
Employees and their eligible dependents may participate in the Town of Brunswick's health insurance plan. The Town of Brunswick pays 85% of the cost of the insurance and the employee pays a 15% pre-tax contribution, which is deducted from their weekly paycheck. Employees have 60 days from their date of hire or qualifying event to enroll. Coverage begins on the first day of the month after enrollment. Open enrollment (a yearly opportunity to join without a qualifying event) is held during November of each year with an effective date of coverage of January 1st. Brunswick offers two alternative health insurance plans through Maine Municipal Health Trust. The Heath Trust has entered into an agreement with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield as the insurance carrier. The Point of Service Plan requires that each covered member select a Primary Care Physician (PCP). Subject to certain rules, benefits are paid at a higher level of coverage and many services are covered at 100% or 100% after a $10 co-pay to encourage wellness and preventative medicine. The Indemnity Plan does not require that a physician be selected. Benefits are generally paid at a certain percentage, usually 80%. Most benefits under this Plan are subject to a calendar year deductible. This means that each year a participant must pay the amount of the deductible out of their own pocket before the Plan will pay benefits. Visit Anthem to change a Primary Care Physician (PCP), search the online directory for network physicians, check the status of a claim, and much more. Maine Municipal Employees Health Trust Phone: 1-800-852-8300 There are two opportunities to obtain life insurance as a Town of Brunswick employee: For employees who participate in the Maine Municipal Health Trust Health Insurance program, life insurance is automatically provided free of charge for the employee. The life insurance coverage equals one times the annual salary of the employee. Should an employee elect not to participate in the health insurance program, life insurance is not provided. This benefit is provided at no cost to the employee to employees enrolled in the medical plan. Employees may purchase life insurance through Maine State Retirement System Group Life Insurance Program. Life insurance may be purchased at four different levels for the employee: Basic (one times the salary), Supplemental (doubles the salary), Two (triples the salary), and Three (which quadruples the salary). Dependent Care is also available for a spouse and children. Any life insurance elected from Maine State Retirement System Group Life Insurance Program is fully paid by the employee through weekly payroll deductions. Maine State Retirement System Phone: 207-512-3100 The Town of Brunswick offers a Short Term Disability Income Protection Plan through the Maine Municipal Employee Health Trust. All permanent employees working 20 hours a week or more are eligible to participate. Employees pay 100% of the premium to enroll on a pre-tax basis. An employee has 60 days from the date of hire to enroll without providing "Evidence of Insurability" (proof of good health). "Evidence of Insurability" is required for any employee wishing to enroll at a later date. Coverage begins on the first day of the next month after enrollment. An employee may elect to receive this benefit at 40%, 55% or 70% of their gross salary. In the event of an accident or illness (not work related), the employee will then receive a weekly income (salary replacement) at the level selected. Benefits for accident related causes begin on the first day of disability. Benefits for illness related causes being on the eight consecutive day. The maximum period for which benefits are paid is 52 weeks. Maine Municipal Employee Health Trust Toll Free: 1-800-852-8300 Dental insurance is offered to all Town employees and their eligible dependents through Ameritas Group. Dental insurance is paid 100% by the employee on a pre-tax basis and deducted from weekly payroll. Employees may enroll at any time for dental insurance, however, when an employee enrolls at the time of hire, a 12-month elimination period of Orthodontia procedures and on other major benefits is waived. Therefore, the level of coverage will depend upon the enrollment date. Should an employee enroll at the time of hire, the covered benefits include 100% for certain procedures, 50% for root canals and other procedures, 50% for Orthodontia Procedures with a $1000 lifetime-per-person limit. Plan information is available from the Human Resources Department. Ameritas Group Toll Free: 1-800-201-8562 In addition to the dental plan offered by Ameritas Group for all Town employees, those employees in the Police and Communications Departments only may purchase dental insurance through Maine Municipal Employee Health Trust. This dental insurance is also 100% employee paid on a pre-tax basis. Maine Municipal Employee Health Trust Toll Free: 1-800-852-8300 The Town of Brunswick offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for all employees and their families free of charge. The EAP is administered by MidCoast Health Services and provides free, confidential, professional mental health services to employees and their families. No personal information about an employee or family member is released to the Town. Typical counseling topics include alcohol problems, emotional problems, marriage and family problems and financial problems. Employees and family members may call the confidential line at 207-373-6950 or 207-443-4721. A 24-Hour Emergency Number is 373-6911. Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and/or Dependent Care: The Town offers both a Medical Reimbursement Account and a Dependent Care Reimbursement Account. An employee may defer up to $5,000 pre-tax for Dependent Care. Eligible reimbursement activities include pre-school, day camps, daycare, after school care, etc. An employee may defer up to $2,000 pre-tax for Medical Care. Eligible expenses include nursing home fees, medical expenses, wheelchair costs, etc. These programs offer employees the opportunity to save taxes on known or anticipated expenses. It is better to contribute too little money than too much because by law, any funds left in an account will be forfeited at the end of the plan year and is not reimbursed to the employee. The employee's account covers the employee, spouse, and other IRS dependents. Group Dynamic, Inc. Phone: 207-781-8800 Social Security: The Town of Brunswick participates in the Social Security System for all employees except Fire Department employees. This is a mandatory 6.5% employee contribution. Maine State Retirement System: Members of the Brunswick Fire Department are required to participate in the Maine State Retirement System. All other Town of Brunswick employees have the option and opportunity to join, but are not required to. The Maine Sate Retirement System offers a defined retirement benefit plan which includes Disability Benefits if an eligible employee becomes disabled prior to retirement and Survivor Benefits which are paid to a designated beneficiary should the employee die before retirement. Maine State Retirement System participants contribute 6.5% pre-tax toward the Plan. The Town of Brunswick makes contributions on each employee's behalf as determined by an annual actuarial basis. Employees must elect or decline participation in Maine State Retirement System within 7 days of hire. An employee may join each year on their annual hiring anniversary date. A five-year vesting period is required to receive benefits. Should an employee leave service, the employee is reimbursed funds contributed plus interest. Maine State Retirement System Phone: 207-512-3100 ICMA RC 457 Plan and/or ING/AETNA 457 Plan: The Town of Brunswick offers two deferred compensation plans. Deferred compensation plans enable an employee to save and invest funds for retirement with taxes deferred until the assets are withdrawn. All earnings accumulate tax-deferred. Both deferred compensation plans can be initiated, increased, decreased, stopped or restarted as often as an employee may wish without fees or penalties. Should an employee leave the Town of Brunswick, both plans are portable and can be transferred, consolidated or remain in place. The Town of Brunswick encourages retirement saving by employees. When an employee participates in a 457 Plan instead of the Maine State Retirement System, the Town will contribute two times the employee contribution to a maximum of 6%. If an employee chooses to participate in both the Maine State Retirement Plan and a 457 Plan, the Town will not contribute to the 457 Plan. ICMA Retirement Corporation ING Financial Advisors, LLC The Town of Brunswick will fund educational assistance provided by an accredited institution for full-time employees. Employees must have successfully completed their probationary period and received prior approval of courses. An employee may be reimbursed for no more than eight (8) credit hours in any one semester and $5,250 in any one year. The maximum reimbursement per credit hour will be the cost per credit hour charged by the University of Southern Maine. The Town will reimburse 100% of eligible expenses for a grade of "A", 75% for a grade of "B", and 50% for a grade of "C". Please refer to the Town of Brunswick Educational Assistance Plan for specific details. The 2007 Holiday Schedule for the Town of Brunswick is as follows:
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This page is maintained by
the Town of Brunswick - Department of Human Resources
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