205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM
Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
This is a brief outline of the benefit programs available to Kittitas County employees. Please contact the Human Resources Office for more detailed information.
Employees working in positions categorized as "full-time" or "part-time" are normally eligible for all benefit programs. Part-time positions are those regularly working at least 20 hours per week. Other categories of positions are normally excluded from benefits, with the exception of paid sick leave, which is available to most compensated employees. All full-time and part-time employees who work at least twenty (20) hours a week on a regular schedule are entitled to insurance and leave benefits, pro-rated to the scheduled hours of work.
Eligible employees and their family members have access to the following healthcare benefits. Base benefits are paid 100% by the County to full-time employees regardless of the number of family members enrolled, and pro-rated to part-time employees. Employees who enroll in the UHC 1500 medical plan and/or the Willamette Dental plan buy-up options will be responsible for paying a small portion of the premium via payroll deduction.
Note: Members of Teamsters Local 760 (Line) obtain their medical, dental, vision, and life benefits through the Washington Teamsters Welfare Trust (WTWT). Members of Teamsters Local 760 (Corrections Uniformed), Local 760 (Corrections Non-Uniformed), and Local 760 (Probation) receive their medical benefits through United Employees Benefit Trust (UEBT). They receive their dental, vision, and life benefits through the plan options listed below.
The County offers access to a $12,000 basic life/accidental death and dismemberment insurance plan through Mutual of Omaha as part of the core benefits program.
The medical plans offered through United Health Care include a base Long Term Disability (LTD) Plan at no extra cost to the employee. Employees may choose a Buy-Up LTD plan to increase their disability earnings and reduce the waiting period. Premiums are paid through payroll deduction.
Supplemental products are available for eligible employees who choose to purchase them through AFLAC, Allstate, Colonial, and Mutual of Omaha. These products include:
All benefit-eligible County employees have access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP provides confidential access to professional counseling services for help in confronting personal problems such as substance abuse, marital and family difficulties, financial or legal troubles, and emotional distress. The EAP is also available to employees’ eligible dependents. These services are not provided directly by Kittitas County, but are contracted with an outside agency specializing in counseling and referral.
There is no cost to covered employees or eligible dependents to consult with an EAP counselor. If further counseling is necessary, the EAP counselor will outline community and private services available. The counselor will also let employees know whether any costs associated with private services beyond EAP may be covered by their health insurance plan. Costs that are not covered are the responsibility of the employee.
Eligible county employees have access to a variety of leave programs. The amount of leave an employee may accrue and bank will vary between employee groups and collective bargaining agreements. Types of leave include, but are not limited to:
Most benefited County employees are eligible to participate in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), Public Safety Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), or the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters Retirement System (LEOFF). Plans are administered by the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). Both PERS and LEOFF offer multiple plan programs. Which plan and program an employee participates in will depend upon the type or work they perform and the date that they entered public service.
Participation in a DRS program is mandatory for all eligible employees. Both the employee and the County contribute to the plan at a rate set the by State legislature.
For more information regarding DRS you may visit their website at http://www.drs.wa.gov/.
Employees who want to save additional dollars for retirement may do so by voluntarily participating in a choice of Deferred Compensation Plans (457 Plans) sponsored by the County. A 457 plan allows employees to defer funds through payroll deduction, up to a maximum amount set each year by the Internal Revenue Service. Taxes on the deferred amount are not payable until the employee actually receives the income.
Employees may choose from the DCP vendors listed below:
