CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE

HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

 

TO:                 Honorable Mayor and Commissioners

 

FROM:           Richard D. Sala, City Manager

 

BY:                  Ernest King, Human Resources Director

                        Jennifer Yarmitzky, Human Resources Manager

 

DATE:            September 13, 2007

 

RE:                 Employee Group Insurance Renewal - Fiscal Year 2007/08

 

Currently, the City has independent agreements with five vendors for our employee group insurance. These vendors and associated benefits are listed below:

 

Vendors

Benefit

Florida League of Cities/ United Healthcare

Health and Vision

Comp Benefits

Dental

Reliance

Life Insurance

Reliance

Long-Term Disability Management

Jefferson Pilot

Long-Term Disability Non-Management

 

Health/Vision

The City’s contract for group Health and Vision insurance expires on September 30, 2007. Florida League of Cities (FLC), utilizing United Healthcare network, currently provides group health insurance coverage to City employees. It also provides vision insurance through Vision-Care. 

 

Based on FLC’s proposal for this year, the amount estimated and allocated in FY 07/08 budget ($1,376,852) is actually $23, 988 less than the amount budgeted in 06/07 which was $1,400,640.

 

According to our year end projections, the actual City cost for FY 06/07 is approximately $1,206,192. ($194,448 under budget)  This decrease is associated with the proactive budgetary constraint measures implemented by the City Administration in anticipation of the impact of the Property Tax Reform legislature. In addition, this decrease is associated with staff reductions due to outsourcing of various services.

 

The budgeted amount for FY 07/08 ($1,376,852) is inclusive of a 13.90% increase in the rate. FLC initially proposed a rate increase of 24.00%. However, due to staff’s diligent negotiations, we were able to reduce the rate to 13.90% for the City’s current group Health Insurance Plan and no increase for Vision Insurance Plan as illustrated in the following table.

 

 

 

Group Health Monthly Rates

Current 06/07
Proposed 07/08

Employee (only)

376.66

429.02

Employee + Spouse

818.24

931.97

Employee + Children

713.10

812.23

Family

1,154.67

1,315.18

 

 

Vision Monthly Rate
Current 06/07
Proposed 07/08

Employee (only)

5.74

5.74

Employee +1

14.17

14.17

Family

28.34

28.34

             

The health insurance rate increases for FY 05/06 and FY 06/07 were 4% and 10% respectively.

 

Dental

The City’s contract with American Dental/Comp Benefits for dental insurance expires on September 30, 2007. Comp Benefits has proposed to renew our current Dental Plan (CS 250) with no increase from 2006/07 rates as indicated in the following table:

 

Dental Monthly Rates
Current 06/07
Proposed 07/08

Employee Only

11.14

11.14

Employee + 1

21.16

21.16

Employee + Family

28.30

28.30

 

Life Insurance

On September 30, 2007 the Group Life insurance policy with Reliance Standard Life Insurance expires.  According to the City’s Broker for Group Life insurance, Dan Rachman, Reliance Standard Life Insurance will renew our Group Life insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) with no rate increase. The current rates are $0.30/$1000 for Life and $0.06/$1000 for Accidental Death and Dismemberment.

 

The Group Life Policy currently provides basic life and accidental death and dismemberment coverage for each active, full-time employee after one month of employment with the City, according to the following classifications:

 

Class

Employee Group

Death Benefit

Class 1

Department Heads and Commissioners

$100,000

Class 2

Fire Employees

  $25,000

Class 3

General Employees

  $50,000

Class 4

Federation of Public Employees members

  $50,000

Class 5

Retirees 

  $10,000

        Retiree’s Life insurance automatically defaults to $10,000. Retiree’s pay 100% of premium for Life

        Insurance.  The City pays the full cost of Group Life insurance and AD&D insurance for active employees.

 

 

LTD Management

On September 30, 2007 the Long-term Disability (LTD) Policy for management personnel provided by Reliance Standard Life Insurance expires.  According to the City’s Broker for management personnel Long-term Disability insurance, Dan Rachman, Reliance Standard Life Insurance will renew our policy with no rate increase.

 

This policy covers each active, full-time employee who is exempt from overtime and compensatory time in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, except for temporary employees.

 

The following table illustrates the management Long-term Disability policy benefits:

 

Age at Disablement

Duration of Benefits

Under 60

Up to age 65

From 60-69

5 years or up to age 70, whichever is less

69 or older

12 Months

   The City pays the full cost of this policy at a rate of $0.76/$100 of covered payroll.

 

LTD Non-Management

On September 30, 2007 the Long-term Disability (LTD) Policy for non-management personnel, provided by Jefferson-Pilot Financial, expires.  Jefferson Pilot has proposed to renew the City’s policy with no rate increase.

 

Age at Disablement

Duration of Benefits

Under 60

Up to age 65

From 60- 69

5 years or up to age 70, whichever is less

69 or older

12 Months

                 The City pays the full cost of this policy at a rate of $0.83/$100 of covered payroll. 

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The City Administration recommends Commission’s consideration and approval of the attached Resolution authorizing the City Manager to renew the City’s Group Insurance contracts for fiscal year 2007/2008 with:

 

  • Florida League of Cities for Group Health and Vision insurance,
  • Comp Benefits for Group Dental insurance,
  • Reliance Standard Life for Group Life insurance,
  • Reliance Standard Life Insurance for management Long-term Disability, and
  • Jefferson Pilot Financial for non-management Long-term Disability.

 


RESOLUTION NO.                                     

 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO RENEWAL CONTRACTS BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE AND THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES, COMP BENEFITS, RELIANCE STANDARD AND JEFFERSON PILOT FINANCIAL FOR EMPLOYEE GROUP INSURANCE AS OUTLINED IN SECTION 1 OF THIS RESOLUTION   FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007/2008; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

 

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA:

 

Section 1:         That the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale, Florida, does hereby authorize and direct the City Manager, on behalf of the City, to execute agreements by and between the City of North Lauderdale and Florida League of Cities, Comp Benefits, Reliance Standard and Jefferson Pilot Financial as follows for fiscal year 2007/2008 effective October 1, 2007:

 

Florida League of Cities for Group Health and Vision Insurance

Comp Benefits for Group Dental Insurance

Reliance Standard Life for Group Life Insurance

Reliance Standard Life for Management Long-Term Disability

Jefferson Pilot Financial for Non-Management Long-Term Disability

 

Section 2:         That this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.

 

PASSED and ADOPTED by the City Commission of the City of North Lauderdale this 13th day of September, 2007.

 

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

 

                                                                       

CITY ATTORNEY SAMUEL S. GOREN

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                        MAYOR JACK BRADY

 

ATTEST:                                                        

                                                                                                                                               

                                                            VICE MAYOR RICH MOYLE

_____________________________________

DEPUTY CLERK PATRICIA VANCHERI