Employment Benefits

Employer Paid Insurance

GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE
All employees can join the statewide Preferred Provider Organization Plan, or, depending upon county of residence or official headquarters, employees may have the option of joining a Health Maintenance Organization. Group health insurance is available at no cost to full-time employees for individual or family coverage.

GROUP DENTAL INSURANCE
All employees can join this dental insurance plan which provides coverage for you and your family at no cost to full-time employees.

GROUP LIFE INSURANCE
All employees are eligible for this life insurance which is provided in an amount equal to 200% of your annual salary, increasing as your salary increases. This is also provided at no cost to full-time employees.

GROUP LONG-TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE
All full-time employees are eligible for cost-free group long-term disability insurance coverage.

Other Paid Benefits

PAID LEAVE AND HOLIDAYS

Annual Leave: Employees earn annual leave for vacation purposes at the rate of 16.5 workdays per annum for the first five years, 19.5 workdays per annum for 5 to 10 years of service, and 22.5 workdays per annum after 10 years. Unused annual leave balances not to exceed 60 workdays may be carried forward to succeeding years. Unused annual leave in excess of 60 workdays is transferred to the employee's sick leave balance at the end of each calendar year.

Sick Leave: Employees earn 13.5 workdays of sick leave each year that may be used for illness of the employee or immediate family members. There is no limit to the number of sick leave days an employee may accumulate.

Administrative Leave: Employees may be granted leave with pay (not charged against the employee's accumulated leave balance) for such purposes as:

• Court attendance for jury duty;
• Taking CPA, CIA, CISA, or other authorized professional examinations;
• Participation in local school activities (including child care centers, pre-school, and kindergarten through high school) and community service programs for up to 52 hours per calendar year;
• Death in the immediate family for up to 2 workdays; and
• Military reserve training for up to 17 workdays per calendar year.

Holidays: Nine holidays are recognized and offices are closed. In addition, each employee has one day each calendar year designated as a personal holiday.

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING

State Government Audits Division and Educational Entities and Local Government Audits Division: Training provided the professional audit staff includes a minimum of 80 hours of specialized instruction every two years, meeting the continuing education and training requirements of Government Auditing Standards and the State Board of Accountancy requirements for CPAs.

Information Technology Audits and Audit Support Division: Training provided the professional staff includes 40 hours annually in areas related to IT systems and auditing; workshops and seminars are developed and taught to meet specific staff needs. Staff members with CISA and CPA certifications receive appropriate specialized instruction meeting the continuing education and training requirements for their respective certifications.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Employees are covered by Workers' Compensation Insurance. This provides for medical care expenses as well as compensation for disability resulting from a job-related injury.

PAID RETIREMENT

New employees can choose to become members of the Florida Retirement System in a defined benefit plan or a defined contribution plan. The State pays the full cost of the retirement contribution for either plan and matches the required social security deductions. The only cost to the employee is the Federally required social security deduction. In the defined benefit plan, the employee is vested after completing 6 years of creditable service. The retirement benefit is based on a formula, and normal (full) retirement benefits may be received after completing 30 years of creditable service or upon reaching age 62 and completing 6 or more years of creditable service. In the defined contribution plan, the employee is vested after 1 year of creditable service, and the retirement benefit is based on the employee's account value.

Optional Benefits

DEFERRED COMPENSATION
Employees may elect to set aside salary moneys by payroll deduction and receive its value later when they may be in a lower tax bracket. Amounts deferred are before taxes and any investment earnings on these deferred amounts are allowed to accumulate without being subject to current federal income tax. You may set aside the lesser of 80% of your compensation or $16,500 per year. Investment options include fixed annuities, variable annuities, savings accounts, CDs, and mutual funds.

FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS
Employees may maximize their take home pay by establishing an account for reimbursement of medical and/or dependent care expenses using pretax dollars.

OTHER PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS
Employees may elect to have payroll deductions such as savings bonds, additional life insurance, or deposits to credit unions, and, on a pretax basis, supplemental insurance plans such as cancer/intensive care, accident and disability, vision, and supplemental hospitalization coverage.

TUITION WAIVERS FOR UNIVERSITY/COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSES
Full-time employees may apply, on a space available basis, at a state university or community college for up to six credit hours per term for which tuition and fees will be waived.

Direct Deposit

Salary payments are electronically transferred into an account at a bank, savings and loan association, or credit union, on the payment date ensuring against lost or stolen checks.