Weirton looks at employee benefit options
WEIRTON — The City of Weirton is looking at options for employee benefits, with the city’s Finance Committee recommending packages for health, dental and life insurance during its meeting Wednesday.
City Manager Travis Blosser explained there will be changes to the city’s health insurance program offered to eligible employees in an effort to cut down on costs.
“Premiums are increasing 15 percent,” Blosser said.
Eligible employees will be provided with two plan options for their health insurance; one an 80/20 plan and one for which the city covers the full premium cost.
In addition, the city will be eliminating the health reimbursement account options from its insurance program, and adding health savings accounts.
“Essentially, these health savings accounts are a bank account for each employee,” Blosser said, explaining the city will provide $200 for each employee to set up the account, but it will then be up to the employee to contribute to their individual fund. “Once the money is in the account, it’s theirs.”
Blosser said the move will put an emphasis on personal responsibility with healthcare.
The cost of life insurance for eligible employees will stay the same, Blosser noted, with an average cost of $38 per year for a policy through American United Life Insurance.
Dental plans will see a decrease in cost by 22 percent, according to Blosser, with employees paying 100 percent of the premium.
The city manager said officials will be looking closely at benefits, as well as employee pay rates, in the future, noting several union contracts will be up for negotiation in the coming year. He noted health costs are constantly increasing, and he would like to shift the focus to improving pay.
“We’ve always been heavy in benefit, but very low in compensation,” Blosser said.
On Wednesday, the Finance Committee also recommended the purchase of a 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 4×2 crew cab for the city’s Street Department, at a cost of $32,594.
The items will be presented to the full Weirton Council for consideration on Monday.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com, and followed via Twitter @CHowellWDT)
COMMENTS