Benefits

Health and Wellbeing

To attract and retain qualified staff and promote a healthy, productive workforce, the city provides a comprehensive, affordable employee benefit program, including health insurance and retirement plans.

 

Health and Wellness

Employees can choose between the city's self-insured health plan, administered by Healthcare Management Administrators (HMA) using the Regence network; or the Kaiser Permanente health plan. Both plans offer low premiums and out-of-pocket copays for medical, prescription, vision, and dental coverage for all regular employees and their eligible dependents.    

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance

2025 Benefit Guide for active city employees(PDF, 2MB)

HMA

Kaiser

VEBA

  • Union members of AFSCME and the Police Guild for Commissioned and Non-Commissioned employees, have a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA VEBA) benefit per the labor agreement applicable to each group. An HRA-VEBA is a tax-free account for the employee, and their eligible dependents, out-of-pocket medical expenses. The HRA-VEBA account can be used while actively employed or saved up until separation from service or retirement.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Wellness
  • Wellness program:  The City of Renton Employee Wellness (CREW) program has resources available to establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle: Exercise equipment is available at various city facilities, and employees receive a 50% discount on wellness classes at the Renton Community Center, free flu shots at the Annual Wellness Fair, and other activities throughout the year to promote and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • Employee Assistance Program(PDF, 3MB): A confidential counseling assessment and referral service is available without cost to regular employees and family members for help with personal, family or job related problems.  
Life and Long Term Disability Insurance
  • The City provides life insurance equal to the employee's annual salary, capped at $50,000 for AFSCME and non-represented employees, and capped at $125,000 for Police Guild members.  Employees may purchase additional life insurance for themselves and their eligible dependents at group rates.
  • Long Term Disability: The City provides employees other than Law Enforcement Officers with long term disability insurance that replaces 60% of their salary, if they become unable to work. Police Officers are covered by a similar policy.

 

Retirement and Investments

Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS)
  • All eligible employees participate in one of the pension plans administered by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). Both the employee and employer contribute to the plan. Eligibility is based on job type, defined by DRS.  Please check the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems website for details on qualifications for PERS 1, PERS 2, PERS 3, LEOFF 1, LEOFF 2, and PSERS. 
Deferred Compensation Program - 457 Plan
  • To help provide for a financially secure retirement, the city contributes a percentage of regular employees' base wages into the deferred compensation plan. The percentage of City contributions varies by job type, based on applicable bargaining unit agreements. The city's current salary table lists the contribution percentage for each group (non-represented, AFSCME Local 2170, Police Commissioned and Police Non-Commissioned); the salary table is posted on the Career Center webpage. 
  • Employees may also choose to contribute to the plan, by setting aside some of their earnings for retirement, either on a tax-deferred basis or after-tax as Roth contributions.
  • The City uses TIAA to administer the plan and offers a broad range of investment options.

Other Benefits

  • Holidays:(PDF, 179KB) The city provides 11 paid holidays and two personal holidays per year, unless otherwise specified in the applicable labor contract. 
  • Vacation:  The city provides paid vacation leave based on length of service. See the applicable labor agreement for exceptions, and for the length of service required before leave is available for use.  Employees with up to five years' service accrue 8 hours per month, 96 hours per year; employees with 6 to 10 years' service accrue 12 hours per month, 144 hours per year; employees with 11 through 15 years accrue 14 hours per month, 168 hours per year; employees with 16 through 20 years accrue 16 hours per month, 192 hours per year; employees over 21 years of service accrue 18 hours per month, 216 hours per year. 
  • Longevity pay: The city provides regular employees longevity incentive pay at the completion of five, 10, 15, and 20 years of continuous service; this is established by the city council, unless otherwise specified in the applicable labor agreement. 
  • Sick leave: Upon employment a sick leave bank of 24 hours is provided, with an additional 24 hours awarded after three months of service. At completion of six full months of employment, the employee shall accrue sick leave at the rate of eight hours per month (four hours per pay period). See applicable labor agreements for exceptions and permitted reasons for use of sick leave.
  • Commuting options:  See Public Works Transportation webpage
  • Parking: Onsite covered garage parking is provided for employees working at city hall. Onsite open parking is provided for employees working at the maintenance, parks and facilities shops and other city locations. 
  • Paydays: The city pays employees on the 10th and the 25th of each month (24 pay periods each year). Paychecks are deposited directly to the employee's checking or savings account.

 

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