Benefits - Current Employees

Medical Insurance

Benefit PackageA choice from three options is provided through the Association of Washington Cities. Kaiser Permanente $200 deductible, Regence HDHP (with a City-funded HSA), and Regence HealthFirst 250. The City pays 100% of the premium for a full-time, regular employee and 90% of the premium for spouse and dependent children.

Benefit Enrollment (through NEOGOV)

2026 Plan Information 

Effective January 1, 2026 - Plan Enhancements 

  • Regence/Kaiser all plans
    • Hearing Instrument (hearing aid) coverage: hearing instruments are currently covered at $3,000 per ear, every 36 months. Coverage as of 1/1/26 removes the dollar maximum, allowing coverage for one (1) hearing instrument per ear, every 36 months. 
    • Infertility treatment: surgical and nonsurgical treatment is currently covered and limited to $20,000/lifetime. Artificial insemination is not subject to this limit as of 1/1/26.
  • FSA plans: Annual contribution limit increased from $3,300 to $3,400, carryover limit increased from $660 to $680, dependent care increased from $5,000 to $7,500 for single filers and married couples filing jointly and from $2,500 to $3,750 for married individuals filing separately. Debit cards are good for three (3) years from the time of issue. 
  • HDHP/HSA-eligible plans: deductible changing from $1,650 individual/$3,300 family to $1,700 individual/$3,400 family due to federally required indexing.
  • No premium changes:
    • ComPsych EAP
    • HSA Bank
    • Navia Benefit Solutions
    • Standard Life and AD&D
    • Standard Long-Term Disability
    • Vision Service Plan
  • Premium Increases: We continue to see higher than normal health care utilization and an uptick in the cost and complexity of medical services. Medical and pharmacy trends continue to rise. Provider costs are increasing due to inflation and labor shortages. Members are using more services than in prior years. Along with broader economic factors, contributes to the need for higher rates.
    • Regence: 8.7% increase
    • Kaiser Permanente: 11.6% increase
    • Delta Dental: 4.3% increase

Vision Insurance

Vision Service Plan -The City provides a paid family vision plan which covers a yearly exam per person and a portion of vision hardware (frames, lenses, and contacts) depending upon the use of accepted network providers. The City pays 100% of the premium for a full-time, regular employees and 100% of the premium for spouse and dependent children.

VSP Plan Summary with 2nd Pair (PDF) (2nd pair added benefit effective 1/1/2025)

Dental Insurance

Washington Dental Service/DELTA is preventive, incentive-based dental coverage provided through the Association of Washington Cities, and pays as follows: 70-100% preventive, 70-100% basic, and 50% major dental to a maximum of $2000/person/year. Included is an orthodontic rider for children of 50% orthodontic expenses to a maximum of $1000 per child/lifetime. The City pays 100% of the premium for a full-time, regular employee and 90% of the premium for spouse and dependent children.

Basic Life Insurance and Long Term Disability (LTD)

The City pays for a $50,000 basic group life insurance policy as well as a long-term disability policy for employees and a $10,000 life insurance policy for dependents through Standard Insurance Company.

See below for additional life insurance information.

Washington State Department of Retirement Systems

PERS (Public Employee Retirement System) plans II or III is required for all general City employees. LEOFF (Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters) plan is for safety service employees and PSERS is for Public Safety Service Officers (Jailers). Employee contribution rates (% of gross income) vary for the plans. The City makes a contribution as well. This is a required program, please review the website for information regarding these plans.

  • PERS Plan Choice Booklet or Choose Your Plan Video
  • Beneficiary Designation changes can be made in your DRS account

Planning for Retirement?

Other benefit options include the following:

Deferred Compensation Plans (DCP)


Save more with DCP!

In addition to our city-offered retirement plan we offer two deferred compensation plans that employees can sign up for at anytime, this is a self-paid option to help you save more for retirement.

The below benefits are available to new employees, current employees can sign up for these during open enrollment, November to December of each year.

Voluntary Group Life Insurance

In addition to our life insurance policy, this is a self-paid option. New employees have 31 days to sign up without having to provide evidence of insurability. A current employee can apply online to add or increase their benefit at any time throughout the year (not only subject to open enrollment). However, the guaranteed issue period is only available within 31 days of initial eligibility as a new employee.

Voluntary Life Summary and Rates (PDF)

  • Employee additional life maximum $500K.
  • Spouse/domestic partner additional life maximum cap is 100% of the employee election (an amount equal to the amount purchased for employee coverage).

Additional Life Employee Rate Table (PDF)
Additional Life Spouse/Domestic Partner Rate Table (PDF)

To apply online to add or increase your benefit ay any time throughout the year or outside of their new employee eligibility window for amounts above the guaranteed issue amount, refer to the medical history statement. 

Colonial Life & Disability

This is a self-paid individual and/or family coverage for Cancer Care, Short Term Disability, Life, Accident, Critical Illness, and more. Contact the plan administrator on the flyer for more information and to enroll.

Colonial Supplemental Insurance Flyer (PDF)

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Pre-Tax deductions (IRS 125 Flexible Spending Account) for unreimbursed medical expenses and/or dependent daycare

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Must be on the Regence High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). Partially funded by the City, $3,500 per individual and $7,000 per family per year (2025 contribution limit per individual is $4,300 and $8,550 per family). Employees may opt-in to voluntarily contribute the difference from the City's contribution to the IRS contribution limit. If an employee is age 55 or older, an additional $1,000 "catch-up" contribution is allowed to the HSA. For 2026, the HSA contribution limit is $4,400 per individual and $8,750 per family and there are increases to the minimum deductible and maximum out-of-pocket. *Note, if both spouses have separate HSAs but family HDHP coverage, they must split the family contribution limit. However, both can make the $1,000 catch-up contribution if eligible.*

HSA Employee Guide (PDF)

Long-Term Care Plan or WA Cares Fund

The Washington State Legislature established a long-term care insurance benefit for all eligible workers to address the future long-term care crisis.

Wellness Program

The City of Oak Harbor is committed to promoting employee health and wellness and offers a Wellness Program with fun and varied activities where regular employees can earn points to qualify for a Wellness Day off.

Employee Assistance Program

View the employee assistance program page.

Free, professional and confidential counseling is available through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) via ComPsych. EAP is available to the employee and their immediate family, including their dependent children and anyone living in their household. Guidance counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to arrange an appointment with a qualified counselor in your area. Visit the EAP page for more information.

Vacation and Sick Leave Accrual

Full-time employees receive vacation accrual on the following schedule. Sick leave accrual is 8 hours per month. The vacation accrual rate for a part-time employee shall be pro-rated as a percentage of the full-time rate.

Years of ServiceVacation Accrual RateTotal Per YearMaximum Accrual
0 to 5 years
(1st Month Through Month 60)		8 hours/month96 Hours192 Hours
6 to 10 years
(Month 61 Through Month 120)		10 hours/month120 Hours240 Hours
11 to 15 years
(Month 121 Through Month 180)		13.33 hours/month159.96 Hours319.92 Hours
16 to 20 years
(Month 181 Through Month 240)		15 hours/month180 Hours360 Hours
21+ years
(Month 241 and Beyond)		16.66 hours/month199.92 Hours399.84 Hours


Holiday Pay

The City provides eleven paid holidays per year plus two floating holiday of your choice (total of thirteen days).

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program

City of Oak Harbor employees may benefit from this federal program that could forgive federal student loans. Refer to the PSLF Help Tool for more information or refer to the PSLF Annual Notice for more information.

AWC Forms

  • Address Change Form - if you have a change of address, please fill out this form in NEOGOV and get back to HR as soon as possible.
  • Benefits Enrollment Form - Has there been a change that affects your insurance? Please fill out this form and submit to HR.

Questions about your benefits?
Please email Rachel Steckel HR Generalist or call 360-279-4537.