Employee Benefits

Being a Golden employee is more than just a job, it’s a lifestyle. Our wide array of benefits enhance the work and wellness experience our employees enjoy today and into the future.

Regular full-time employees of the City of Golden receive the current comprehensive benefits package listed below. These benefits are in addition to mandated benefits such as: worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance, and social security. Some benefits are provided at no cost to the employee while others require employee cost sharing or contributions. Employees are eligible to enroll in most benefits upon hire.

Medical Coverage

The employees and the City of Golden are “owners” of their medical plan. As a self funded program, we can continue to offer quality care and options to our employees including an annual preventative benefit. The City offers a Preferred Provider Plan (PPO) utilizing the Great West/CIGNA network. The majority of premium costs are covered by the City. All premiums are withheld on a pre-tax basis.

Dental Coverage

The City offers 2 options through Delta Dental: Delta Exclusive Panel Option (EPO) or the Delta Dental PPO.

Vision Coverage

EyeMed vision coverage is available. Participants in-network receive an annual exam for $10 co-pay along with coverage for frames, lenses and other discounts.

Term Life Insurance

Employees are automatically enrolled for two times their annual base salary.

Supplemental Life Insurance

Additional term life insurance may be purchased in $10,000 increments up to 5 times your annual earnings to $300,000 maximum where eligible. Dependent coverage can also be purchased upon eligibility.

Short Term Disability

Provides up to 60% of weekly salary to a maximum of $2,500 per week for a period of up to 26 weeks. Benefits for an injury begin on the first day of disability. Benefits for an illness begin on the 15th day for employees with two or less years of service and on the 30th day for employees with more than two years of service after depletion of sick leave.

Long Term Disability

Provides up to 60% of your monthly salary to a maximum limit of $10,000 per month upon eligibility.

Pre-tax – Health/Dependent Care Spending Accounts

Under these accounts employees have the option to have payroll dollars withheld on a pre-tax basis to pay for certain out-of-pocket medical expenses and dependent care expenses. This results in a tax savings that can save employees hundreds of tax dollars each year.

Medical Flexible Spending Account

Employees may choose to set aside pre-tax, up to $2,500 per year to pay for expected out-of-pocket medical, dental, vision and prescription drug expenses.

Dependent Care Account

Employees may set aside up to $5,000 of pre-tax income for eligible dependent care expenses each year depending on requirements. This includes childcare, elder care, or other eligible dependent care. You must be entitled to an income tax exemption for the dependent for these expenses to be considered eligible.

Paid Time Off

Up to 128 hours of Annual Leave the first five years – accrues the first two pay periods of each month.
Up to 96 medical/sick leave hours annually- accrues the first two pay periods of each month.
7 paid holidays.

401(A) Defined Contribution Plan

Employees are automatically enrolled upon hire in the City’s 401(a) defined contribution plan. The plan requires employees to contribute 2% of gross salary to the plan on a pre-tax basis. At the same time, the City will contribute 5% of gross salary into the employees account. For sworn personnel the employee is required to contribute 10% and the City contributes 13%.

City Contribution Vesting Schedule
General Employees		Sworn Police & Fire
0-1 years	20%	After 1 year	20%
After 1 year	40%	After 2 years	40%
After 2 years	60%	After 3 years	60%
After 3 years	80%	After 4 years	80%
After 4 years	100%	After 5 years	100%

457 Deferred Compensation Plan

Employees are eligible to participate in the City’s 457 deferred compensation plan and may enroll at anytime. Regular full-time employees who participate in the 457 plan are eligible for a City match of up to 3% to their 401k.

Academic Tuition Assistance Program

Ongoing education is important to everyone. To assist our employees in their efforts toward continuing education, the City offers reimbursement up to $2,000 per year per eligible employee.

Employee Assistance Program Golden’s EAP program offers confidential short-term counseling for employees and their dependents. Areas for counseling include marital and family conflicts, drugs and alcohol use, job or emotional stress, depression, and grief. Individual counseling for your family is available for three sessions per incident per year at no cost.

Employee Assistance Fund (EAF)

The EAF is a self-supported account funded solely by employee’s contributions. The fund is designated to help full-time employees during times of emergency that cause financial stress or crisis to the employee or his or her immediate family.

Golden Community Center Memberships

Annual GCC memberships are available to employees at a reduced rate. Employees who participate in the Employee Wellness Program can obtain membership at no cost. Annual memberships can also be purchased for each family member via payroll deduction.

Credit Union Memberships/Banking Institutions

City of Golden employees are eligible for membership at a variety of local credit unions:

Group Cell Phone Rates

City employees and volunteers may receive discounted cellular service through Verizon Wireless and AT&T. Those eligible include active full-time, retired, volunteer fire fighters, and police reserves.

Wellness Program

Regular full-time employees, Level 2 part-time employees and volunteer firefighters and reserve police officers are eligible to participate in the City’s Wellness Program. Full-time employees participating in the Wellness Program receive a $300 discount off the City’s medical plan annually. All wellness participants listed above receive membership to the Golden Community Center at no cost.

Part-Time Employee Benefits

Pro-rated General Leave for Level 2 employees*
ICMA 457 Retirement Plan
Mines and Associates – Employee Assistance Plan
Golden Community Center (Fitness Resources)
Credit Unions and Wells Fargo

*Level 2 employees are defined as: part-time employees working 20 or more hours per week. Level 2 employees accrue PTO at 4.67 hours each month (2.33 hours per pay period for the first two pay periods of each month) for a total not to exceed 56 hours per year.