Benefits
Benefits
The City of Overland Park offers one of the most comprehensive compensation and benefits packages in our industry. In addition to salary, our total compensation package for full-time employees includes:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
- Life insurance plans
- Health reimbursement accounts
- Medical and dependent care flex spending
- Employee assistance programs, including mental health counseling, identity theft assistance, personal money management training, and more
- Short-term disability options
- Wellness programs and incentives
- Employer contributions to retirement accounts
- Critical illness insurance
- An on-site health clinic with free services
- Educational assistance
- Income protection plans
- A full complement of retirement plans
- Paid time off for holidays, vacation and sick leave.
The information below includes specific details about individual benefits of the total compensation package as they apply to the employment classifications.
Health, Dental + Vision Insurance
The City of Overland Park offers a comprehensive benefits program for full-time employees and their dependents. Coverage is effective on the first day of the month following the date of hire.
Overland Park offers:
- Medical insurance through Blue KC
- Dental insurance through Delta Dental of Kansas
- Vision insurance through Davis Vision
The City provides comprehensive health and dental insurance for retirees based on their years of service. Coverage goes into effect the first day of the month following their retirement.
Wellness Program
The voluntary wellness program is available to all full-time employees, and includes a health and fitness assessment designed to help employees understand their health status and identify risk factors that may be related to future illness or injury.
Free assessment tests are performed annually at several city facilities. Family members also are eligible to participate in this program for a discounted cost.
Time Off
Vacation
Overland Park supports its employees with time away from the workplace to enjoy family and friends.
Employees working 40-hour workweek schedule accrue vacation time each pay period, based on the length of service:
- 0-4 years of service: 80 hours of annual vacation accrual
- 5-11 years of service: 120 hours of annual vacation accrual
- 12-19 years of service: 160 hours of annual vacation accrual
- 20 years of service or more: 200 hours of annual vacation accrual
Employees working 24-hour shift schedules accrue vacation each pay period, based on the length of service:
- 0-4 years of service: six days of annual vacation accrual
- 4-9 years of service: seven days of annual vacation accrual
- 9-14 years of service: eight days of annual vacation accrual
- 14-19 years of service: nine days of annual vacation accrual
- 19-24 years of service: 10 days of annual vacation accrual
- 24 years of service or more: 11 days of annual vacation accrual
Employees can carry vacation time from year to year, with a limit of two times the annual rate.
Holidays
The City observes the following paid holidays each year:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day and the day after
- Christmas Day
Personal Days
Full-time employees are granted three paid personal holidays each year.
Sick Time
Employees working a 40-hour work week schedule accrue sick leave for personal illness or the illness of an immediate family member at 3.7 hours per pay period. Unused sick time may be accumulated, year-to-year, without limits.
Bereavement
Overland Park offers paid time off for deaths of immediate family members.
Military Service
Overland Park offers pay equal to the difference between an employee’s regular pay and military pay, up to 10 working days per year, for short-term military service.
Jury Duty
Overland Park offers paid time off for jury duty.
Disability Insurance
Short-term disability benefits go into effect when an employee is unable to work due to an illness or injury.
Off-the-Job Illness or Injury
Employees receive 60 percent of their base salaries beginning on the 91st day of disability leave. Beginning on the 181st day, an employee may be eligible to receive benefits provided by Kansas Public Employees Retirement System or Social Security.
On-the-Job Illness or Injury
Employees receive 100 percent of their base salaries, offset by any worker’s compensation benefits received, for the first 180 calendar days. Beginning on the 181st day, an employee may be eligible to receive benefits provided by Kansas Public Employees Retirement System or Social Security.
Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance
This insurance provides coverage until the employee becomes covered by one of the city’s disability plans. During the first 90 days off, the employee will receive 60 percent of their base monthly salary, should they become unable to work. Waiting periods are applicable before benefit payments begin. Employees must exhaust all accrued sick leave before they are eligible for benefit payments under each plan.
Education + Training
Full-time employees in non-probationary positions may qualify for reimbursement for educational expenses including tuition, fees and books for credit and non-credit classes taken at accredited colleges, universities, community colleges, trade or vocational schools.
The City will reimburse undergraduate tuition up to $2,500 for undergraduate and graduate tuition up to $3000 for graduate-level classes annually.
City Culture
A career at the City of Overland Park is more than just work.
Employment with the City provides an opportunity to connect with the community while working on meaningful projects that impact lives every day.
Among others, our core values of respect, stewardship, relationship building, and integrity encourage our professional staff to support one another and the community in our pursuit of excellence.
In practice, this means our employees rely on one another for day-to-day commitments to public service.
While we work hard to serve our community, we connect with one another and the people of Overland Park through a variety of events, programs, and services.
Life Insurance
Comprehensive life insurance plans are available for employees and their dependents through Symetra. The city pays all of the cost of this coverage for the employee.
Coverage goes into effect the first day of the month following the date of hire.
The City pays for term life insurance coverage in the amount of 2.5 times an employee’s annual salary, rounded to the next higher $1,000 with a maximum of $300,000. Additional coverage for spouses and dependents is available, if elected and paid for by the individual employee.
Long-Term Care Insurance
This city-provided benefit provides a base plan of financial protection for care at home or in a facility when the employee is not able to perform at least two daily living activities (i.e., eating, bathing, dressing, continence, transferring or toileting).
The base plan pays a facility benefit of $1,000 per month for up to three years or $500 a month for professional home care up to six years. Other benefit options are available on a voluntary basis, and immediate family members may purchase this plan.
Service Award Program
Overland Park’s service award program provides recognition and rewards to full-time and part-time employees for every five years of continuous service.
Activities + Recreation Program
This employee organization sponsors and organizes charitable events as well as entertainment and recreational opportunities for staff and their families.
Employee Assistance Program
The employee assistance program supports Overland Park staff with mental health counseling, identity theft assistance, personal money management training, and more.
Part-Time Benefits
Part-time City employees that have two separate benefit packages, depending on position classification.
Part-Time B Employees
Part-Time B employees work in positions that are projected to work at least 1,000 calendar hours per year, but work fewer hours than a standard work week and may work less than 1,000 hour per year. Department directors determine work schedules. Hours are monitored annually and may be reevaluated or reclassified.
Part-Time B employees are required to participate in the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and may be offered other benefits.
Part-Time B employees are not considered temporary or seasonal employees.
Part-Time C Employees
Part-Time B employees work in positions that are projected to work less than 1,000 calendar hours per year and fewer hours than a standard work day or week. The 1,000 hour requirement does not mean an employee must work less than 1,000 hours per calendar year.
Part-Time B employees are not considered temporary or seasonal employees.
- Part-Time B Benefits
Paid Time Off
Paid time off is available, up to 80 hours, provided the employee works at least 1,000 hours in the previous year. The amount of time earned is based on the number of hours worked during the previous calendar year. Those that have worked less than 1,000 hours will receive paid time off pro-rated on the number of hours worked.
Paid time off must be taken in time blocks equivalent to the employee’s scheduled hours. All earned time must be taken during the calendar year.
Wellness Program
This voluntary program includes a health and fitness assessment designed to help employees understand their health status and identify risk factors that may be related to future illness or injury. Free assessment tests are performed annually at several city facilities. Family members also are eligible to participate in this program for a discounted cost.
Retirement Plans
Federal Insurance Contributions Act
This federally required plan is administered through the Social Security Administration and requires all employees to contribute 7.65% of their gross salary; the city is required to contribute an additional 7.65% as an employer match.
This plan provides retirement, survivor, disability and health insurance benefits.
Kansas Public Employees Retirement System
Participation is mandatory for full-time and part-time B employees, who become members on the first day of employment and contribute six percent of their salary. Employees are vested after five years of service.
Employees enrolled in KPERS also receive term life insurance coverage equal to 1.5 times their annual salary. The employer contribution pays for this coverage.
Long-term disability benefits are provided by KPERS. If approved, an employee will receive 60 percent of their monthly base salary beginning with the 181st day of disability. This benefit may continue until age 65 or retirement.
Deferred Compensation Plan
This is a supplemental retirement plan. Participation is voluntary and there is no waiting period to begin contributing. Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis, thus reducing a participant’s immediate taxable income.
Employees are 100% vested at all times, although monies are not available until retirement or termination except in cases of extreme financial hardship.
There are no employer contributions to this plan.
Participants choose their own investment options from a choice of more than 60 mutual funds and similar investment products that are offered through two different deferred compensation providers, Great-West Financial, or ICMA Retirement Corporation.
Activities + Recreation Program
This employee organization sponsors and organizes charitable events as well as entertainment and recreational opportunities.
Employee Assistance Program
The employee assistance program includes mental health counseling, identity theft assistance, personal money management training, and more.
Service Award Program
The service award program recognizes and rewards employees every five years for completion of continuous service.
- Part-Time C Benefits
Federal Insurance Contributions Act
This federally required plan is administered through the Social Security Administration and requires all employees to contribute 7.65% of their gross salary; the city is required to contribute an additional 7.65% as an employer match.
This plan provides retirement, survivor, disability and health insurance benefits.
Deferred Compensation Plan
This is a supplemental retirement plan. Participation is voluntary and there is no waiting period to begin contributing. Contributions are made on a pre-tax basis, thus reducing a participant’s immediate taxable income.
Employees are 100% vested at all times, although monies are not available until retirement or termination except in cases of extreme financial hardship.
There are no employer contributions to this plan.
Participants choose their own investment options from a choice of more than 60 mutual funds and similar investment products that are offered through two different deferred compensation providers, Great-West Financial, or ICMA Retirement Corporation.
Activities + Recreation Program
This employee organization sponsors and organizes charitable events as well as entertainment and recreational opportunities.
Employee Assistance Program
The employee assistance program includes mental health counseling, identity theft assistance, personal money management training, and more.
Temporary Employee Benefits
Temporary employees are hired for a specific time period or assignment, to fill a vacancy during vacations or recruitment, or on an as-needed basis.
Temporary employees may work a standard or non-standard work week. They may be classified as temporary regardless of the number of hours of work required for the position. At the end of a temporary employee’s assignment, their employment may be terminated, reclassified, or extended.
Temporary Employee Benefits
Federal Insurance Contributions Act
This federally required plan is administered through the Social Security Administration and requires all employees to contribute 7.65% of their gross salary; the city is required to contribute an additional 7.65% as an employer match.
This plan provides retirement, survivor, disability and health insurance benefits.
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