State Employees: Benefits

Employee Benefits

The value of benefits is a significant part of your total compensation. The following benefits are available to employees who:

• are at least 18 years old,
• occupy a regularly funded position, and
• work a minimum of 20 hours per week for at least 20 weeks each year.

Benefits		State Pays Monthly	Employee Pays Monthly
Health Insurance	Family Coverage	$658	$0
Life Insurance	$1,300 Coverage	$.28	$0
Retirement	Based on salary	9.12%	$0
Dental Insurance	Based on coverage	$0	See dental rates
Vision Insurance	Based on coverage	$0	See vision rates
Long Term Care Insurance	Based on coverage	$0	See long term care insurance rates
Deferred Compensation	Based on employee election	$0	Determined by employee
Employee Assistance Program		$1.42	$0
Flex Comp	Based on employee election	$0	Determined by employee

Health Insurance

• The State pays the premium for regular (non-temporary) employees who work more than 20 hours per week.
• Temporary employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week and at least 20 weeks each year may purchase health insurance or the employing agency may pay the premium subject to budget authority.

Life Insurance

• The basic life insurance benefit is $1,300.
• Supplemental coverage for you or your dependents may be purchased.
• Temporary employees who work a minimum of 20 hours per week and at least 20 weeks each year may purchase life insurance.

Voluntary Group Insurance Programs

• Dental Insurance - Employee pays premium.
• Vision Insurance - Employee pays premium.
• Long Term Care Insurance - Employee pays premium.

Retirement (and Retiree Health Credit)

• The State contributes the following based on your monthly salary: 4.12% employer contribution; 4% employee contribution, and 1% for the retiree health insurance credit contribution for a total of 9.12% of your salary.
• The retirement benefit is based on years of service, final average salary, and a benefit multiplier established by the Legislature.
• Employees, excluding highway patrol and judges, become vested at 36 months.
• Temporary employees may participate, at their own expense, regardless of number of hours worked.

Deferred Compensation Plan

• Allows employees to make pre-tax contributions into investments with eligible providers under Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• The State pays the premium.
• Provides short-term counseling services to assist employees and eligible dependents in dealing with alcoholism, drug abuse, and personal problems. Assistance is CONFIDENTIAL.
• Contact designated agency EAP provider, supervisor, or human resource or administrative staff for information.

FlexComp Plan

• Allows you to pay certain eligible expenses under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code with dollars you contribute before payroll taxes are deducted.
• Eligible expenses include medical and dependent expenses and certain insurance premiums.

Leave Benefits

The following leave benefits are available to non-temporary employees.

Annual Leave

• Annual leave accrues on a monthly basis according to the following schedule (pro-rated for part-time employees):
• No more than 240 hours of accrued leave may be carried forward beyond April 30 of each year.
• Annual leave balance is paid upon termination.
• When an employee transfers to another state agency, annual leave may be transferred to the extent accepted by the new agency. Annual leave not accepted by the new agency must be paid out by the former agency. The annual leave accrual rate is retained.

Years Service	Hours/Month	Days/Year
0 - 3	8	12
4 - 7	10	15
8 - 12	12	18
13 - 18	14	21
Over 18	16	24

Reference: NDAC 4-07-12

Sick Leave

• Accrues at a rate of 8 hours per month, 12 days per year with no limit.
• Employees may use sick leave for illness or other medical needs; i.e. doctor appointments.
• Employees may use up to 40 sick leave hours per year to care for their sick child, spouse, or parent.
• Employees with 10 continuous years of service are eligible to be paid for 10% of their sick leave hours upon termination of state employment.
• When an employee transfers to another state agency, the sick leave balance is retained and assumed by the new agency.

Reference: NDAC 4-07-13

Family and Medical Leave

• Employees must have been employed by the State for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours over the 12 previous months.
• An employee may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for specified family or medical reasons such as: care for child by birth, placement, or adoption; employee or immediate family member's serious health condition.
• The State continues to pay for health insurance during leave.
• Upon return, the employee must be restored to the same or an equivalent position as when they left.
• When both the husband and the wife are employed by the State, the leave time to which both are entitled is limited to a total of 12 weeks between the two.

Reference: NDCC 54-52.4, Public Law 103-3

Military Family Leave

• An eligible employee who is the spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin of a covered military service member who is recovering from a serious illness or injury sustained in the line of duty or active duty is entitled to a total of 26 weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member.

Reference: Public Law 103-3, Title I, Sec 102

Leave Sharing

• Regular employees with more than 6 months of state service may be eligible to give or receive donations of annual or sick leave in case of severe illness, injury, or other circumstances.

Reference: NDCC 54-06-14.1 & 54-06-14.2

Funeral Leave

• Up to 24 hrs of paid leave may be granted for a death in the employee or spouse's immediate family:

Spouse	Child	Parent	Step Parent
Brother	Sister	Grandparent	Grandchild
Stepchild	Foster Parent	Foster Child	Son/Daughter-in-Law

Reference: NDAC 4-07-14

Holidays

• There are ten paid holidays (pro-rated for part-time employees):

• A holiday occurring on Saturday or Sunday is observed the preceding Friday or succeeding Monday (does NOT apply to Christmas Eve closure).
• In addition, state offices close at noon on Christmas Eve day when it falls on Monday through Thursday.

New Year's Day	Martin Luther King, Jr.	Day Presidents' Day
Good Friday	Memorial Day	Independence Day
Labor Day	Veterans' Day	Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Reference: NDCC 1-03-01, NDCC 4-07-07

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