New Hire Orientation
Welcome to the City of Springfield!
Any questions please contact:
The Employee Benefits Dept.
Email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com
Phone: (413) 787-6055 / Fax: (413) 787-6010
New Hire Benefits Law Effective July 1, 2024
The Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) will offer health insurance benefits to any new, eligible employee on the first day of the month following the employee's date of hire, effective July 1, 2024. Please click GIC Frequently Asked Questions for more information regarding the new law.
GIC Health Insurance
The City of Springfield is proud to offer all City/School employees competitive benefits that are an important part of your overall employee compensation package. You must enroll in a plan or decline coverage within the first (21) calendar days of your employment! *If you miss your original (21) day new hire window, your next opportunity to enroll will be with a qualifying status change or during the yearly Open Enrollment period in April..
The City offers a wide selection of health plans for you and your family to choose from through the State of Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC). The City contributes 75% of the cost of the Health Plan for both individual and family coverage. New employee health coverage begins on the first day of the month following the first date of employment. Deductions for health/dental/vision insurance begin one month in advance of coverage; the City deducts premiums on a prepayment basis.
Be sure to read your FY25 GIC Benefits Decision Guide for summarized details of all available plans and the City of Springfield Rate Sheet outlining premium costs for health & dental coverage. The GIC Benefits Decision Guide it is not a comprehensive plan handbook. There may be other services that you and your family need or prefer. Contact each plan to find out details about specific benefits required for you and your family.
- Consider enrolling in a limited network plan to save money every month on your premiums. These plans have the same benefits as the wider network plans, but save money because they have fewer physicians, hospitals, and other providers.
- Contact the plans to find out if your doctors and hospitals still participate in your plan.
- Check on copay tier assignments that affect what you pay when you get physician or hospital services. Copay tiers can change each July 1 with new data.
Keep in mind! Once you choose a health plan, you cannot change plans during the year, unless you move out of the plan's service area. If your doctor or hospital leaves your health plan, you must find a new participating provider in your chosen plan.
Required Enrollment Forms:
* GIC Required Coverage Documents: If you're enrolling in family plan, a copy of your marriage certificate and each dependent child's birth certificate is required. Please review all GIC Coverage Documents before completing your electronic GIC Health Insurance Form. All required documents can be uploaded electronically to the form.
* GIC Health Insurance Form(s): Complete/Sign/Submit electronically via a secure email link. Simply call the Employee Benefits Dept. at (413) 787-6055 or email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com.
* Benefits Acknowledgement Form: If you are enrolling for the first time please also complete/sign the Benefit Acknowledgement Form and return to the Employee Benefits Dept. via fax at (413) 787-6010 or email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com.
* Health Refusal Form: If you are choosing to opt-out of health coverage this fiscal year, please fill out the Health Insurance Refusal Form and return to the Employee Benefits Dept. via fax at (413) 787-6010 or email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com.
Cigna Dental and Vision Insurance
The City of Springfield provides dental and vision coverage through Cigna. Cigna has partnered with EyeMed to provide vision services. Enrollment into the dental and vision benefits is optional. If you choose to enroll, you will need to complete a Cigna Enrollment/Change Form.
Please review details of your dental/vision coverage: Cigna Dental Benefit Summary and EyeMed Vision Benefit Summary. Once you are enrolled as a participating member of the plan, you can also log into myCigna.com for more detailed plan information. Instructions on how to register for myCigna.com can be found here.
The City offers three (3) Dental plans:
The current base DPO4 Dental Plan and PPO Vision Plan will continue to be offered.
- Employees can add supplemental Dental coverage by enrolling in a “Buy-Up” DPOB Plan. The cost of this additional coverage will be paid by the Employee. The City will continue to provide 75% of the cost of the DPO4 Base Dental/PPO Vision Plan.
- Employees can opt into a lower cost narrow network DHMO Q5100 Dental/Vision Plan. This plan has narrow network of providers and City will provide 75% of the cost of this plan.
Enrollment in either of these new plans can be done by completing the Cigna Buy Up form and returning it to the Employee Benefits Department.
AmeriFlex Health & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
*Active Employees Only*
The City has partnered with AmeriFlex as the Section 125 Plan provider. You may elect to set money aside directly from your paycheck for a Flexible Spending Account (Health Care FSA and/or Dependent Care FSA). The FSA benefit allows you to contribute pre-tax dollars to individual accounts for eligible uninsured or unreimbursed medical, dental, vision, and dependent care expenses.
The Health Care FSA is a DEBIT CARD which allows you to “Swipe-N-Go”. You will only be able to use your debit card for eligible health care expenses.
A Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) is a pre-tax benefit account used to pay for eligible dependent care services, such as preschool, summer day camp, before or after school programs, and child or adult daycare. If you sign up for a Dependent Care Account, you will need to submit for reimbursements.
Please email FSA Forms to benefits@springfieldcityhall.com or contact AmeriFlex by Colonial Life to enroll:
Chat: www.myameriflex.com
Phone: 888-868-3539
Email: service@myameriflex.com
Boston Mutual Life Insurance
The City of Springfield will be changing Life Insurance carriers from Guardian to Boston Mutual effective July 1st, 2024.
- Boston Mutual will continue to offer the Basic Life insurance policy but will increase the amount to $5,000.00 and Supplemental (Optional) Life Insurance benefits will continue.
Smart Plan Deferred Compensation Plan (457b)
The SMART plan is a retirement savings program authorized under section 457 of the Internal Revenue code. Section 457 programs, commonly referred to as a 457 deferred compensation program, allow eligible employees to save and invest pre-tax dollars through salary deferrals.
Enroll Anytime
If you wish to join the SMART Plan and begin your contributions, you must complete a New Enrollment Form and fax directly to Smart Plan at (781) 890-2919. If you prefer to speak with a Smart Plan Account Representative please click here for detailed contact information.
Colonial Life Optional Life Insurance and Disability Plans
The City offers payroll deductions for additional individual life insurance and short-term/long-term disability programs through Colonial Life. Contact Kimberly Cunningam at 401-596-1510 for more detailed information.
Trustmark and AFLAC Optional Life Insurance and Disability Plans
Effective July 1st, 2024 you will not be able to enroll in any new polices or may changes other than to cancel. The City will continue to offer payroll deductions for employees currently enrolled in Trustmark and AFLAC policies.
State & Federal Information:
New Health Insurance Marketplace Coverage Options and Your Health Coverage
Continuation Required by Federal Law for You and Your Dependents