New Hire Orientation

Welcome to the City of Springfield!

All Documents Must Be Received Within (10) Calendar Days of your Hire Date!

Any questions please contact:
The Employee Benefits Dept.
Email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com 
Phone: (413) 787-6055 / Fax: (413) 787-6010

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 (10) calendar days of your employment! *If you miss your original (10) 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 (60) calendar days from the first date of employment, or two calendar months, whichever comes first.  Deductions for health/dental/vision insurance begin one month in advance of coverage; the City deducts premiums on a prepayment basis. Please review the Health  Insurance Enrollment Eligibility Calendar.

Be sure to read your FY24 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.

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Cigna Dental and Vision Insurance

The City of Springfield provides dental and vision coverage through Cigna. 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 Cigna 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 two (2) new Dental plans for FY2024:

The current base DPO4 Dental Plan and PPO Vision Plan will continue to be offered. 

  1. 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.
  2. 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*

FY24 FSA Enrollment Form

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

Guardian Life Insurance Company
All election amounts outside of your (10) day new hire window as well as elected volumes over $150,000 are subject to an Evidence of Insurability. Rates are subject to change in October of each year and policies do not have a cash value. If you prefer a Whole or Universal Life Policy, please reach out to American Fidelity or Trustmark directly to discuss available life insurance options.

Click here for Guardian Life Insurance Rates

Basic Life: You may elect $2,000 of Basic Term life insurance coverage, of which the City pays 50% of your monthly premium.  The Basic Life includes Enhanced Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage equal to one times the employee’s life benefit.

Optional Term Life: You may elect $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, $150,000, or $200,000. All election amounts during open enrollment are subject to Evidence of Insurability as well as elected volumes over $100,000 and enrollment outside of your 10 day new hire window.   Optional Life volumes reduce by 35% at age 65 and by 60% at age 70 (on birthdays).

Spouse Term Life: You may elect 50% of the employee optional coverage up to the maximum $25,000.

Dependent Term Life: Coverage of $10,000 for each dependent.  Dependent Term Life covers children age 14 days to 23 years who are unmarried. Additional documents are required for dependents between 23 years and 25 years who are unmarried and enrolled in an accredited school.

All election amounts outside of your (10) day new hire window as well as elected volumes over $150,000 are subject to an Evidence of Insurability. Rates are subject to change in October of each year and policies do not have a cash value. If you prefer a Whole or Universal Life Policy, please reach out to Colonial Life or Trustmark for information.

Required Forms:
Guardian Enrollment Form:  If you're choosing to enroll in a Guardian Life Insurance Term Policy, please complete/sign the Guardian Life Insurance Enrollment/Change Form and return to the Employee Benefits Dept. via fax at (413) 787-6010 or email: orientation@springfieldcityhall.com.

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 Optional Life Insurance and Disability Plans
The City offers payroll deductions for additional individual life insurance and short-term/long-term disability programs through Trustmark. Click here for more detailed information. 

Page last updated:  Friday, April 7, 2023 12:47 pm