Benefits

We offer medical insurance coverage through Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBS) to regular & limited term employees.

We have two PPO plans to choose from, which each have an individual deductible of $350 with a family deductible of $700 for certain services.

• PPO Blue 35 plan has an office visit co-pay of $35 and a specialist co-pay of $50 per visit
• PPO Blue 45 plan has an office visit co-pay of $45 and a specialist co-pay of $60 per visit.
  Co-pays for prescriptions do not count towards this deductible.

Prescription co-pays are on a three-tier plan:

• Generic = $15
• Brand Name = $35
• Non-Formulary = $55

Please see Summary Comparisons for a detailed breakdown of charges, including deductibles and benefits.

The Transparency in Coverage Final Rule requires insurers and group health plans to publish machine-readable files starting July 1, 2022. These files contain in-network rates and out-of-network allowed amounts. Under the Transparency in Coverage Final Rule, plans and issuers will disclose pricing information to the public through machine readable files accessible via a table of contents file. One file requires disclosure of negotiated rates between plans and providers for covered items and services, known as the In-Network File. The second file discloses unique allowed amounts and billed charges for out of network services, known as the Out-of-Network Allowed Amount File.

We offer dental insurance coverage through Delta Dental of New Mexico.

We offer vision insurance coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP).

We offer basic, dependent and voluntary life insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBS).

Basic Life insurance and Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) are mandatory and the employee is covered at the rate of one times his/her annual salary rounded up to the nearest thousand with a maximum of $50,000.

If an employee chooses Dependent Life, his/her spouse is covered for $5,000, children 6 months to 26 years are covered for $2,000, and children 14 days to six months are covered for $500. We pay a portion of Basic and Dependent Life.

Voluntary Life offers the employee life insurance up to $300,000 in addition to the Basic Life insurance. Voluntary Life insurance in excess of $250,000 will require a completed statement of health. Employees may insure their spouse for the same amount not to exceed the employee’s amount of coverage. Premiums are based on age. Dependent children can be insured for $10,000 each. We do not contribute any portion of the Voluntary Life insurance premium.

Long Term Disability (LTD) is available to Regular employees only. LTD is designed to partially replace income lost during periods of disability that result from injury, sickness or pregnancy. To be eligible for the LTD benefit, employee must be unable to work for at least three months. LTD benefit pays employees 60% of monthly earnings to a maximum benefit of $8,000 per month for the duration of disability or age 65. We contribute 0.25% and the employee contributes an additional 0.25% for this benefit.

Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) is a Defined Benefit retirement plan offered through the State of New Mexico to Los Alamos County regular and limited term employees. Once you are vested in PERA and have met the age and service requirements for normal retirement, you are guaranteed a lifetime pension benefit when you retire:

Tier 1 - Employees hired before July 1, 2013

Employees are vested after 5 years of service and can retire at any age with 25 years of service or age 65 with 5 years of service (20 years of service for Public Safety).

Tier 2 - Employees hired after July 1, 2013

Employees are vested after 5 years of service and can retire with Rule of 85 or age 65 with 5 years of service. Public Safety is vested after 5 years of service and can retire at any age with 25 years of service or age 60 with 5 years of service.

Our Pension Plan is a supplemental pension plan with contributions from Los Alamos County and the employee. We contribute 9% of the employee’s salary, the employee contributes 1%. Employees are automatically vested in 4% of LAC contributions and vesting for the remaining 5% is based on years of service with LAC as follows:

• 3 years - 20%
• 4 years - 40%
• 5 years - 60%
• 6 years - 80%
• 7 years - 100%

Offered through Mission Square (fka ICMA-RC), this plan allows the employee to contribute up to $22,500 per calendar year into a tax deferred account. We do not contribute to this plan and it is completely voluntary to employees.

Los Alamos County has very generous annual and sick leave accruals for our regular and limited term employees. All accruals are bi-weekly.

General County Employees:

• 0 - 5 years = 3 weeks annual leave (4.61 hrs per pay period)
• 5 - 10 years = 4 weeks annual leave (6.46 hrs per pay period)
• 10 or more years = 5 weeks annual leave (7.38 hrs per pay period)
• 12 days of sick leave (3.69 hrs per pay period)

Fire Department Employees:

• 0 - 5 years = 20 days annual leave
• 5 - 10 years = 29 days annual leave
• 10 or more years = 33 days annual leave
• 15 days of sick leave (5.17 hrs per pay period)

LAC recognizes all federal holidays (12 paid holidays per calendar year).

The Employee Assistance Program is a free, professional and confidential counseling program designed to assist employees and their immediate family member with anything they perceive to be a problem. Our current provider offers six sessions for free to assist with problem resolution. Additionally, resources are available for personal wellness, organizational development, and support of a healthy work-home balance.

LAC Employees are granted free general admission to the Larry Walkup Aquatic Center and are eligible for free aquatic classes. Employees are also granted free admission to the LAC Ice Rink (equipment rental fees apply). LAC Golf Course offers employees an eight nine-hole punch pass at a significantly discounted price.

This plan provides a tax benefit in that it reduces your taxable income for the calendar year.

Medical Reimbursement Account

• Tax Benefit – Reduces your taxable income
• $3,050 calendar per year limit
• Out of pocket medical expenses
• Use or roll over up to $610

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account

• Tax Benefit – Reduces your taxable income
• $5,000 calendar year limit
• Dependent care expenses
• Use or lose

• Employee must have attained regular status, which means completion of the new employee probationary period.
• Coursework must be in a field that will better your job growth with LAC.
• LAC may reimburse for tuition, fees, and books up to $5,000 per fiscal year
• Must provide documentation of grade "C" or better.

LAC acknowledges that its employees are an important resource in the delivery of service to citizens and has established an employee recognition program that will recognize employees for their extraordinary service. The recognition program is available to all departments and divisions within the LAC organization and to all employee classifications (i.e. contract, regular, probationary, limited term, temporary, and casual).