The County of El Paso currently sponsors a variety of benefits for employees including: medical, dental, short/long term disability, and other ancillary benefits.  The Commissioners Court, in accordance with Local Government Code Title 5 Section 155.001- 155.063, or through contract agreements, approved employees to pay premiums for some of these benefits using the County’s payroll deduction system. 

In attempt to streamline the operation, provide additional oversight, and comply with the Local Government Code, staff requested and received authorization from the Commissioners Court to continue deducting all benefit premiums for plan year 2018 and to seek authorization for payroll deduction for benefits each year thereafter.  The purpose of this agenda item is to seek Commissioners Court authorization for payroll deduction for the following benefits and United Way employee contributions for calendar year 2021.     

Staff has set up a system through the online enrollment system which provides the opportunity for employees to acknowledge or revoke their benefits payroll deduction approval each year.

A review of current payroll deductions indicates:

County sponsored and/or approved benefits:

• Medical Insurance Premiums (Aetna) Pre-tax

• Dental Insurance Premiums (Aetna) Pre-tax

• Short and Long Term Disability (The Standard)

• Basic Life and Supplemental Life Insurance (Dearborn)

• Vision Insurance (Aetna) Pre-Tax

• IRS Section 125 Cafeteria Plan (Aetna) Pre-tax

• Fitness Facilities Membership Fees (Contracted Vendors, In-house Fitness Center)

• Deferred Compensation (Nationwide) Pre-tax

• IRS Section 132 Parking Benefits Plan  Pre-tax

• Employee Assistance Program (Aetna)

• Union 59 Dues (AFSCME)

• Pre-paid legal services (US Legal Services)

• Vamonos Vanpool Program (Enterprise) Pre-Tax

Benefits approved through Union agreement:

• Combined Law Enforcement Associate of Texas AP Dues (CLEAT)

• El Paso County Sherriff’s Office Association Dues

• Political Action Committee Dues

• AFLAC

• AD&D Police and Fire -(Grandfather Clause no new deductions authorized)

• AD&D Central United -(Grandfather Clause no new deductions authorized)

Benefits not sponsored by the County:

• Trust Mark - Disability                              7 employees being deducted

• Allianz  - AD&D                                      1 employee being deducted

• Alexander Hamilton - Deferred Comp.    2 employees being deducted

• National Western - Life Insurance            1 employee being deducted

Other approved deductions:

• United Way Campaign Contribution

• Overpayments, underpayments and repayments

The County Attorney’s Office conducted a legal review of payroll deduction in accordance with the Local Government Code (OP-19-1185).

December 3, 2018, Item #3F, Court approved the 2019 employee payroll deduction for benefit premiums and United Way employee contributions approved by the County of El Paso through a Commissioner’s Court order, Purchasing Department bid, County Contract, or County Interlocal Agreement. Further approved the payroll deduction (grandfather) for benefits not sponsored by the County.

September 30, 2019, Agenda Item #5D, Court approved and adopted a resolution declaring the month of November 2019 as “El Paso County Employees Combined Charities Campaign Month”.

December 9, 2019, Agenda Item #4F, Court approved the 2020 employee payroll deduction for benefit premiums and United Way employee contributions approved by the County of El Paso through a Commissioner’s Court order, Purchasing Department bid, County Contract, or County Interlocal Agreement, or Union Agreement, but not allow any new payroll deduction requests for the grandfather benefits.