Our employees are our most valuable asset.

That’s why at Southern Colorado Community Action Agency (SoCoCAA) we are committed to offering a comprehensive employee benefit program that helps our employees stay healthy, feel secure, and maintain a healthy work/life balance.

Stay Healthy

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Care
  • Flexible Spending Account
  • Health Savings Account

Feeling Secure

  • Disability Insurance
  • 401(k)/Profit Sharing
  • LegalShield

Work/Life Balance

  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Annual Leave and Sick Leave
  • Wellness Program – Preventive Health Now (PHN)

Overview

Who is Eligible and When

For most benefits, you are eligible to participate if you are regularly scheduled to work a minimum of 25 hours per week. Eligible dependents include your:

Legal Spouse.

Common Law Spouse – a declaration form is required at the time of enrollment and is available from Human Resources.

Dependents up to age 26 are eligible.

Children who can’t support themselves because of mental or physical handicaps, regardless of age.

Dependents up to age 26 are eligible for the Optional Dependent Life Plan.

Legally adopted children.

Children for which you are the legal guardian.

When Benefits Begin

Your Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Flexible Spending Accounts, Optional Life and Long Term Disability benefits begin the 1st of the month, following 60 days of regular full-time employment.

When Benefits End

Your Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage will end on the last day of the month in which you make your final payment for your share of the cost. Basic Life, Optional Life and Long Term Disability coverage ceases immediately. In general, benefits end when you have:

  • A change in employment status from regular full-time to part-time, working less than 25 hours per week.
  • You discontinue coverage at the end of the plan year.
  • Separation of employment.

You and your dependents have the option to continue coverage through COBRA for your Healthcare Plan – Medical, Dental, Vision and Flexible Spending Account. You also may have conversion or portability options available on some other benefit plans.

Qualified Status Change

For the Healthcare Plan and the Flexible Spending Account, you may not change the benefits you elect during the year – unless you have a qualified status change as defined by federal law, which includes:

  • Marriage
  • Birth or adoption of a child
  • Legal separation or Divorce
  • Attainment of limiting age for dependents (Age 26)
  • Death of your spouse or child
  • Change in your employment status
  • Change in your spouse’s employment status

If you have a qualified status change during the year, you must notify Human Resources within 31 days of the date of change. Depending on the type of change, you may need to provide additional supporting documents. Any changes you make to your benefits must be consistent with your qualified status change.

When employee contributions are required, the contributions are automatically deducted from each paycheck. You can save by paying for some benefits with before-tax dollars.

Tax Advantages with Before-Tax Contributions

You may make before-tax contributions for these benefits:

  • Healthcare Plan – Medical, Dental and Vision (FSA)
  • Health Care Spending Account (HSA)
  • Day Care Spending Account

Your contributions for these plans are deducted before you pay Social Security taxes, federal income taxes, and most state and local income taxes on the money. Before-tax deductions lower your taxable income, so you pay fewer taxes. Thus, your take-home pay is higher than if you made after-tax payments.

What Southern Colorado Community Action Agency Pays

SoCoCAA pays a substantial portion of the cost of the Healthcare Plans for you and your dependents. In addition, SoCoCAA pays 100% of the cost for these benefits:

  • Wellness Program
  • Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Plan
  • Long Term Disability (LTD) Income Plan
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)