Employment Opportunities

Annual Benefits Open Enrollment Period May 5 – May 16th
Town Human Resources
194 Boylston St Room 106
Office Hours Mon – Thurs 8:00 – 5:00, Fri 8:00 – 12:30


The Annual Benefits Open Enrollment Period offers Town and School Employees and Non-Medicare Eligible Retirees the option to enroll in or make changes to their health insurance. Active employees may also enroll in or make changes to the following benefits: Dental Insurance, Life Insurance, Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts and Section 125 benefits.

There will be three information sessions scheduled prior to the Annual Open Enrollment period. All changes made during the benefits open enrollment period are effective July 1st.

Info Session Schedule

Benefits Rate Sheet

Health Insurance
Massachusetts State Law now requires that all residents over the age of 18 have health insurance coverage. If you cannot provide proof of coverage, you may be penalized when filing your State taxes. Please see the Massachusetts Health Connector website for more information: www.mahealthconnector.org 

The Town of Brookline offers Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance coverage to benefit eligible employees and contributes 75% of the monthly premium. If you are eligible for health insurance coverage through the Town and choose not to enroll, you must complete the State Required Employee Health Insurance Responsibility Disclosure (HIRD) Form each year during the Annual Open Enrollment Period.

Employees may enroll as an individual or include a spouse and/or dependent children. When enrolling a spouse, a legal marriage certificate from the Town in which you were married must be provided. If a dependent is enrolled in your plan and is between the ages of 19-26, the dependent coverage application must be completed as well.

The following information will assist employees in making health insurance enrollment decisions:

HMO Blue Summary of Benefits
Blue Choice Summary of Benefits
Co-Pay Reimbursement Policy
Co-Pay Reimbursement Form
BCBS Enrollment Form
HIRD Form

Health Insurance Opt-Out Policy
The Town of Brookline now offers employees, who are currently enrolled in health insurance, the option of “opting-out” of their coverage in exchange for an annual payment of $1,000 for an individual plan or $2,500 for a family plan. Please read the following policy to determine if it applies to you. If you would like to participate, please complete the following paperwork. You must also provide proof of coverage elsewhere in the form of a letter on company letterhead or a copy of an enrollment form listing the effective date and signed by a company representative.

Opt-out Policy
Opt-out Form
HIRD Form

Dental Insurance

In October 2007, the Town established two voluntary dental insurance plans through Blue Cross Blue Shield. Although the employee pays 100% of the monthly premium, the employee benefits from a lower group rate and pre-tax payroll deductions. Please keep in mind that dental insurance is different from health insurance. These plans, like many other dental plans, have varying levels of coverage for different types of services. Also, once you enroll in a dental insurance plan, you may not cancel your coverage until the end of the plan year. The plan year runs from July 1st – June 30th.

Dental Blue Preventive
Dental Blue Plan 2
BCBS Enrollment Form

Life Insurance

The Town offers a $5,000 Term Life Insurance Policy to all benefit eligible employees. If you did not enroll in this benefit when you were hired but wish to, you must complete the attached form and your enrollment must be approved by the Life Insurance Company.

Evidence of Insurability Form

The AFSMCE Union Members covered under the main contract now have the added benefit of purchasing an additional $2,500 life insurance policy. However, they must pay 100% of the premium for this additional $2,500 coverage. The weekly deduction for this benefit is $0.08. If you are a member of AFSCME and would like to purchase this additional coverage, you must complete the following paperwork.

Enrollment Form

Flexible Spending Accounts

Employees may enroll in the Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical Expenses, Dependent Care Expenses or both. Employees can enjoy the benefit of pre-tax payroll deductions over the plan year, which runs from July 1st – June 30th. Employees must designate a goal amount when they enroll, anywhere from $300 - $5,000. This amount cannot be changed. Employees must re-enroll each plan year if they wish to continue to participate. Please read the attached materials and/or go to www.cpa125.com for more information.

New this plan year, a debit card option will be introduced. Enrollees will be given a debit card to use when paying for medical expenses. This will eliminate the process of submitting receipts and forms and waiting for reimbursement. More Information to come.

FSA Enrollment Form
FSA Dependent Care Certification Form
FSA Claim Voucher
List of eligible over the counter medicines/items


Section 125 Benefits

Employees can have the deductions for health, dental and life insurance withheld from their pay pre-tax, which saves money by reducing your taxable income. This is not automatic, you must complete the form. Most employees have done this but some have not. For example, if you see on your pay stub “125 HMO Blue” this means your deduction is already being withheld pre-tax, if the deduction says “non125 HMO Blue”, this means your deduction is not withheld pre-tax and you can complete the attached form to have your deductions withheld pre-tax.

Sec 125 Form

Any questions regarding open enrollment should be directed to Kathy McGinnis, Benefits Supervisor by phone: (617) 730-2117 or by email at kathy_mcginnis@town.brookline.ma.us
 

Brookline On the Move

Civil Service Comments
Comments on civil service in connection with the Human Resources Board study may be made to:
hr@town.brookline.ma.us
or:
Town of Brookline
Human Resources - 3rd Floor
333 Washington Street
Brookline, MA 02445

Health Insurance Comparison

HMO Blue Summary of Benefits

Blue Choice Summary of Benefits

Health Insurance Rate Sheet

For more information on Blue Cross Blue Shield - Providers, Prescriptions, and Forms, Click here.

Policy Information
-Anti-Retaliation Policy (PDF)
-Same Sex Marriage Benefits  (PDF)
-Living Wage By-Law (PDF)
-Policy Against Sexual Harassment  (PDF)
-Workplace Safety Policy  (PDF)

AFSCME, Local 1358, '04-'07

School Traffic Supervisors Contract

Library Contract

BEDA Contract