Physician Specialist Non-MegaFlex Benefits Plan

The County of Los Angeles offers a competitive benefit package for our employees.  For full-time employees participating in the County’s Choices benefits plan, benefits include a tax-free cafeteria benefit allowance, life insurance, disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, and paid time off.  Other benefits enjoyed by all employees include an award-winning wellness (including financial well-being) program, commuter benefits plan, and employee assistance program to name a few.

UAPD Benefit Summary PDF

Tax-free cafeteria benefit allowance

If you participate in the County’s Choices benefit plan you will purchase a number of benefits using a tax-free County benefit allowance that is based on who is covered (you only, you and one dependent, or you and two or more dependents).  Currently, the allowance ranges from $971.68 to $2,094.21.

Up to $244 that is not spent to purchase benefits from your Choices allowance can be taken as cash and considered taxable income.  This amount is adjusted based upon the Memorandum of Understanding between the County and the Coalition of County Unions.  

The Choices benefit plan includes medical insurance for you and your eligible dependents, dental insurance for you and your eligible dependents, life, accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), long-term disability (LTD) insurance, and flexible spending accounts. 

You will choose from a number of medical plans that range from health maintenance organizations to point of service coverage to preferred provider plans.  *As a member of UAPD you may also choose the CAPE Blue Shield plan, the most economical and comprehensive health insurance plan available to LA County employees. Based on the level of coverage, and the number of eligible dependents, monthly premiums range from $726.61 per month to $3,370.35 per month.  [Plan premiums that exceed the allowance will be paid by the employee.]  Vision coverage is included in the County’s medical plans.  Dental plan premiums range from $10.73 per month to $45.76 per month, again based on the type of dental insurance coverage and number of your eligible dependents. 

Long term disability health insurance continues employee health insurance coverage while receiving long term disability benefit payments. As a retirement plan participant, you are covered under the “core” long term disability health insurance provisions at no cost to you. The “core” long term disability health insurance fund pays 75% of  your monthly medical plan premium; you pay the other 25%.  

Life insurance

The County provides you with a term life insurance policy of $2,000.  The premiums are paid by the County.

The County also offers an optional group variable universal life insurance program at affordable group rates. You may purchase coverage from one-half to eight times your annual salary. 

If you enroll in the optional life program, coverage is also available for your spouse/domestic partner and dependent children.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance is available in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $350,000.  The maximum death benefit for each child covered by AD&D insurance is $25,000. AD&D coverage is also available for the employee’s spouse/domestic partner and dependents. 

Flexible spending accounts and other pre-tax benefits

Flexible spending accounts allow you to set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible healthcare and dependent care expenses that are not reimbursed by other insurance coverage.  Participation in this program provides you with a tax advantage, but these are “use it or lose it” accounts.  

Health care spending account

Health care expenses for you and your dependents that are eligible for reimbursement include expenses that are not reimbursed by medical, dental or other health coverage.  When signing up for a health care spending account, you may set aside from $10 to $200 per month on a before-tax basis. 

Dependent care spending account

A dependent care spending account allows you to use non-taxable County contributions and pre-tax contributions deducted from your own salary to pay certain eligible dependent care expenses.  When signing up for the dependent care spending account, you may set aside from $10 to $400 per month on a before-tax basis.  If you elect to participate in the dependent care spending account, the County will make a tax-free contribution to your account of $75 per month.  

Day Care Facilities

Many medical facilities have lower cost onsite child care for staff.

Commuter benefit plan

The County encourages all employees to use public transportation to commute back and forth to work when available.  Employees may pay for transit passes, van pools, tickets, and other eligible commuter expenses on a before-tax basis.

Retirement plans

Retirement plan administered through the Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association [LACERA]

The County of Los Angeles offers new employees a comprehensive contributory retirement plan that provides a wide range of preretirement, post-retirement, and continuing benefits for eligible survivors and beneficiaries. County plans administered through LACERA are defined benefit plans; and as such they promise to pay a specified monthly benefit at retirement. The monthly allowance you receive is a lifetime benefit – it cannot run out.

All new physician participants in the County are enrolled the General Plan G.  You contribute a flat rate percentage of pensionable compensation on a before-tax basis [the 2021 rate is 9.11%].  In 2021, your pensionable compensation will be $171,360.00 or 120% of the current social security tax limit.  [Employees earning less than $171,360.00 have pensionable compensation based upon their annual earnings.]  Your final pension depends upon your age at retirement [1% of your pensionable compensation per year of service at 52 years of age increasing annually to 2.5% of your pensionable compensation per year of service at 67 years of age] and your years of service with the County.  More information can be found at lacera.com. 

It should be noted that County employees DO NOT pay into the retirement portion of Social Security, but employees do pay the Medicare Hospital Insurance Tax portion of Social Security, at the rate of 1.45%.

Additionally, the County offers a defined contribution plan for you to defer a portion of your salary on a before-tax basis, with a matching contribution by the County.  Participation in this plan is voluntary.

Deferred compensation & thrift plan [457]

The County of Los Angeles Deferred Compensation and Thrift Plan, also known as the “Horizons Plan,” meets the requirements for an eligible deferred compensation plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 457.  It is designed to permit you to defer a portion of your salary, and you may receive County matching contributions of up to 4% of your base salary.  

Retirement health benefits

If you retire from the County of Los Angeles, you will be eligible for retiree health benefits through the Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association.  After 10 years of service as a County employee, the County will contribute 40 percent of the benchmark plan premium toward one of a number of health plans.  For every year after 10 years of service, the County will contribute an additional four percent of the benchmark plan premium. After 25 years of service as a County employee, the County will pay at 100%.

Work schedules and employee time off

Flexible work hours

The County of Los Angeles encourages our physicians to maintain a healthy work/life balance.  In many cases, we provide weekly work schedule options that include five 8 hour days, four 10 hour days, and working 9 hour days, with alternating days off every other week.  

Overtime compensation

If it is medically required, any approved overtime you work will be paid at your hourly rate, or with compensatory time off – up to 240 hours each year.  You may defer 144 hours of the compensatory time off until the next calendar year.

Vacation

You accrue 80 hours of paid vacation in your first year, until you have four years of service.  After four years of service, you will accrue 120 hours each year.  After nine years, you will accrue an additional eight hours each year, until you have 24 years of service.  You will accrue 200 hours of vacation each year of eligible service.  Unused vacation hours do not expire, and may be used as needed.

Sick leave pay

You will accrue up to 10 full day sick leave pay in your first year.  After your second year, you accrue up to 11 days, and after five years, you accrue up to 12 days each year.  Unused sick leave does not expire, and may be used as needed. Eligible to convert up to 96 hours of sick time into personal time off.

Outside DHS employment

The County allows up to 24 hours per week to pursue other career interests.

Continuing medical education

In order to keep up on continuing medical education, you may take 10 compensated days each year to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that you use to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. 

Holidays

The County offers employees 13 paid holidays each year:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • President’s Day
  • Cesar Chavez Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Juneteenth Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Indigenous Peoples’ Day
  • Veteran’s Day
  • Thanksgiving
  • Day after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas