Benefits

Health Benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Employee Assistance Program of New Directions

One of the benefits of working for the City of Somerville is that you have access to the services provided by the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). This company recognizes that personal and professional stress can affect one's health and well-being. The EAP helps to reduce this stress by providing the following services:

Short-term Counseling: Whether it's a personal or professional issue, the EAP can help you find the resources to effectively solve the issue. If the issue requires longer-term assistance, the EAP will refer you to appropriate resources within your health insurance. Some of the issues resolved by the EAP include:

• Marital and Family Issues, including balancing work and family, parenting, coping with aging relatives, illness, divorce, and death of a loved ones.
• Emotional Stress, including anxiety, depression, life transitions, phobias.
• Substance Abuse, including alcohol, drugs, gambling and other addictions.
• Work Issues, including job stress and burnout, career transitions, co-worker issues.
• Legal and financial issues, including lawyer referral and debt issues.

All EMPLOYEES and their HOUSEHOLD members can use the services of the EAP!

Services are FREE!

Services are CONFIDENTIAL! The EAP maintains the privacy of all of its clients. No one from your company will ever know that you are using the services, unless you give the EAP written permission to release information. Also, no EAP information ever goes into your personnel or medical file.

Counseling services are provided by professionally trained, licensed counselors.

Marital and Family Issues, including balancing work and family, parenting, coping with aging relatives, illness, divorce, and death of a loved one.

For additional services and information regarding the EAP, please contact New Directions Health at 800-624-5544.

Flyer of EAP Services

Life, Voluntary Supplemental & Disability

Group Life Insurance

Benefit-eligible employees may elect to enroll in Group Life Insurance with Boston Mutual. This is a voluntary benefit with a 50% contribution by the employee and the City.

• Boston Mutual - Enrollment/Refusal Form
• Boston Mutual - Certificate Change Form
• Boston Mutual - Evidence of Insurability Form
• Boston Mutual - HIPPAA Fillable Form
• Life & Dental Insurance Rates
• Monthly Voluntary Term Life Rates

Voluntary Term Life Insurance 

Benefit-eligible employees may elect to enroll in Voluntary Term Life Insurance with Boston Mutual. In order to opt into Voluntary Term Life Insurance, you must be enrolled in Group Life Insurance. See the documents below for more information.

• Boston Mutual - Enrollment/Refusal Form

For more information, call 1-800-669-2668 or visit www.bostonmutual.com.

Short Term Disability 

Short Term Disability is offered through Colonial Life. If you are interested in enrollment, please contact Garth Brown directly at 617-293-7108 or by email at   garth.brown@coloniallife.com 

Learn about voluntary life insurance provided by Colonial Life Insurance Company.

Long Term Disability

Long Term Disability is offered through SunLife financial, administered through Mosse & Mosse with 60% of monthly earnings coverage.

Learn about voluntary long-term disability insurance provided by Sun Life Financial (administered through Mosse & Mosse).

Permanent Whole Life Insurance

Learn about whole life insurance provided by Boston Mutual.
 

Retirement & Deferred Compensation
 

Retirement Plans

The Somerville Retirement System

Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System

Deferred Compensation

Deferred Compensation is offered through Empower, Equitable and Nationwide. If you're interested in enrolling, you will need to contact the applicable vendor directly. 

Enrollment in a 457B is a two-part process. You will need to go to our third party administrator’s website and submit a salary reduction agreement using the following link

https://www.tsacg.com/individual/plan-sponsor/massachusetts/city-of-somerville-457(b)/    

Employees should contact TSA at (850-362-6840) with any questions.

Once you have completed that process, contact the vendor you have selected using the contact information below to make your investment elections.  
 

Information

• Employee Online SRA Tutorial
• Meaningful Notice/Plan Summary Information
• Plan Participant Guide
• TSA Online Enrollment Process

Perks & More

Blue Bikes (Formerly Hubway)

Did you know that you are eligible for a FREE Bluebikes membership through the City of Somerville?

Set up is easy:

1. Go to bluebikes.com and log in* or join with your personal phone number and email address. 
2. Under ‘Membership’, click ‘View details’. Then, click ‘Enter promo code’. 
3. Enter your promo code BIKESOMERVILLE1842 in the pop up and click ‘Submit’. 
4. If you’re asked to verify your email, follow the redirect to enter your work email address and click ‘Verify’. An email will be sent to complete verification. 
5. Once verified, you can finish signing up with your discounted rate. 
* If you already have a Lyft or Bluebikes account, log in using that account.

(View flyer)

Flowers from Bostonian Florist and Wagner Floral Designs

These two Somerville florists offer a 10% discount to City of Somerville employees:

• Bostonian Florist
• Wagner Floral Designs

New England College of Business (NECB)

City of Somerville has partnered with New England College of Business to offer a 25% tuition savings to employees and their immediate families.

Educational Benefits:

For more information: https://partner.necb.edu/cityofsomerville/ 25% tuition savings toward undergraduate, graduate, certificate programs and the Power of One single course options.

 

Founded in 1909, New England College of Business (NECB) is the oldest college dedicated to educating working adult professionals. NECB offers accredited, 100% online undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates in business administration, ethics and compliance, finance, digital marketing, accounting, international business, human resource management and healthcare administration. Graduate certificates are available in finance management and global finance trading.

• No-cost course options: Quality Customer Service, Fundamentals of Banking or Principles of Management
  • (12 months or less of employment or leadership)
• Accelerated 100% online: 8-week undergraduate and 5-week graduate courses
• Evaluations of previous college credit, prior military, and prior learning

 

T-Mobile Perks

Because of where you work, you and your family get exclusive offers with T-Mobile Work Perks.

Save 15% on Magenta^® MAX and get premium UNLIMITED Talk, Text, and Data!  --That’s a savings of over $450/year.

Requires 1 new line on Magenta MAX rate plan with Autopay and receives 15% discount on up to 5 lines.

To make the switch, call the T-Mobile Perks Line at 855-570-9947 and mention where you work.

For more information on T-Mobile Work Perks, FAQs, and to check qualifications online:

T-Mobile Work Perks / www.t-mobile.com/perks 

• New T-Mobile Customers – 1-855-570-9947
• Existing T-Mobile Customers – 1-877-334-7099
• T-Mobile Customer Care – 1-800-937-8997

Verizon Wireless Phone Service Discount

City of Somerville employees are eligible to receive a 15% employee discount for eligible wireless phone service through Verizon. (Excludes Unlimited plans)

WW (Weight Watchers Reimagined)

City of Somerville, sponsored by Somerville Employee Wellness, has partnered with WW (Weight Watchers® Reimagined) to help you reach your wellness goals. City employees are offered a cost share resulting in a 50% exclusive discount off the retail price. Join now for as low as $9.00 per month with both Digital and Digital Plus with meetings (currently virtual) memberships available.

To sign up or learn more, visit: ww.com/wellness or click here for the brochure.

Zipcar

The City of Somerville Helps Provide "Wheels When You Want Them."

Zipcar makes it easy to live and work at the City of Somerville without having to put a car on the road. The City is pleased to sponsor Zipcar membership for its employees.

You may apply for Zipcar online. Parking, insurance, and gas are included in the hourly and daily rates. Zipcars can be used by the hour or the day. Reserve online any time, pick up the car and drive.

Learning Organization Statement

The City of Somerville prides itself on being a learning organization. We believe that innovation and growth stem from learning and trying new things. Our goal is to encourage employees to be creative and learn new skills by providing easy access to opportunities for professional growth and development in a variety of ways.

Access to Training and Professional Development Opportunities

The City provides routine training on employment-related policies and best practices.

Department Heads are encouraged to work with staff to assess and plan for a variety of job-related programs to support continued learning, growth, and professional engagement of employees.

The Human Resources Department further supports learning opportunities and access when departmental budgetary constraints may arise. Additionally, the Human Resources Department administers the Non-Union Education Reimbursement Program.

Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement may be provided opportunities and/or incentives for advancing education and professional growth as outlined in the appropriate agreement.

Resources

• Non-Union Education Reimbursement Policy
• Non-Union Employee Education Reimbursement Application

Questions

For more information about professional development opportunities, programs, and access please feel free to contact the Human Resources Department at (617) 625-6600 x3300. 

MBTA Pass

Background  
We are excited to announce a new limited term program run by the City that will provide free MBTA LinkPasses to all benefits eligible staff through FY2024 (June 30 2024). Passes are good 7 days a week for unlimited travel on all MBTA subway lines, local bus lines, and the Silver Line. The goal is to both support staff and make sustainable transportation options more accessible!  

We are asking that all employees please fill out a quick five-minute survey on your current travel behavior before September 8th. Passes will be handed out via Department Heads starting in September.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Why is the City running this program? 
These programs align with Somerville’s strategic plans and goals to increase sustainable and equitable transportation options. It also aligns with our goal as an Employer to incentivize alternative means of commuting, one of the action items from the City’s 2022 Work Better Task Force report.  The City is proud to be one of the five organizations to whom the MBTA has offered this limited term Pay Per Use program, as we continue to work with our regional partners on innovative transportation policy. 

Who qualifies for a pass? 
Passes will be distributed to all benefits eligible City and Somerville Public Schools staff. Employees do not need to do anything to opt into the program; passes will be automatically distributed to all eligible employees. 

How do I get my pass?
Passes will be distributed starting in September. Employee passes will be managed by Human Resources and distributed via Department Heads. Pass distribution will happen in-person, all eligible employees will be automatically enrolled. Remote/offsite employees will need to coordinate pick up with their Department Head, pick-up will happen in person and employees must acknowledge receipt. Once you have received your pass it will stay active until the end of the program.

Will/could this benefit be applied to my existing Charlie Card?
No, all employees will receive a new pass that is unique to this program. Any CharlieCard you currently hold is separate from this program.

How will survey responses be used? 
Voluntary survey responses will be used to assess the usefulness of this benefit and help the City and MBTA understand any impacts it may have on the way employees travel. Your feedback is critical to the administration and evaluation of the limited term benefit program.
Link to survey: https://tinyurl.com/COSpass

How is my confidentiality protected? 
SomerStat will manage this survey and its responses. Results will be anonymous and only reported in aggregate. We use demographic information to ensure survey representativeness. Responses will be stripped of any personally identifiable information before being shared with the MBTA.

How does this impact parking at my jobsite/my commute to work? 
Use of the limited term transit pass is voluntary and not limited to only work-related trips. Your eligibility for parking permits will not be impacted by you receiving this pass. You can hold both a parking permit and a transit pass. 

How can I use my pass?  
In keeping with MBTA fare policy, cardholders are required to tap their transit card at a fare gate or farebox for each ride taken. Passes can be used 7 days a week, during MBTA service hours for trips of any purpose, on bus and subway across the MBTA system.  A cardholder wishing to take a more expensive mode of local transit, such as an express bus, must pay the entire fare. The pass will not work on Commuter Rail, Ferry, or Express Bus. If you wish to take a trip on any of these modes you will need to pay that fare, but can use your card when connecting to MBTA bus or subway. 

What should I do if I need a Commuter Rail Pass?
The City currently provides employees the opportunity to buy a Commuter Rail pass from the MBTA directly from their paycheck with pre-tax dollars. There is currently no Pay Per Use Commuter Rail benefit offered by the MBTA and it is not covered by this program. If you are interested in purchasing a pre-tax Commuter Rail pass please contact hradmin@somervillema.gov. 

What should I do if my pass stops working?  
If the pass is not working on fare gates or fare boxes, please ask available MBTA staff for immediate assistance. If an issue with the card is confirmed by staff, email benefits@somervillema.gov to check on the status of the card. When emailing, please send a photo of your card showing the serial number. 

What do I do if I lose my pass? 
If your card gets lost or stolen, report it to Human Resources as soon as possible. Human Resources will cancel your old card and re-issue you a new card. The sooner the card is reported, the sooner we can get you a working card. You can contact Human Resources by emailing benefits@somervillema.gov, calling x3324 or visiting the Human Resources office at City Hall. 

For City Employees: You can contact Human Resources by emailing benefits@somervillema.gov, calling x3324 or visiting the Human Resources office at City Hall. 

For School employees: please fill out this form: Lost Card Forms 

Do I need to claim this benefit on my taxes?
No, this does not qualify as a taxable benefit. 

What does it mean when you say this program is a “Pay Per Use” Program?
This is a new limited term program offered by the MBTA where employers can pay for the trips actually taken by employees on specially issued cards. This means you are free to take the MBTA bus and subway trips that make sense for you without worrying about getting the full value of a monthly pass. If you take 10 bus trips a month the City will be billed that amount (i.e. $17) not the $90 LinkPass charge. 

Fraud/Abuse Disclaimer:  
Transit passes are intended for your sole use. Upon discovery of any misuse of the benefit, such as unauthorized sale of passes, the program may ban the individual(s) from participation in the program.