Should City Amend Requirements to Receive Health Benefits?

The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday will vote on a resolution that in part would extend lifetime health care benefits to city exempt employees with fewer years of municipal service and without the need to retire.

The resolution proposes to amend the city’s code of ordinances to allow exempt employees to accrue 10 years of municipal service — with a minimum of five years of service with the City of Long Beach — in order for them to collect lifetime health care benefits, including for their family. City code presently requires exempt employees, who are not covered under a collective bargaining agreement, to accrue a minimum of 15 years of service with the city and to retire in order to receive lifetime health benefits.

In effect, the Dec. 17 resolution would require exempt employees to accrue just five years of service with the city, after which they could leave the city without retiring and still receive lifetime health benefits, while they could accept employment anywhere else.

The resolution calls to amend the amount of benefits afforded to management employees, including reducing allowable accrued sick and vacation time.

What are your thoughts on the resolution’s proposals, especially the amended requirements for lifetime health benefits? Let us know in the comments below.

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