Our Next Generation of Benefits
CLE Total Rewards is the City of Cleveland’s next generation of benefits, designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s workforce. CLE Total Rewards is a reinvention of our traditional benefits package - going beyond health care, retirement and paid time off - and offers added rewards that support work/life integration, career growth, financial well-being, and lifestyle choices. By offering an exceptional package of modern benefits and rewards, the City is helping our employees succeed in several aspects of their work life and personal lives. This is important to us.
CLE Total Rewards offers a comprehensive suite of modern benefits that can be tailored to the diverse needs and preferences of each employee to ensure every employee has a choice of benefit plans and modern rewards that leaves them feeling supported, valued, and recognized.
We are committed to delivering future-focused benefits & rewards by prioritizing innovation, flexibility, and inclusivity to enhance the overall well-being of our employees and their families. Through continuous collaboration and adaptability, we are at the forefront of employee-centric benefits and rewards. We invite you to learn more.
The CLE Total Rewards information is solely intended as a summary of the benefits available and is subject to change. Not all benefits listed are available for every position. Benefits can vary depending on applicable labor agreements and/or salary plan.
Health & Wellness
Medical Coverage & Prescription Drug Plan
Full-time employees are eligible to cover themselves and eligible family members for health care insurance. Timely enrollment is required for coverage, which becomes effective the first of the month following the date of hire. This benefit requires employee contributions.
Employees may select one of our three (3) plans as follows:
- Medical Mutual of Ohio – SuperMed Plus PPO
- Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield – Blue Access PPO
- MetroHealth CLE-Care – MetroHealth only (exclusive provider)
The Prescription Drug Plan is provided through CVS Caremark for subscribers to the Medical Mutual SuperMed Plus and Anthem Blue Access PPO. It is combined automatically with each Medical Mutual and Anthem Blue Access PPO enrollment. The MetroHealth CLE-Care plan comes with its own Pharmacy benefit included with the coverage.
Wellness Works Program – Participation in the wellness program biometric screenings and HRA qualifies employee for a 4% discount on healthcare premiums
Please note: Employee contributions to the medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision care premiums are at very competitive rates and are payroll-deducted twice per month on a pre-tax basis.
Dental Coverage
Full-time employees are eligible to cover themselves and eligible family members for dental care insurance. Timely enrollment is required for coverage, which becomes effective the first of the month following the date of hire. This benefit requires employee contributions.
Employees have a choice between two dental plans provided by Delta Dental:
- Delta Dental PPO – In-Network or Out-of-Network coverage up to $2,000 maximum per covered person; per plan year.
- Delta Dental EPO – In-Network coverage only, must use an assigned dental office. Dental benefits are paid based on a Patient Charge Schedule which lists the benefits of the EPO Dental Plan including covered procedures and patient charges.
- Both dental plans include two no-cost cleanings and exams per year
Please note: Employee contributions to the medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision care premiums are at very competitive rates and are payroll-deducted twice per month on a pre-tax basis.
Vision Coverage
Full time employees are eligible to cover themselves and eligible family members for vision insurance. Timely enrollment is required for coverage, which becomes effective the first of the month following date of hire.
The EyeMed plan is offered to all non-union and non-local 100 employees; and provides one eye exam, lenses and frames every 12 months for employee and eligible dependents. There are both In-Network and Out-of-Network benefits for the EyeMed vision plan.
AFSCME Local 100 positions’ coverage is restricted to the AFSCME eye care plan. The AFSCME vision care benefits schedule has coverage for exams, lenses and frames. Once enrolled, the employee should contact the AFSCME Union Hall for further explanation.
Please note: Employee contributions to the medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision care premiums are at very competitive rates and are payroll-deducted twice per month on a pre-tax basis.
Life Insurance
Regular full-time employees of the City of Cleveland are automatically enrolled in a no cost $25,000 group life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment plan. The life insurance plan does not start until 90 days from the hire date.
Optional term life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment plans are offered to the employee and can be purchased in $10,000 increments – up to - $300,000. A new hire enrolling in the first $50,000 within the first 30 days is guarantee issue with no medical evidence necessary. The rate is based on current age and smoker/non-smoker status and can incur increases in costs. As with all life insurance enrollments EOI (evidence of insurability) may be required. The employee should designate beneficiaries to both the Basic Life Insurance / AD&D plan and to the Optional Life / AD&D plans.
Regular full-time employees have the option of purchasing $10,000 spouse life insurance and $5,000 child life insurance. Unmarried dependent children are covered under the life insurance plan to age 25, regardless of being a full time student.
Please note: Employee contributions to the medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision care premiums are at very competitive rates and are payroll-deducted twice per month on a pre-tax basis.
Voluntary Benefit Plans
Employees may opt to participate in voluntary benefits, which are individual policies offered at a group rate negotiated by the City of Cleveland. The employee owns these policies and can keep them even when City of Cleveland employment ends. The premiums for voluntary benefits are 100% employee-paid and are deducted from the employee’s paychecks after tax on a biweekly basis.
- Disability Income Insurance - helps protect you and your family by helping you meet essential living expenses should you become unable to work due to a disability.
- Accident Insurance - an off the job accident policy. An accident can happen to anyone in the family-and with it can come unexpected expenses that are not covered by medical insurance. Can be used for living expenses or even medical copays and deductibles
- Critical Illness Insurance - employees and their covered dependents, for those serious illnesses such as cancers, heart attacks, strokes. Can be used for living expenses or even medical copays and deductibles.
- Hospital Indemnity Insurance - pays a lump-sum benefit if you or a covered member of your family is hospitalized.
- Universal Life Insurance - offers a flexible death benefit that accumulates cash value and offers a comprehensive living benefits package.
- MetLife Legal Plans - provides assistance for a wide range of legal needs including wills and other estate planning documents.
- MetLife Identity and Fraud Protection by Aura - helps safeguard the things that matter the most to you: your identity, money, and assets.
- MetLife Pet Insurance - helps make sure your furry friends are protected against unplanned vet expenses for covered accidents or illnesses. (Payment by payroll deduction not available)
Please note: Employee contributions to the medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision care premiums are at very competitive rates and are payroll-deducted twice per month on a pre-tax basis.
Salary & Retirement Planning
Paydays
City of Cleveland employees are paid every other week on Wednesdays, for a total of 26 pays per year. Elected officials are paid twice per month on the 15th and last date of the month.
Retirement Pension
Each City employee will become a member of one of two of the State of Ohio retirement plans for public employees, depending on the position. The majority of City of Cleveland employees participate with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS). Department of Public Safety uniformed police officers and fire fighters participate with the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F). Each employee becomes vested in his or her pension plan after completing five (5) years of credited service.
Currently OPERS members contribute 10% of their earned salary to OPERS, and the City of Cleveland contributes 14% based on the employee’s earned salary. The City’s contribution becomes available after the employee becomes 100% vested and has left employment with the City. For more information, visit www.opers.org.
Currently Department of Public Safety, Ohio Police & Fire (OP&F) members contribute 12.25% of their earned salary to OP&F, and the City of Cleveland contributes 19.5% based on the employee’s earned salary. The City’s contribution becomes available after the employee becomes 100% vested and has left employment with the City. City of Cleveland employees do not contribute to Social Security for retirement or disability income.
Ohio Deferred Compensation (ODC)
The Ohio Deferred Compensation Program offers employees the option of participating voluntarily in a tax-deferred supplemental retirement plan. The goal is to save for retirement while deferring taxes on your earnings. If an employee elects to participate in the deferred compensation program, he or she decides on the amount to be contributed biweekly, which can be increased or decreased at any time. That amount will be deducted from the employee’s paychecks on a pre-tax basis and deposited to the account the employee has established with Ohio Deferred Compensation. City of Cleveland employees now have the additional option to participate in an ODC Roth 457 account, which deducts contributions from paychecks on an after-tax basis. For more information, visit www.ohio457.org.
Public Loan Forgiveness Program
The City of Cleveland aims to provide relief from educational debt and ease the burden of financial stressors while promoting financial well-being through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The PSLF program is a United States government program that was created under the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 to provide indebted professionals a way out of their federal student loan debt by working full-time in public service.
The program permits Direct Loan borrowers who make 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan, working full-time for a qualifying employer, to have the remainder of their balance forgiven.
Qualifying employers include government organizations or agencies (federal, state or local), 501(c)(3) organizations and some other types of not-for-profit organizations providing designated public services. The City of Cleveland is a Qualifying Employer.
Work/Life Integration
Paid Parental Leave
Regular full-time annual and hourly rate City employees who have completed thirty (30) days of continuous employment shall be entitled to twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave during the twelve (12) month period following the birth or adoption of a child at one hundred percent (100%) of their regular base rate of pay. Parental leave is defined as a leave of absence following the birth of a newborn or the placement of a newly adopted child. Hourly rate craft employees paid on the basis of building trades prevailing wages are not eligible. The eligibility of City employees in a union-represented bargaining unit is subject to the terms of the City’s collective bargaining agreements and the requirements of Revised Code Chapter 4117.
In addition to the twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave, every eligible employee shall be entitled to up to twenty (20) hours of intermittent paid leave in a twelve (12) month period at one hundred percent (100%) of their regular base pay to attend pre-natal medical and related appointments up to the birth of a child(ren). The employee’s balance of other accrued paid leave that the City provided to the employee shall not be reduced by the taking of the foregoing leave.
In addition to the twelve (12) weeks of paid parental leave, every eligible employee who pursues a legally-sanctioned adoption shall be entitled to up to twenty (20) hours of intermittent paid leave in a twelve (12) month period at 100% of their base rate of pay to attend required meetings or interviews to obtain approval for an adoption of a child(ren). The employee’s balance of other accrued paid leave that the City provided to the employee shall not be reduced by the taking of the foregoing leave.
Read the full policy: Section A: Benefits Policies & Procedures.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Full-time employees who are eligible for health care benefits are also eligible to participate in the Flexible Spending Account program. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are valuable tax-advantaged plans. Through FSAs, an employee may set aside money pre-tax from his or her paycheck to pay for eligible out-of-pocket expenses, saving money on federal and state taxes. There are two (2) types of FSA plans under this program:
- Healthcare FSA – use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision care expenses not covered by the insurance, such as co-pays, deductibles, and medications.
- Dependent Care FSA – use pre-tax dollars to be reimbursed for eligible for child day care or elder day care expenses.
Restrictions apply if your spouse participates in Health Savings Account (HSA)
Paid Sick Time & Voluntary Sick Leave Contribution
Regular full-time employees are eligible to earn sick time at the rate of 10 hours per month. There is no limit to the total number of sick time hours that can be accumulated. Unused sick time hours roll over from year to year. Sick time is to be used in accordance with the attendance policies, related employment policies, and collective bargaining.
Eligible employees may voluntarily contribute accumulated paid sick leave for the use of another eligible employee who is unable to work due to illness. Every effort must be made by the division to ensure that all donations are received and processed before the employee’s status changes to inactive.
Paid Holidays & Personal Days
Regular full-time employees are eligible for 12 paid holidays per year: 10 observed holidays and 2 paid personal holidays. The City of Cleveland observes the following paid observed holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- President's Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
After completing ninety (90) days of the probationary period, regular full-time employees also receive two (2) Personal Holidays per calendar year.
Paid Vacation Days
Regular full-time City officers or employees, including hourly employees, with thirty (30) days of continuous service with the City are entitled to ten (10) days (two weeks) of vacation leave with full pay. Thereafter, such City officers and employees are entitled to the following vacation leave with full pay for each year based upon their total vacation leave service credit as of December 31st of the preceding year, as follows:
Continuous Years of Service | Vacation Benefit |
---|---|
1 to 5 years | 10 Days (2 weeks) |
After 5 years | 15 Days (3 weeks) |
After 12 years | 20 Days (4 weeks) |
After 22 Years | 25 Days (5 weeks) |
Leave of Absence Programs
At an employee’s request and with the approval of the appointing authority, an eligible employee may take a leave of absence from employment with the City.
The following types of leave of absence are available to an eligible City employee:
- Administrative Leave
- Educational Leave
- Family & Medical Leave Act
- Unpaid Medical Leave
- Union Leave (see applicable collective bargaining agreement)
- Funeral Leave
- Military Leave
- Personal Leave (see City Policy regarding Holidays)
- Sick Leave with pay
- Vacation Leave (see City Policy regarding Vacations)
- Jury/Witness Duty
- Paid Parental Leave (see City Policy: New Section Policies regarding Paid Parental)
Read the full policy: Section A: Benefits Policies & Procedures.
Longevity Bonus
Longevity is an annual payment based on an employee’s continuous service with the City of Cleveland. Full-time regular employees are eligible after 5 years of continuous service. Collective bargaining employees may refer to their collective bargaining agreement. Bonuses range from $300 - $800 according to an employee’s years of continuous service.
Read the full policy: Section A: Benefits Policies & Procedures.
Lifestyle Rewards
Wellness Works: Sponsor of LifeStyle Rewards
The Department of Human Resources’ Wellness Works! Program promotes a culture of well-being that supports and encourages a holistic way of living, which motivates our employees and their families to embrace an overall Well-Being lifestyle. The goals is to improve work performance, increase accountability, reduce absenteeism and decrease healthcare cost!
The Wellness Works! Program is a collection of voluntary activities, programs and environmental support strategies designed to help you meet health and wellness needs. The Wellness Works Program! Incorporates all five dimensions. Each dimension of wellness can affect your overall quality of life, because wellness directly relates to how long we live and how well we live.
The elements of these programs include but are not limited to educational programming, sponsored events, physical activity opportunities, lifestyle counseling, and preventive care screenings. They address a wide range of Well-Being needs, such as:
- Tobacco Cessation Programs
- Nutritional Coaching
- Sponsored registration fee for Charitable Walks, Races and Runs.
- Weight Management Programs: weigh challenges
- Support for Nursing Mothers; Lactation Rooms
- Health Awareness Initiatives i.e. Breast Cancer Awareness month; Men’s Health Awareness month, etc.
Corporate Partner Discounts Program
TicketsatWork offers the City of Cleveland employees with exclusive discounts and special offers for theme parks, attractions, Broadway shows, special events, hotels, concerts and movie tickets. For more information, check out the Wellness Works! Program website.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Employees and their dependents have access to a wide array of services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) voluntarily, at no cost. The EAP provides counseling and other resources to help deal with life adjustment; emotional or mental health; diet/nutrition, fitness; marital, family, financial, and legal issues. All services are confidential and available to you and your immediate family members.
Our Employees Assistance Program, ease@work, can help you reduce stress, improve mental health, and make life easier by connecting you to the right information, resources, and referrals.
This includes access to short-term counseling and a wide range of other lifestyle services:
- Mental Health Sessions
- Life Coaching
- Wellness Coaching
- Financial Consultation
- Legal Referrals
For more information, visit ease@work.
Pet Insurance
Pets make your family whole. Help cover the cost of vet visits, accidents and more with MetLife Pet Insurance. Help make sure your furry family members are protected against unplanned vet expenses for covered accidents or illnesses with MetLife Pet Insurance. Their benefits include flexible coverage with no breed exclusions or upper age limits, the freedom to visit any U.S. Licensed vet, and competitive rates with discounts.
Financial Well-Being Programs
Wealth Work$ - a Financial Well-Being Program sponsored by Enrich
As a critical dimension of our employee’s overall well-being, the Wealth Work$ Financial Well-Being Program is offered to assist all employees & their family members in achieving short-term and long-term financial goals by offering tailored tools, educational services, and program-sponsored events in an environment that ensures easy access, user-appropriate content, on-demand information, and protects confidentiality.
We encourage all employees to begin their Financial Education journey through the Money Management Platform, powered by our partner, Enrich. The platform helps you and your family members design a customized plan for achieving your financial goals all from your personalized dashboard; access information, education, interactive tools, and even chat with financial experts. For example you can explore the free budgeting tools, track your student loans in one place, or find out if you are saving enough for retirement in two minutes or less!
For more information, visit https://www.wellnessworkscle.com/enrich.html
Culture & Career Success
Internal Mobility
With more than 30 departments and divisions and 1000 job titles, employees have opportunities to achieve lateral or upward job mobility. Employees are encouraged to explore and apply for these new job opportunities should this be their strategy for professional development and growth. (Many classified jobs offer structured hourly increases; employees are able to bid on jobs that provide advancement and promotion opportunities.)
Read the full policy: Section B: General Polices & Procedures.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I)
The City's Division of Health Equity and Social Justice is committed to finding solutions to health inequities and disparities for underserved residents; and has hired Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinators across numerous City departments to implement DEI initiatives and ensure the City is welcoming ALL people – residents and employees alike.
The City is committed to creating a positive and empowering workplace culture that embraces diversity and promotes inclusivity and collaboration though education, recognition of good performance, policy development and continuous process improvement.
Safe Workplace & Safety Audits
The City is committed to ensuring a safe work environment and the tools and resources necessary to do the job for which employees are hired.
- Workplace Violence policy
- Annual Safety Audits
- Motor Vehicle Oversight Board
- Safety trainings (fire extinguisher training, ALICE training…)
Required Compliance Training and Annual Refresher Courses
To ensure all employees are current on City policies, and knowledgeable on important topics and changes in the workplace, the City requires all employees to complete a Compliance training series as well as regular refresher courses on a variety of topics. All courses are offered online through the City’s Learning Management System.
Educational Leave
With prior approval, an employee may take unpaid educational leave of absence. Criteria for applying for the leave are completion of the probationary period, no current discipline, and the operational requirements of the City.
Service Awards, Employee Recognition Events & Volunteer Projects
Led by our Wellness Works! program, the City of Cleveland believes strongly in recognizing and honoring our employees for their individual contributions to their work, as well as their personal contributions to the City and the residents they serve. Programming includes, but is not limited to Annual employee service awards, social and cultural events such as Black History Month and Women’s History Month, and numerous initiatives and events throughout the year that recognize the diversity and strength of our workforce. Employees are encouraged to volunteer by participating in organization-sponsored events, such as the Mayor’s Night Out and initiatives they personally support.
Prior Service Credits
It is the desire of the City to retain employees who are skilled in multiple facets of working within the Public Sector industry prior to working for the City of Cleveland. To incentivize people who have worked for a governmental employer in the state of Ohio in the past, the City of Cleveland allows for credit for prior service or ‘years worked’ by applying years to the employee’s vacation accrual rate and by allowing them to transfer up to 500 hours of qualifying sick time from their previous employer.
Professional Growth & Development
Professional Growth & Development Commitment
The City of Cleveland is committed to empowering our employees to seek continuous growth and development both professionally as well as personally. We challenge all members of our workforce to become lifelong learners, and work to provide opportunities for this growth. We aspire to create an environment where employees can thrive and reach their full potential in the service of our community. By providing opportunities for ongoing learning and systems to facilitate delivery of constructive feedback, we aim to provide our employees with the necessary skills and knowledge needed to meet evolving and challenging demands.
Online eLearning Course Catalog
The City uses BizLibrary as our Learning Management System. BizLibrary is made up of 13,000+ modules for professional and personal learning, covering topics from leadership and management development, to training on software or various Microsoft products.
This platform can be accessed 24/7 from anywhere with an active internet connection, allowing our staff to learn in whatever manner works best for them.
*For City of Cleveland Employee access to BizLibrary click here.
Promotional and Lateral Career Pathways
The City offers continuous learning opportunities for professional development through online, virtual instructor led, and in classroom trainings. Through this growth and development, one can find several opportunities for career advancement both within and outside their current department/division.
The city also seeks to provide opportunities for staff members to upskill or reskill to stay current with trends in an ever-changing workforce and stay up-to-date on any system updates or changes.
Paid Professional Memberships & Job-specific CEU training
The City of Cleveland offers opportunities to obtain membership in relevant professional organizations based upon your position and department approval. Additionally, classes that provide Continuing Education Credits can be offered for maintaining certifications and memberships.