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Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Benefits of working here

If you are new to state government, or transferring from another state agency, you’ll enjoy a number of benefits when you come to work for the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Benefits include:

Insurance

Medical and dental: Several low-cost options are available for eligible employees.

Life: The state provides $25,000 in basic coverage at no cost to you. You may be eligible to purchase additional coverage.

Long-term disability: All eligible employees are covered by the state-paid basic plan. You may have the option to purchase additional coverage.

Visit the Health Care Authority’s Web site to learn more about insurance options.

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Leave and holiday pay

Vacation and sick leave: State employees receive a generous vacation and sick leave package. Sick leave is accrued at 8 hours per month and can be used immediately. Annual Leave can be used after six continuous months of state service and is accrued based on how long you’ve worked for the state:

Years of continuous service Vacation earned each year
1st year12 days
2nd year13 days
3rd and 4th year14 days
5th, 6th and 7th year15 days
8th, 9th and 10th years16 days
11th year17 days
12th year18 days
13th year19 days
14th year20 days
15th year21 days
16th year and up22 days

Other leave: Employees are eligible for other types of leave under certain circumstances.

  • Shared leave –If you have a severe accident or illness, you may be able to receive paid leave donated by other employees.
  • Family medical leave – You may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a newborn or newly adopted child or foster child; to care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition; or if you have a serious health condition.
  • Military leave – You may be able to receive up to 15 paid days a year if you enter active duty military service, U.S. Peace Corps or U.S. Public Health Service. You also are entitled to a leave of absence without pay, and can request reinstatement to your position after release from active duty.
  • Leave without pay – If your supervisor approves, you may take leave without pay for prolonged illnesses, maternity causes, educational pursuit or other valid reasons.

Paid holidays: As a state employee, you will receive 11 paid holidays each year.

  • New Year’s Day (January 1)
  • Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (3rd Monday in January)
  • President’s Day (3rd Monday in February)
  • Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
  • Independence Day (July 4)
  • Labor Day (first Monday in September)
  • Veteran’s Day (November 11)
  • Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
  • The day immediately following Thanksgiving Day
  • Christmas Day (December 25)
  • Personal holiday (Employee's selection each calendar year, with supervisor approval)

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Direct deposit of your paycheck

Paydays are the 10th and 25th of each month. You can save a trip to the bank by having your paycheck deposited directly into your checking or savings account at most financial institutions.

Note: If you start work between the first through the 15th of the month, you will be paid on the 25th.  If you start work on the 16th through the end of the month, you will be paid on the 10th of the following month. If either of those days falls on a Saturday, then the payday will be the day before; if on a Sunday, then the day after.

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Flexible working schedules and incentives for carpooling, biking or taking the bus

We are committed to improving the quality of life by reducing traffic congestion, air pollution and fuel consumption. To achieve these goals, we have developed a Commute Trip Reduction program that encourages employees to consider buses, vanpools, carpools, biking or walking to work. The program includes money incentives and free bus passes, as well as a guaranteed ride home in case of an emergency. Passes and bus vouchers are provided to employees to ride the bus or ferry at no charge.

We also offer flexible work schedules, such as compressed work weeks, with supervisor’s approval.

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Tuition reimbursement

Subject to availability of funds, we will reimburse your tuition costs (up to $500 per quarter or $750 per semester) when you pass an approved class.

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Training and development opportunities

We have a generous training program! We offer a variety of courses to help you build both occupational and professional skills. We also, if funds are available, may pay for you to take courses to attain or maintain professional designations and for exam fees. Under certain circumstances, we also may pay for professional membership dues or professional licenses/certificates that are not a prerequisite for employment.

You may even be given up to two hours a week to study for an approved course.

We also offer informal training, such as mentoring opportunities where you can learn from a more experienced employee, rotational assignments to help you build your skills in other areas of the agency, and cross-training within your unit.

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Retirement

If you are new to state service, you can choose between two retirement plans (PERS Plan 2 or PERS Plan 3) through the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). To learn more about the two plans, see the Department of Retirement Services’ Web site.

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Deferred compensation

You can choose to defer a portion of your pre-tax income, invest it and watch it grow tax-free until you retire. For more information and enrollment forms, visit the Deferred Compensation Program’s Web site.

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Flexible spending accounts for medical expenses

You can set aside pre-tax money to pay for certain medical expenses, and save up to 40 percent on each dollar. For more information, visit ASIFlex’s Web site.

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Tax-free child or elder care

The Dependant Care Assistance Program saves you money on babysitting, daycare and in-home care for an older dependent by using pre-tax money to pay for those expenses. For more information, visit ASIFlex’s Web site.

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Updated 12/01/2011

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