Health Benefits and Coverage

The City Flexible Benefit Plan provides an allowance for the payment of health, dental, and vision insurance premiums through the City's benefit program in the following monthly amounts:

• "Employee-only" plans: $1,560 per month
• "Employee-plus-one" plans: $1,620 per month
• "Employee-plus-family" plans (effective July 1, 2026): $1,640 per month, or 85% of the monthly premium cost for the CalPERS Gold PPO Plan (Region 2), rounded up to the nearest $10, whichever is higher.

Employees who participate in a qualified health plan through another source may instead receive $1,033.34 per month in lieu of City coverage.

For health plan information, please click the links below.

Health Benefits and Coverage

• CalPERS 2026 Health Benefit Summary
• CalPERS 2026 Regional Health Premiums - Region 2 and 3

Note: In Santa Barbara County only Anthem Blue Cross Traditional HMO; Blue Shield Access +HMO; Blue Shield Trio HMO; PERS Platinum PPO; and PERS Gold PPO are available.  Ventura County residents also have access to Anthem Blue Cross Select HMO; Kaiser Permanente HMO; and United Signature Value HMO.

Dental Benefits and Coverage

• Delta Dental Premiums

Vision Benefits and Coverage

• EyeMed Premiums

Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance

The City provides employees with Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance.

The Life Insurance benefit level is equivalent to the employees 1x annual salary to a maximum of $200,000. 

The Long-Term Disability Income Insurance benefit is 60% of monthly earnings with a maximum monthly benefit of $6,000. The minimum monthly benefit is the greater of $100 or 15% of your gross monthly benefit.

• Life Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance

Flexible Spending Account 

City employees are eligible to participate in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for qualifying medical and/or dependent care expenses.

Other Benefits

As part of employment with the City of Goleta, employees may elect to participate in additional/voluntary insurance plans through Aflac.  These plans are paid for by the employee. 

• Accident Insurance
• Cancer Insurance
• Critical Illness Insurance
• Disability Insurance
• Hospital Indemnity Insurance
• Life Insurance

The City offers a defined benefit pension plan through the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) designed to ensure the long-term financial stability of our employees. 

For employees enrolled in CalPERS or an equivalent program prior to January 1, 2013 (“classic members”), the City has contracted with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) for the 2% at age fifty-five (55) retirement plan, based on the single-highest year benefit level. As provided under state law, employees enrolling in CalPERS after January 1, 2013, (“new members” or “PEPRA members”) receive the 2% at age sixty-two (62), average of 3 years final compensation benefit level. Annual employer and employee contribution costs are determined solely by CalPERS.

All City employees participate in Medicare.  However, employees and the City do not contribute to Social Security for members of CalPERS.  This may affect Social Security eligibility if an employee eventually elects to retire with a CalPERS pension.  For more information, contact CalPERS:  https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/active-members/retirement-benefits/service-disability-retirement/social-security-and-your-pension

Deferred Compensation Plan

In addition to the CalPERS pension plan, employees may choose to participate in a deferred compensation plan to enhance their retirement. Effective January 2025, the City will provide a matching contribution to the employee’s deferred contribution account of up to $25 per pay period ($650 per year).

457(b) Deferred Compensation Retirement Plans 

9/80 / Hybrid Work Schedule 

9/80:  Subject to Department Director approval, participation in the optional 9/80-work schedule is available to full-time regular employees.  The typical work day for 9/80 participants is a nine (9) hour day Monday through Thursday. On alternating Fridays, employees will work an eight (8) hour day.

Hybrid Work:  Subject to the Department Director approval, most positions are eligible to participate in the City’s Hybrid Workplace plan.  Currently, employees must work a minimum of two days in-person, allowing up to three days remote, subject to the needs of the department. 

Holidays

City employees receive 13 fixed holidays per year and 1 floating holiday accrued upon hire and in July thereafter.  Employees receive eight (8) hours for each holiday; regular, part-time employees receive holiday benefits on a pro-rated basis based on the number of hours worked.

The following days are recognized and observed as paid holidays for regular and probationary employees:

1. New Year's Day (January 1)
2. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
3. Presidents' Day
4. Memorial Day
5. Juneteenth (June 19)
6. Independence Day (July 4)
7. Labor Day
8. Veteran's Day (November 11)
9. Thanksgiving Day
10. Day After Thanksgiving Day
11. Christmas Eve (December 24)
12. Christmas Day (December 25)
13. New Year's Eve (December 31)
14. Farmworkers Day (eight-hour floating holiday)

Vacation

Full-time regular and probationary employees in all classifications accrue vacation according to the following schedule:

1. From the date of hire through completion of three (3) years of service: 88 hours per year.
2. From the fourth (4) year of service through completion of five (5) years of service: 104 hours per year.
3. From the sixth (6) year of service through completion of ten (10) years of service: 120 hours per year.
4. From the eleventh (11) year of service through completion of fourteen (14) years of service: 160 hours per year.
5. Beginning the fifteenth year of service: 176 hours per year

Part-time regular and probationary employees accrue paid leave benefits on a pro-rated basis based on number of hours worked.

Maximum vacation accrual of 352 hours.

Sick Leave

City employees earn 12 days of sick leave at the rate of eight hours per month, accrued at the rate of 3.69 hours per pay period. The accumulation of sick leave is unlimited.

Paid Supplemental Pregnancy Disability Leave and Supplemental Paid Parental Leave

For eligible, regular employees, the City of Goleta will pay the difference between any benefit the employee receives through state SDI or other City-offered group disability insurance plan and 100% of the employee’s base salary (not to exceed ten weeks for pregnancy disability and not to exceed six weeks for parental bonding).  Click here for more details on this policy.

Employee Assistance Program

The City's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides assessment, short-term counseling, referrals, consultations, and coaching services to employees. 

Employee Assistance Program Brochure 

Transportation Demand Management Program

In order to help preserve air quality, decrease traffic congestion, conserve fuel, and promote better health for our employees and our residents, the city offers commuter benefits. The City's Transportation Demand Management (TDM) program was developed to encourage employees to use alternative means of transportation when they travel between their residence and the workplace. Under this program, employees may be eligible to receive a per-diem benefit of $7.50 per day.

Coastal Housing Partnership

The city has partnered with Coastal Housing Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local employers attract and retain valued employees by offering their workforce a wide range of housing benefits.

Coastal Housing Partnership 

License and Certification Assistance

The City offers reimbursement for the cost of licensing or certification fees, renewal fees, and test fees for all levels of professional certification or licensing for regular full-time employees.

Tuition Reimbursement

The City offers educational assistance for cost of university or college tuition or materials for courses related to an employee's job or career up to a maximum of $1,500 per fiscal year.

Tuition Reimbursement Form