Employee Benefits

At the City of Charlottesville, we are committed to the well-being of our employees and their families. This includes our commitment to ensuring that our benefits are equitably extended to our employees, irrespective of sexual identity or gender identity. Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support your health, financial security, and work-life balance. We offer competitive medical, dental, and vision plans, generous leave policies, retirement options, and various wellness programs. Explore this section to learn more about how our benefits can enhance your life and career!

Summary of City Employee Benefits:

Summary of City Benefits

Already a current employee?

We recommend that all current City of Charlottesville employees go to HR InTouch, our employee benefits portal for in-depth benefits information.

Transparency in Coverage File (Aetna)

Consistent with the requirements of the federal Transparency in Coverage final rule, this links to a machine-readable file that displays negotiated rates for all covered items and services between Aetna and in-network providers for the health insurance plans offered by the City of Charlottesville to eligible employees.

Benefits

Employee and City Cost Share	100% City Paid
Medical Insurance	Basic Life Insurance
Dental Insurance	Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Health Care Flexible Spending Account	Long-Term Disability
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account	Employee Assistance Program
Supplemental Life Insurance	Paid Leave
Supplemental Accidental Death and Dismemberment	Gym Reimbursement Program
Voluntary Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemity	Bicycle Commuter Reimbursement Program
Voluntary Short-Term Disability	Wellness Initiatives
Voluntary Identity and Fraud Protection Insurance	Tuition Assistance Program
Pre-tax Commuter Benefit	Retirement Plan Options

Paid Leave

Type of Leave	Description	Amount of Leave Granted
Vacation Leave	Accrued based on years of service and hours worked. Available to full-time and part-time benefit eligible employees.	See section 8-1.5 Leave Accrual Rates for detailed overview.
Discretionary Leave	Additional leave for senior-level positions, including Department Directors and Deputy/Assistant Directors.	Up to 80 hours per calendar year.
Holidays	Paid leave for observed City holidays.	13 observed City Holidays, including 1 floating holiday.
Personal Sick Leave	Used for personal illness, medical appointments or exposure to contagious diseases.	See section 8-4.3 Leave Accrual Rates for combined sick leave.
Family Sick Leave	Allows employees to attend to the illness of an immediate family member.	Included in combined sick leave. See section 8-4.3 Leave Accrual Rates for combined sick leave.
Paid Parental Leave	Up to two weeks of paid leave for the birth of or adoption of a child.	Up to 2 weeks (pro-rated for part-time employees).
Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)	up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons.	Up to 12 weeks.
Bereavement Leave	Up to five calendar days or three working days of leave for the death of an immediate family member.	Up to 5 calendar days or 3 working days.
Shared Leave	Allows employees to donate leave to colleagues facing extraordinary circumstances and insufficient leave.	Based on donated leave.
Volunteer Leave	Paid leave for participating in an authorized event as a volunteer, subject to Section 9-3, Code of Ethics & Conflicts of Interest.	Up to 8 hours and all regular part-time employees are eligible to receive pro-rated leave each available each calendar year.

Employee Retirement: We invest in your future

Planning for your future is a vital part of your career journey. At the City of Charlottesville, we offer robust retirement plans designed to provide financial security and peace of mind for our employees. Whether you're just starting your career, approaching retirement, or returning as a retiree, our diverse retirement options are tailored to meet your unique needs. Explore how our retirement plans can help you build a stable and prosperous future.

The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS. There are certain provisions that must be met and the portability request must be executed within 18 months of vesting in the City's Plan.

Retirement Plans

457 Deferred Compensation Plan

Feature	457 Plan	Roth IRA
Contributions
Maximum Contribution 2024	Normal limit: $23,000. Age 50 Catch-Up: $7,500* ($30,500 total). OR Pre-Retirement Catch-Up: $23,000 ($46,000 total) All contribution limits apply to the combination of pretax and Roth contributions to the plan. Catch-up contributions cannot be combined in the same plan year*.	$7,000 $1,000 (Total: $8,000) Not Applicable No $230,000 (married filing jointly); $146,000 (single/head of household)
Contributions Reduce Taxable Income	Pretax: Yes Roth: No	No
Income Limits 2024	None. Participating is not limited by your annual income.	Modified adjusted gross income must be less than $230,000 (married filing jointly) or $146,000 (single or head of household).***
Withdrawals
Taxation of Withdrawals	Pretax: Withdrawals are subject to federal and, in most cases, state income taxes. Roth: Withdrawals are tax-free if the requirements for a qualified distribution are met. Distributions of Roth assets are qualified if a period of five years has passed since Jan. 1 of the year of your first Roth contribution (including roll-ins) and you're at least age 59 1/2 (or disable or decreased).	Withdrawals are tax-free if requirements for a qualified distribution are met (e.g., five years have passed since Jan. 1 of the year of your first Roth contribution and you're at least 59 1/2). Distributions for a first-time home purchase are also qualified.
Withdrawal Eligibility	Upon separation from service with the plan sponsor. In-service withdrawal options (e.g., after age 70 1/2, emergency withdrawals) may also be available	Withdrawals can be taken at any time. Contributions are always withdrawn first, tax- and penalty-free
Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)	Pretax: At least age 73* or separation from service, whichever is later. Roth: Beginning with RMDs due in 2024, Roth balances will be excluded from the RMD calculation. Roth was required to be part of the RMD calculation for RMDs due prior to Jan. 1, 2024.	Not applicable.
10% Early Withdrawal Penalty Tax	Pretax: 457 plan contributions and associated earning are not subject to the early withdrawal penalty tax. However, if you roll assets into your 457 plan from another type of account, the rolled-in assets may be subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty tax if withdrawn prior to the age 59 1/2, unless exception to the penalty applies. Roth: Same as pretax.	Yes, if withdrawn prior to age 59 1/2, unless an exception to the penalty applies.

Retirement FAQs

Does the City of Charlottesville participate in the Virginia Retirement System?

No, the City of Charlottesville has an independent retirement system. However, the City does have a portability agreement with VRS that applies to the Defined Benefit plans.

What retirement plans does the City of Charlottesville offer?