Ellis County
ABOUT ELLIS COUNTY
Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities with Ellis County.
Located in North Central Kansas, Ellis County was established on February 26, 1867. It was named for Lieutenant George Ellis of Company I, Twelfth Kansas Infantry, who was killed at the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas on April 30, 1864. In October, 1867, a petition requesting organization of the county was presented to Governor Samuel J. Crawford. Once approved, commissioners were appointed, and Hays City was made the temporary county seat. At a special election in April of 1870, Hays City was made the permanent county seat. As of the 2010 Census, the county population was 28,452. Ellis County is the official German Capital of Kansas. German immigrants settled in Hays, Ellis, Victoria, and nearby villages in the 1870s and 1880s.
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
KPERS / KP&F RETIREMENT BENEFITS
KPERS (Kansas Public Employees
Retirement System) is a retirement plan administered by the State of Kansas for public
employees. If you are an employee in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Department, Sheriff’s Department, or Rural Fire Department, you will be a
member of KP&F (Kansas Police & Fire). Both provide retirement,
long-term disability, and death benefits for Ellis County
classified employees. Participation in KPERS / KP&F is required by law for
all employees who work over 1,000 hours per year. Both the County and employee
contributions to the retirement program are fixed by state statute.
Basic Life Insurance: Basic
Life Insurance is available to all classified employees of the County when they
become members of KPERS and is equal to 150% of a member’s annual compensation.
KP&F members do not have the basic life insurance benefit.
Optional Life Insurance: Optional
Group Life Insurance is available to all employees of the County when they
become members of KPERS or KP&F. The insurance is provided through
Minnesota Life Insurance Company. Premiums are paid by the employee, and the
maximum is $250,000 of protection.
DEFERRED COMPENSATION PROGRAMS
All County employees may participate
in the deferred compensation plans offered through ING, Waddell & Reed, The
Hartford, and ICMA Retirement Corporation. The amount designated by the
employee is invested for the employee and is exempt from federal income tax
until withdrawn. The purpose of these plans is to encourage employees to build
a financial reserve for retirement. Deferred compensation is an IRS-approved
method for deferring federal and some state income taxes on savings until
retirement. Taxes are paid on the savings and earnings when withdrawn, usually
during retirement when the employee is presumably in a lower tax bracket.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT
Ellis County
offers the AFLAC Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Flexible Spending Account. This is
an employer-sponsored program that can save tax dollars by allowing employees
to use pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible benefits. Employees may elect to
have a specified amount deducted from their salary to handle out-of-pocket
medical expenses and/or dependent daycare expenses.
OTHER OPTIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL INSURANCE PLANS
The County offers additional
supplemental insurance plans to classified employees through AFLAC including Cancer,
ICU, Vision, Dental, Accident, and Specified Health Event. These premiums are
deducted on a pre-tax basis. Short-term Disability and Life Insurance are also
offered but not on a pre-tax basis.
HEALTH, DENTAL & VISION INSURANCE
All classified employees are
eligible for health insurance through Ellis County.
The health insurance premium, which
includes health and dental, is paid 95% for full-time employees and is prorated
for classified part-time employees. The
health insurance is through the State of Kansas
and includes plans from the following health care networks: Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Coventry/Preferred
Health Systems, and United Healthcare. All plans include Caremark
Prescription Drug Benefit, which provides a co-pay of 20% for generic drugs and
35% for preferred brand name drugs, and Preferred Lab Benefit Program through
Quest Diagnostics which covers 100% of eligible outpatient lab tests.
Dental coverage is provided by
Delta Dental and includes two free exams and cleanings per person per year, as
well as coverage for basic restorative services at an enhanced benefit of 20%
as long as you have taken advantage of at least one of the free exams and/or
cleanings that year. Major restorative
services are also covered.
Vision coverage is provided
through the state by Superior Vision Care and is paid 100% by the
employee. The County also offers vision
coverage through Vision Care Direct, which is also paid 100% by the employee.
ADVANCE LIFE INSURANCE
All classified County employees
are eligible for life insurance in the amount of $15,000 through Advance Life
Insurance.
CANCER INSURANCE
Ellis County
also offers cancer insurance through Loyal American Life Insurance Company and
Philadelphia American Life Insurance Company.
Premiums for these plans are deducted on a pre-tax basis.
LONGEVITY BONUS
All classified County employees
are eligible for a longevity bonus based on the following schedule:
After 2 years of service 2%
of annual salary
After 5 years of service 3% of annual salary
After 10 years of service 4% of annual salary
After 15 years of service 5% of annual salary
ESCROW PAYMENTS
All County employees can have a
specified amount deducted from their earnings to be put in an “E-Z Pay” account
to cover their taxes (motor vehicle, personal property, or real estate).
PAID HOLIDAYS
Classified full-time and
part-time employees of Ellis
County receive the
following 10 days as paid holiday leave:
New Year’s Day Veteran’s
Day
Good Friday Thanksgiving
Day
Memorial Day Thanksgiving
Friday
Independence Day Christmas
Eve
Labor Day Christmas
Day
PAID TIME OFF
Paid Time Off (PTO) is available
to all classified employees. PTO hours will be accrued for 24 pay periods each
year and is based on the employee’s number of years of service with the County.
Upon termination of employment, accrued PTO hours will be paid out at the
employee’s current hourly rate of pay.
EXTENDED LEAVE
All classified employees will
have access to an Extended Leave Account, which will be established when an
employee has accrual hours exceeding the maximum PTO accrual on his/her
anniversary date. Upon termination of employment, hours in an employee’s Extended
Leave Account will be paid out according to the schedule outlined in the Union
Contract.
FMLA LEAVE
All eligible employees may
receive up to a total of 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave per calendar year.
For more information, or if you have any questions about employment opportunities with Ellis County, please contact:
Lisa Campbell
Human Resources Generalist
Ellis County
PO Box 720
Hays, KS 67601
785-628-9410
[email protected]