MERS 457

MERS 457 Plan Adoption
At the City Commission meeting on May 26, the Commission approved the adoption of the MERS 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. Tammy Marier from MERS will be available for one-on-one employee meetings to enroll any interested full-time and regular part-time employees in the plan and allow for time to answer any questions on their pension or HCSP. Two dates
are available for employee meetings with Tammy:


• June 25 at the MSC first floor training room from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• June 30 in the Finance conference room at City Hall from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.


Please contact Tammy to schedule an appointment with her. Tammy can be reached by email at tmarier@mersofmich.com,
517-703-1217 by phone and 906-360-0105 cell/text

City Work Share Program

The City of Marquette will be implementing a Work Share program as a first line counter to anticipated budget shortfalls. Michigan’s Work Share program allows employers to keep employees working with reduced hours, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. For example, an employee working a 40-hour workweek will be furloughed for eight of the 40 hours, or 20% of the week. The employee will be paid 80% of their salary for the week and collect 20% of the Michigan unemployment benefit they qualify for. The maximum weekly unemployment benefit from the State of Michigan is based on an employee being paid $17/hour regularly who would be entitled to $364 weekly. Our City staff would see 20% of the $364 or $72 weekly. Currently, anyone receiving unemployment benefits due to COVID-19 are also eligible to receive the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation of $600 per week in addition to their Work Share benefit. The City will be filing for benefits for each affected employee and will handle recertifying benefits on a weekly basis.

Excluding emergency responders (Police and Fire), each department will be required to furlough all full-time employees one day a week. The furlough will be one day every week until July 31 and will start next week (June 15). The furlough day can be any day of the week, but departments will be required to remain available to the public for the normal work week. Furlough schedules will be at the discretion of the Department Head.

This action will potentially save the City an estimated $183,000 through the end of July and will be a tremendous help in overcoming the estimated budget shortfall of $1M in the current fiscal year alone.

Further Information:

Taxes will not be withheld from the unemployment benefit payments you receive. Depending on your individual tax situation, you may owe money for taxes for 2020. Please talk with your tax advisor and consider putting some money aside for this purpose.

Payment:

Payments will automatically be made to you via a Bank of America debit card unless you set up your direct deposit information with the Unemployment Insurance Administration (UIA). I would strongly recommend you go the direct deposit route. Instructions on how to do that are included in the attached guide. If you do not set up direct deposit, your benefits will be loaded on a Bank of America debit card. This is the default payment for your benefits and everyone will receive one of these cards; however, if you set up your direct deposit there will not be anything loaded onto it. Please be aware that there are fees for using the Bank of America debit card and it is highly recommended that you set up direct deposit.

Online Account Information:

When you create and log in to your UIA account online, the website will look the same as the regular unemployment landing page. Your weekly benefit amount for Michigan Unemployment will show, but the Federal benefit ($600) will not show until your claim has been certified by the City. There may be some other things you notice as well, feel free to reach out with questions, but just know that many of the links and things you see will be geared towards the typical unemployed person, not necessarily someone on the Work Share Program. You do not need to search for work at this time.

The attached guide explains how to set up an account and direct deposit. If you require assistance with this process, please make an appointment with me (shobbins@marquettemi.gov or 225-8104) and I will arrange a time to assist you.

Attachment

Health Insurance Open Enrollment

The annual open enrollment period for selecting your health insurance plan is almost here!  Informational meetings with 44 North will be held on the following dates.  This is your opportunity to ask questions and sign up for either the Core, Buy-up, Buy-down, Modified Buy-down plans, or Opt-out for the coming plan year. Health insurance election forms can be submitted online at https://www.marquettemi.gov/healthinselectionform/.

GoToMeetings

Monday, June 1, 2020

9:00 AM

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/294649909

+1 (872) 240-3212 Access Code: 294-649-909

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

2:00 PM

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/545388229
+1 (646) 749-3122 Access Code: 545-388-229

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

11:00 AM

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/347624029
+1 (312) 757-3121 Access Code: 347-624-029

In-Person Meeting @ MSC Training Room

Limit 10 People per Session

Monday, June 8, 2020             9:00 a.m.

Monday, June 8, 2020            10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020            12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020            1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9, 2020            3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020     9:00 a.m.

Wednesday, June 10, 2020     10:30 a.m.

Contact Michelle at X8584 to schedule a time.

Please attend one of the meetings for a full explanation of plan changes and to enroll in a plan option.If you wish to meet individually with 44 North, a time can be scheduled after the informational meeting.  Anyone who does not enroll in one of the Health Plan options by June 19, 2020 will be automatically enrolled in the Core Plan for the year. 

Printable Schedule

Election Form Info

44N Employee Benefit Booklet


Section 125 - Open Enrollment

The City of Marquette offers Flexible Medical Spending Accounts and other voluntary benefits through a Section 125 Plan. Cafeteria plans, or plans governed by IRS Code Section 125, allow employers to help employees pay for expenses such as health insurance with pre-tax dollars. The City offers the Section 125 Plan to all full-time, active employees.

This year, due to CDC guidelines for social distancing, the City has worked together with our Section 125 Plan vendor, American Fidelity, to develop options for enrollment to be done digitally. American Fidelity has provided a video tutorial for enrollment and setting up an account.

Open Enrollment Week
The Open Enrollment window will be May 18-22, 2020. For those without computer access or anyone that would like assistance from the American Fidelity Account Manager, several sessions have been scheduled to take place the week of at the Municipal Service Center in the first floor training room. You will still need to schedule an appointment at this link to meet with him and maintain social distancing requirements while doing so; however, the representative will be available in person to answer any questions or walk you through the process of signing up or signing off as required. He will be available during the following times at the MSC:
Monday 1-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
If you choose to self enroll please do not schedule an appointment.

To self enroll during open enrollment week by either signing-up or signing-off use the following link:

  1. To access the online enrollment site, go to
    www.afenroll.com/enroll.
  2. At the login screen, you will enter the site using the
    following information:
    • Type in your user ID:
    Your Email Address
    • Type in your PIN:
    Six-digit DOB in MMDDYY format

Please note the user ID is your email address you would use to check your pay stub through the employee portal.

Please contact Human Resources if you have any questions.

American Fidelity - Section 125 Open Enrollment

The City of Marquette offers Flexible Medical Spending Accounts and other voluntary benefits through a Section 125 Plan.  Cafeteria plans, or plans governed by IRS Code Section 125, allow employers to help employees pay for expenses such as health insurance with pre-tax dollars. The City offers the Section 125 Plan to all full-time, active employees.  

This year, due to CDC guidelines for social distancing, the City has worked together with our Section 125 Plan vendor, American Fidelity, to develop options for enrollment to be done digitally.  American Fidelity has provided a video tutorial for enrollment and setting up an account.  

GoToMeeting - All Are Encouraged to Attend One of the Two Sessions

These online sessions will give employees a chance to hear from the American Fidelity Account Manager about the different plan options from the comfort of their own office.  Don't forget to visit the GoToMeeting website prior to attending to ensure you've downloaded any necessary software or the app here


Tue, May 12, 2020 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM (EDT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/918062949
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States (Toll Free): 1 877 309 2073
Access Code: 918-062-949

Thu, May 14, 2020 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM (EDT)
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/290109685
You can also dial in using your phone.
United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679
Access Code: 290-109-685

Open Enrollment Week 

The Open Enrollment window will be May 18-22, 2020.  For those without computer access or anyone that would like assistance from the American Fidelity Account Manager, several sessions have been scheduled to take place the week of at the Municipal Service Center in the first floor training room.  You will still need to schedule an appointment at this link to meet with him and maintain social distancing requirements while doing so; however, the representative will be available in person to answer any questions or walk you through the process of signing up or signing off as required.  He will be available during the following times at the MSC:

  • Monday 1-4:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday-Thursday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

If you have any questions, feel free to call or email Human Resources.

Open Enrollment

We are working through the logistics of open enrollment and employee education sessions should they need to be done differently this year in accordance with ongoing social distancing requirements for health and safety purposes. We are working with our Section 125 vendor, American Fidelity, on the same logistics for enrollment (sign up or sign off) on those benefits as well. American Fidelity is able to offer a self-service online enrollment option this year so there will be no face-to-face meeting with a representative for those that do not require it. Staff should expect an email shortly with information from American Fidelity.

City of Marquette Policy Manual

Administrative policies have been formatted into one single administrative manual that will be placed on the Employee Portal for easy access from any computer with internet access. Once this system is operational, employees will no longer receive paper copies of new or updated policies along with individual acknowledgement forms proving their receipt of the policy. The new administrative manual will include just one acknowledgement form going forward.

Operations Update Relevant to Stay Home, Stay Safe Governor’s Executive Order

With the extension of the stay home order, the City Manager has informed us we will remain at a Tier 3 in the City’s plan through May 15th. As that date gets closer, we will re-evaluate. Employee pay and benefits are being maintained at status quo. All of our staff is still readily available during business hours by phone and email should you have any questions about your pay, benefits, etc. during this time.

COVID-19 Finance Essential Staff

All support staff are officially designated as “necessary” to conduct the minimum basic operations of the City of Marquette. This designation applies to each staff member on the day s/he is scheduled to work in the building. This includes the following personnel:
• Terra Bahrman, Accounts Payable Clerk
• Ellen Britton, Staff Appraiser
• Katie Burnette, Staff Accountant
• Amanda Gerber, Assessing Technician
• Amber LaMarre, Customer Account Clerk/Cashier
• Linda Poole, Deputy Treasurer
• Rachel Quayle, Customer Account Clerk/Cashier
• Christina Tyynismaa, Utility Billing Clerk


Finance administration is officially designated essential in order to conduct the minimum basic operations of the City of Marquette:
• Gary Simpson, Chief Financial Officer
• Mary Schlicht, City Treasurer
• Miles Anderson, City Assessor

MDLive

The CDC has recommended social distancing as a way to “flatten the curve” and using telehealth services is one way to do that. For MDLive, benefits can be accessed at www.mdlive.com/44North, by downloading the MDLive app, or by calling 888-548-4251.

MarquetteMI.Gov
City of Marquette - Government

City of Marquette - Government

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This is the official page for the City of Marquette.

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Contact Info

City Hall:

+1 906-228-0435

300 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette, MI 49855

Municipal Service Center:

+1 906-228-0444

1100 Wright St., Marquette, MI 49855

Tourist Park Reservations:

+1 906-228-0465

 

Hours

City Hall:

M-F: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

Municipal Service Center:

M-F: 7:30 am - 4:30 pm

Closed Saturday and Sunday

Police and Fire on duty 24/7

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