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Employee Benefits
The City of Winona offers employees a wide array of benefit options designed to encourage the well-being of the employee and their family.
- Regular full time employees working 30 or more hours per week are eligible for all benefits listed below.
- Regular part time employees working 25 hours or more per week are eligible for pro-rated paid time off, one life insurance option, and retirement plans.
- Seasonal/Temporary employees are eligible for paid sick leave benefits and may also qualify for state retirement plan depending on duration of employment and amount of earnings.
- Paid Time Off
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Medical Funding Accounts
- Other Voluntary Benefits
- Retirement Benefits
Vacation
- Regular employees working 25 or more hours per week receive one week of paid vacation on date of hire with progressive accrual thereafter based on years of service.
Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST)
- Regular employees receive 3.69 hours of ESST per pay period to a maximum of 96 hours per year and 960 hours tenure total. The amount is pro-rated for employees working less than 40 hours per week.
- Seasonal/Temporary employees receive ESST at a rate of one (1) hour for every thirty (30) hours worked to a maximum of 48 hours.
Paid Holidays
- Regular employees receive 12 paid holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and day after, Christmas Eve and Day.
Compensatory Time
- Regular hourly employees may, with supervisor permission, elect to earn compensatory time in lieu of overtime pay for hours worked in excess of their normal work schedule. Compensatory time can accrue to 180 hours or more based on applicable bargaining agreement.
Other Paid Leave
- Regular employees are also eligible for other types of paid leave time including funeral leave (up to three days), military leave (up to 15 days), and jury duty leave (for duration of duty). Employees are also permitted reasonable time off of work to vote on designated federal and state polling days.
Three plan options are available through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. Employees may enroll in single or family coverage or waive coverage. Children are eligible to be enrolled up to age 26.
- Plan Options:
- Traditional PPO with lower deductible and co-pays
- High Deductible Open Blue Cross Blue Shield network Health Savings Account (HSA) eligible plan
- High Deductible Narrow Blue Cross Blue Shield network HSA eligible plan
- Monthly Employee Rates for 2026:
- Traditional PPO: $291 Single, $942 Family
- High Deductible Open Network: $215 Single, $732 Family
- High Deducible Narrow Network: $140 Single, $523 Family
One plan option is available through Humana.
- Monthly Employee Rates for 2026:
- Single $15.33
- Family $59.22
The City offers basic life coverage and employees may choose to enroll in additional supplemental life coverage for self, spouse, and children.
- Coverage through MN Life in 2024 and Symetra beginning in 2025
- City provides $20,000 basic term life insurance at no cost and matching accidental death and dismemberment
- Additional term life insurance is available for purchase for employee and spouse. Cost is variable based on amount and age of applicant
- One policy child life coverage is available. One policy covers all children up to age 26.
- Coverage through Prudential for employees eligible for the Minnesota pension plan. This plan is available for employees working 25 or more hours per week.
- Decreasing term life policy has a set amount of coverage based on employee's age for self, spouse and children, if applicable.
- Cost is $16 per month
Long term disability coverage is provided at no cost to the employee.
- 180 day waiting period beginning on date of disability before long term disability benefits begin.
- Benefit amount is 60% of employee base salary, up to a maximum monthly benefit of $8,750.
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is provided to employee, spouse and children at no cost.
- Sand Creek Group EAP offers up to four in-person sessions per issue along with phone support and a host of online resources.
- Learn to Live is an app based resource for ongoing support for stress, depression, sleeplessness, social anxiety, and more.
Employees may enroll in pre-tax payroll deduction plans designed for medical, dental, vision, and over the counter expense reimbursement.
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options available for pre-tax premiums, full medical, limited medical, and dependent care.
Additional optional benefits available include:
- Short term disability
- 30 day waiting period beginning on date of illness or injury
- Pays up to 60% of weekly wage for a covered injury or illness
- Accident Insurance
- Provides partial reimbursement for some expenses that occur due to an accident outside of work (initial accident treatment, x-ray, diagnostic exams)
- Critical Illness
- Provides a lump-sum payment for specific diagnosed conditions such as cancer, heart conditions, organ failure, neurological conditions, etc.
- Hospital Indemnity
- Provides a lump sum payment to help cover the costs associated with a hospital stay. Payment can be used to help with additional out-of-pocket costs related to a hospital stay. This can include copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and incidental hospital expenses or other expenses such as transportation and lodging needs.
City employees may be required to enroll in the Minnesota Pension program if they meet the minimum requirements in state statute. Regular employees working greater than 25 hours per week may also enroll in optional retirement plans.
- Minnesota Pension Program - automatic enrollment for eligible employees with employer contributions and vesting. Visit MN PERA Member Plans for information. The City offers General and Police & Fire plan options.
- Mission Square Retirement offers pre and post tax savings options. There is no employer contribution or vesting associated with this option.
- Minnesota Retirement Savings Plan offers pre and post tax savings options. There is no employer contribution or vesting associated with this option.