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Proposition B

2008 Proposition B: Employees Hired After January 9, 2009*

To be eligible for retiree health benefits, employees hired after January 9, 2009* must have at least five years of credited service with a City employer: City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco City College, or San Francisco Superior Court. Other government service is not credited. Also under this Charter amendment, employees hired after January 9, 2009* must retire within 180 days of separation from employment to be eligible for retiree health benefits. That means an employee must have the credited service and the age required for retirement at the time of separation from service to be eligible for retiree health benefits. A surviving dependent may be eligible for retiree health benefits if a deceased employee accrued 10 or more years of credited service with City employers. If eligible, different premium contribution rates apply for employees hired after January 9, 2009*, based on years of credited service with the City employers:  

  • With at least 5 years, but less than 10 years of credited service, the retiree member must pay the full premium rate and does not receive any employer premium contribution. 
  • With at least 10 years but less, than 15 years of credited service, the retiree will receive 50% of the employer premium contribution for themselves.
  • With at least 15 years, but less than 20 years of credited service, the retiree will receive 75% of the employer premium contribution for themselves.
  • With 20 or more years of credited service or disability retirement, the retiree will receive 100% of the employer premium contribution for themselves.

 

2011 Proposition C: Employees Separated From Service Before June 30, 2001 and Retired After January 6, 2012

Employees who separated service from a City employer before June 30, 2001 and retire after January 6, 2012 receive the employer health premium subsidies in effect at the time of their separation. View retiree premium contribution amounts based on Proposition C. If enrolled in retiree health benefits administered by the San Francisco Health Service System: 

  • The retiree member receives 100% of the employer premium contribution defined by the City Charter.
  • The retiree pays the full premium for any other enrolled dependents. There is no employer premium contribution.

 

Getting Ready to Retire? 

Make an informed decision. First, confirm your years of credited service with a City employer with your retirement system (SFERS, CalPERS, CalSTRS, or PARS). Remember–if you were hired after January 9, 2009*, other government service is not credited for retiree health benefits eligibility. Then, contact SFHSS. A benefits analyst will review your service credits, health benefits eligibility, retiree health plan options, and premium contributions. You can also find a general benefits overview for City and County of San Francisco Employees on the Department of Human Resources website.

If you are Medicare-eligible due to age or disability, you must contact the Social Security Administration to apply for Medicare before you retire. Plan ahead. Remember, it can take Social Security up to three months to complete processing of your Medicare enrollment so plan accordingly and start the process early.

* "Hired on or Before January 9, 2009" as used in this section means employees hired on or before January 9, 2009, by the City and County, the School District, the San Francisco Community College District, or the Redevelopment Agency, excluding the following categories of employees: (1) as-needed employees who have never earned 1,040 or more hours of compensation during any 12-month period ending on or before January 9, 2009; (2) employees who have separated from employment with the Employers or the Redevelopment Agency on or before January 9, 2009, and have less than 5 years of Credited Service with the Employers or the Redevelopment Agency; (3) former employees of the Redevelopment Agency who became employees of the City and County after February 28, 2015; (4) former employees of the Redevelopment Agency who left employment with the Redevelopment Agency and became employees of the City and County before February 1, 2012; and (5) former employees of the Redevelopment Agency who have received retiree health care coverage under the Public Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act (PEMCHA) on or before February 28, 2015. 

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