Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.

You will get paid time off for:  

• Vacation  
• Sick  
• One “floating” holiday that employees can choose when to use 
• Holidays

We recognize 12 holidays each year. All full-time employees get paid time off for all holidays. Part-time employees get paid holiday time off if the holiday is on a day they work.* 

*Unless covered by a union contract. 

If you work 20 hours or more a week, you will be enrolled in the Washington State Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). Select from the PERS 2 or PERS 3 plans, with contributions from both you and the library.

You can also join a 457(b) deferred compensation plan through Empower Retirement. This is a voluntary savings plan that lets you set aside money from your paycheck before taxes. It's an easy way to save more for retirement while reducing your taxable income.

If you work 20 or more hours a week in a permanent position, you qualify for medical, dental, and vision insurance.

You can choose from the following plans:

• Premera Medical (PPO) + Vision 
• Premera Qualified High Deductible Health Plan (QHDHP) + Vision 
• Kaiser Permanente (HMO) + Vision
• Delta Dental

You can also add eligible dependents and domestic partners to your plan.

Yes, if you're eligible for benefits, you can enroll in either an HSA or FSA depending on the health plan you choose.

If you sign up for the Premera Qualified High Deductible Health Plan: 

• You are eligible to enroll in an HSA. 
• The library makes a contribution to your HSA each year.

*Employees starting after January receive a prorated contribution. 

If you sign up for the Premera PPO or Kaiser HMO health plan:

• You are eligible to sign up for a healthcare FSA. 

Yes, if you’re eligible for benefits, you can enroll in a Dependent Care FSA. This lets you save money before taxes through payroll deduction to help pay for child or elder care expenses.

Yes. If you’re eligible for benefits, you receive free group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance. The amount of coverage is equal your annual salary, rounded to the nearest thousand.

If you work 40 hours a week, you also receive long-term disability insurance at no cost.

• Retirement savings: You can enroll in the 457(b) deferred compensation plan through Empower Retirement. It’s a voluntary, tax-deferred option to save more for retirement through payroll deductions.
• Commuter benefits: You can get a subsidized ORCA card, vanpool options, and access to a Guaranteed Ride Home in case of emergencies.
• Education assistance: You can apply for support to learn a new language or earn a degree or certificate that supports your work at the library.

If you work 20 or more hours per week in a permanent role, you can also sign up for additional voluntary benefits such as:

• Supplemental life and AD&D insurance for you and your dependents
• Personal accident insurance 
• Short-term disability insurance 
• Critical illness insurance
• Pet insurance
• Identity theft protection
• Long-term care insurance
• Washington 529 College Savings Program

Yes. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to all employees. It gives you access to health and wellness services, including:

• Counseling
• Financial resources   
• Legal services
• Childcare and eldercare referrals 
• And more! 

Yes. The library offers the RideWise program to help make commuting easier. You can use this program to:

• Carpool or vanpool
• Ride the bus or ferry
• Bike or walk to work   

You can apply for benefits such as:

• A subsidized bus or ferry ORCA card (The library pays 50% of the cost)
• Reimbursement for 50% of vanpool costs
• A Guaranteed Ride Home in case of emergencies

Yes. We offer a Tuition Assistance Program  and a Language Class Funding Program.

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP):

This program helps you grow in your career by supporting access to education. TAP prioritizes staff most impacted by systemic barriers, especially those from BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and immigrant or refugee communities. It’s a partnership between staff and the organization to help build knowledge and skills that reflect the needs of the community.

Language Class Funding Program:

We offer funding to help you learn a new language. You can use these funds for in-person or online classes, whether for credit or not, at accredited language schools, community or technical colleges, or universities.