Orbis Cascade Alliance strives to provide competitive and cost-effective benefits for its employees, as we recognize that benefits greatly impact the economic and personal welfare of employees. The total cost to provide the benefit program described below is a significant supplement to each staff member’s salary. All benefits below are for full time employees. Employees half time and above earn benefits proportionally to the below list.

Health Insurance

The Alliance offers employees a choice of health and dental plans. Vision plans are included with each plan.
The Alliance pays the entire cost of an individual’s premium to an Alliance sponsored medical and dental plan, as well as the cost of all dependents’ coverage through any Alliance sponsored plan. Domestic partners are eligible to participate.

Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association Plan (VEBA)

The Alliance provides a VEBA to all staff, making a monthly contribution to allow employees to defray the costs of out-of-pocket medical expenses.

Vacation

All Alliance staff accrue 20 days of vacation in the first year, and this grows to 25 days over years of employment.

Sick Leave

Sick leave accrues at the rate of 8 hours per month, up to 12 days per year.

Holidays

The Alliance recognizes the following nine days as paid holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Friday following Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Additionally, staff receive up to two floating holidays (personal days) a year to use at their discretion.

Life and Disability Insurance

The Alliance pays the full cost of life, short and long term disability insurance for all staff.

Retirement

Staff members may begin contributing to the Alliance’s tax-deferred 401(k) retirement benefit plan through payroll deduction shortly after employment begins. Staff who have completed three months of service are eligible to receive an employer contribution to the plan.

If the staff member contributes 2 percent of base salary to the plan, the Alliance will contribute 9 percent of gross salary; the Alliance makes a 3 percent contribution regardless of any staff contribution. Thus, the maximum an employee could receive is 12% from the Alliance. Each fiscal year, eligible employees accrue 9% contribution until 500 hours have been completed, when an accrual contribution is made. The employer contributions will be made for eligible staff members upon completion of appropriate enrollment forms.

All employee and employer contributions are directed to plans made available on our Principal platform, and staff have access to an investment advisor. Employer contributed funds are vested after one year of employment with the Alliance.

Work Week

The standard work week for non-exempt Alliance staff members is 40 hours.

Pay Periods

Alliance staff are paid once a month at the end of the month.

Alternative Work Schedules

In support of a culture that values work-life balance while still maintaining the Alliance’s commitment to our members, the Alliance permits alternative work schedule options. Alternative work schedules, including such arrangements as part-time schedules, compressed work weeks, teleworking and job sharing, can allow employees to address personal issues while still fulfilling their responsibilities to constituents and customers.

Eligibility for participation in any alternative work schedule arrangement will depend on an assessment by the supervisor that the proposed work schedule will enable the employee to fully meet their job responsibilities and constituent needs.

Additional Benefits

The following benefits are also available to Alliance staff:

• Bereavement leave
• Jury duty leave
• Family leave
• Paid parental leave

The Alliance has an expansive definition of family to support employee’s family relationships.

Notices

Although staff benefits are determined in consultation with staff annually, the above staff benefits are subject to change without notice. The Alliance does not allow employees to convert benefits into cash payments or other forms of compensation.

Orbis Cascade Alliance is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity in the workplace.