Cafeteria Rates and Premiums
This page provides County of San Luis Obispo Cafeteria Contribution amounts by Bargaining Unit. In addition, it also includes the Medical, Dental and Vision premium rates, and dates for Grandfather prorated provision of Cafeteria Benefits by Bargaining Unit.
The County contributes a fixed dollar amount toward employee medical, dental, and vision premiums monthly, which is called a cafeteria contribution. The monthly cafeteria amount is determined by your bargaining unit. Benefit premiums and the associated Cafeteria contributions are accounted for on a semi-monthly basis or 24 times a year. The per pay period amount is the amount applied to and deducted from each paycheck.
If the cafeteria amount is greater than your selected premiums, the remainder of the cafeteria is paid out in employee's paychecks. If the cafeteria amount is less than your monthly premiums, the balance is the employee's responsibility.
Employees may waive medical insurance by providing proof of other group coverage, which could be an insurance ID card or a proof of other coverage statement from the insurance carrier. Employees that opt out of medical insurance are not eligible for the monthly cafeteria contribution, unless their MOU states otherwise. Please see the information regarding those grandfathered into the former cash-in-lieu policy below.
To determine your out-of-pocket costs, complete the calculations below. Add the total cost of your medical, dental, and vision premiums and subtract the cafeteria contribution. Review your specific Bargaining Unit's Cafeteria Contribution, as well as the medical, dental, and vision rates below. Please note: these calculations are solely for medical, dental, and vision premiums. You may be enrolled in other benefits that will increase your out-of-pocket costs, including ancillary insurance, flexible spending accounts, and health savings accounts. To review your out-of-pocket costs for these additional benefits, please refer to your Confirmation Statement through BenXcel.
Current Premiums and Cafeteria Contribution Rates
To determine your out-of-pocket costs for medical, dental, and vision, follow the steps below:
- Identify your specific Bargaining Unit's Cafeteria Contribution based on your medical plan enrollment.
- Identify the medical, dental, and vision plans you are electing. Write the plan names in the first column. You can review the different plans with the Employee Benefits Brochure.
- Write the monthly cost of your medical, dental, and vision premiums in the second column based on your dependent tier enrollment by plan, then add together to find your total cost.
- Subtract the cafeteria contribution from the total cost of your medical coverage. This will calculate your out-of-pocket or cash out for the month.
- Divide your monthly out-of-pocket cost in half to calculate your costs coming out of the first two paychecks each month.
| Example Calculation | Employee Calculation Template | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Elected Plan Name | Monthly Premium | Elected Plan Name | Monthly Premium |
| ADD Medical Plan (PPO, EPO, HDHP plans) | ADD Medical Plan (PPO, EPO, HDHP plans) | ||
| Blue Shield Care PPO (EE + 1) | $1,864.00 | ||
| ADD Dental Plan (Aetna DHMO or Delta PPO) | ADD Dental Plan (Aetna DHMO or Delta PPO) | ||
| Delta Dental PPO (EE + 1) | $80.67 | ||
| ADD Vision Plan (VSP) | ADD Vision Plan (VSP) | ||
| VSP Vision (EE + 1) | $14.54 | ||
| = SUBTOTAL | $1,959.21 | = SUBTOTAL | |
| SUBTRACT BU Cafeteria Contribution | SUBTRACT BU Cafeteria Contribution | ||
| BU 06 - DAIA (EE + 1) | $1,250.00 | ||
| = TOTAL out-of-pocket cost | $709.21 | = TOTAL out-of-pocket cost | |
| DIVIDE by 2 for Per Pay Period Cost | DIVIDE by 2 for Per Pay Period Cost | ||
| = TOTAL per pay period cost | $354.61 | = TOTAL per pay period cost | |
The County provides a cafeteria contribution (employer contribution) towards your medical, dental, and vision premiums. Below is a link to download an Excel Spreadsheet benefits calculator. Follow the below steps to utilize it:
- Download the 2025 Benefits Cafeteria and Premiums Calculator.
- Open the Excel spreadsheet.
- You may need to select "enable content" to access the spreadsheet content.
- Do not attempt to edit any of the cells in the spreadsheet, you will receive an error message.
- You will see error #VALUE! in the calculator if you have not entered all the necessary information.
- Use the dropdowns to select your information.
- Select your bargaining unit.
- Select your intended 2025 medical plan and medical enrollment tier.
- Select your intended 2025 dental plan and dental enrollment tier.
- Select your 2025 vision enrollment tier.
- The calculator will automatically populate the appropriate Cafeteria contribution and medical, dental, and vision premiums and it will provide you with your monthly out of pocket cost.
| Unit | Association | Classifications/County Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| 02 | SLOCEA |
Trades, Crafts, & Services Employee Only: $790.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 01, 05, 13 | SLOCEA |
Public Services, Supervisory, Clerical Employee Only: $790.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 03, 21, 22, & 14 | DSA |
Law Enforcement, Supervisory Law Enforcement, & Dispatchers Employee Only: $900.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 06 | DAIA |
DA Investigators Employee Only: $816.07 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 04 | SLOPA |
Prosecuting Attorneys Employee Only: $1,146.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 07-11 | MGMT |
Operations & Staff, MGMT. Elected Officials, Conf. Employee Only: $975.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 17 | MGMT |
County Supervisors Employee Only: $975.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 15 | SLOCSMA |
Law Enforcement Operations & Staff MGMT. Employee Only: $1,300.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 16 | MGMT |
Law Enforcement MGMT. Employee Only: $1,300.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 12 | DCCA |
Confidential Attorneys Employee Only: $1,146.00 Employee + 1: $1,300.00 Employee +2 or more: $1,625.00 |
| 27 | SDSA |
Sworn Deputy Sheriffs Association Employee Only: $900.00 Employee + 1: $1,399.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,727.00 |
| 28 | SDSA |
Sworn Deputy Sheriffs Association - Supervisory Employee Only: $975.00 Employee + 1: $1,399.00 Employee + 2 or more: $1,727.00 |
| 31 | SLOCPPOA |
Probation Officers Employee Only: $991.00 Employee + 1: $1,399.00 Employee +2 or more: $1,727.00 |
| 32 | SLOCPPOA |
Probation Officers - Supervisory Employee Only: $1,058.00 Employee + 1: $1,399.00 Employee +2 or more: $1,727.00 |
| 00 | TEMP, OTHER |
Temp-help, Contract, Other: TBD |
| Plan Name | Employee Only | Employee +1 | Family | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per Pay Period | Monthly | Per Pay Period | Monthly | Per Pay Period | Monthly | |
| Blue Shield Tandem PPO | $399.50 | $799.00 | $788.00 | $1,576.00 | $1,026.50 | $2,053.00 |
| Blue Shield Choice PPO | $454.00 | $908.00 | $898.00 | $1,796.00 | $1,170.00 | $2,340.00 |
| Blue Shield Care PPO | $490.00 | $980.00 | $972.50 | $1,945.00 | $1,268.00 | $2,536.00 |
| Blue Shield EPO | $550.50 | $1,111.00 | $1,105.50 | $2,211.00 | $1,445.00 | $2,890.00 |
| Blue Shield High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) | $394.63 | $789.25 | $780.13 | $1,560.25 | $1,016.13 | $2,032.25 |
| Plan Name | Employee Only | Employee +1 | Family | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per Pay Period | Monthly | Per Pay Period | Monthly | Per Pay Period | Monthly | |
| Aetna Dental DMO | $16.50 | $33.00 | $27.29 | $54.57 | $40.31 | $80.61 |
| Delta Dental PPO | $23.73 | $47.46 | $40.34 | $80.67 | $61.69 | $123.37 |
| VSP Vision | $4.77 | $9.54 | $7.27 | $14.54 | $11.76 | $23.52 |
Special Notice to Part-time Permanent Employees: The pro-rated cafeteria plan contribution is based on hours worked, paid leave, and/or time off granted under Voluntary Time Off Program. See below for grandfather dates by bargaining unit for part-time employees entitled to full Cafeteria benefits.
| Bargaining Unit | Grandfathered if hired |
|---|---|
| 01, 05, 13 SLOCEA | 12/14/04 |
| 02 SLOCEA | 10/03/06 |
| 03, 21, 22, 14 DSA | 02/07/06 |
| 04, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12 | 02/25/05 |
| 15, 16 Law Enforcement | No Agreement |
| 31, 32 Probation | 02/28/05 |
For grandfathered Cafeteria Cash Out dates and amounts, please refer to your bargaining unit’s MOU.