Board extends $5,000 life insurance to rescue and all part-time county employees

Montgomery County commissioners on June 22 approved a measure to extend county-paid life insurance to part-time rescue personnel and then broadened that action to include all part-time county employees.

The discussion began when a presenter raised that many rescue volunteers and part-time rescue staff lacked county-provided life insurance. The controller and commissioners discussed classification rules (permanent part-time vs. irregular/seasonal) and estimated the group affected. Commissioners and staff cited a $5,000 policy for part-time employees as consistent with the county policy manual's practice (noting full-time policies are $10,000).

After discussing counts and budget impact, a motion was made to provide rescue employees with a $5,000 life insurance policy starting Oct. 1, 2026. The motion was then amended on the floor and a revised motion passed to provide all county part-time employees the $5,000 policy beginning Oct. 1. Commissioners said estimated annual premium costs would be modest (discussion cited roughly $12 per person per year and a total annual effect in the low thousands depending on the head count). The board carried the revised motion by voice vote.

Implementation: the controller will include the change in the next budget cycle and update payroll/benefit records to effect the Oct. 1 start date.