Employee benefits are an important part of Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s total compensation program. The company’s philosophy is to provide and maintain competitive, cost effective, and flexible benefit programs that:

1. Attract and retain top talent
2. Support business needs and the changing workforce
3. Foster shared responsibility
4. Are easy to understand and administer. 

Medical: The Company offers a choice of two medical plans effective on your date of employment.  The plans and premiums vary by plan design. 

Dental: The Company offers two dental options for employees to choose from effective on your date of employment. Plans and premiums vary by design.

Vision: The Company offers vision coverage effective on your date of employment.  As long as your provider is part of the VSP network, you will take advantage of network benefits. 

Life: Term life insurance coverage is available on your date of employment. The company provides insurance at no cost calculated at 1.5 times your January 1 annual salary. Employees can purchase additional contributory life insurance in varied increments. Evidence of good health may be required.

Dependent Life: Employees that purchase contributory life insurance may elect dependent life insurance coverage for a spouse and/or dependent(s) on your date of employment. Spousal coverage can be purchased in varied increments, but cannot exceed the level of coverage of the employee. Dependent life in increments of $5,000 or $10,000 can be purchased for children less than 18 years of age, or full-time students who are financially dependent and under 23 years old.

Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Employees may purchase 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment coverage, effective on your date of employment, in varied increments.

Business Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Employees are covered with 24-hour accidental death and dismemberment business travel insurance effective on your date of employment.  The company provides, at no cost to the employee, principal sum coverage of $100,000.

Employee Assistance Program: Employees and their immediate family members are eligible to utilize the EAP effective on your date of employment. The program offers assistance in areas such as marital and parenting concerns, emotional crises, substance abuse evaluations, financial and legal difficulties and work-related problems.

Flexible Spending Accounts (Tax-free Option Plan): Employees are eligible to participate in TOP effective on your date of employment. Premiums paid for medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage can be deducted from pay on a pre-tax basis. Also, money can be deferred to a health care and/or dependent care spending account on a pre-tax basis with the money being used for health care expenses not reimbursed by insurance or otherwise, and dependent care expenses incurred while you are at work.

Retirement Plans

401(K) Plan: Employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) Plan on your date of employment.  Employees can defer up to 50% of their income, on a tax-deferred basis, to this retirement plan (unless highly compensated). The employee’s deferral cannot exceed the annual maximum 401(k) limit, set by the IRS for Plan Year. The company matches $.50 per dollar up to 6% of the employee’s contribution (3% match).  Employee contributions and the company match are fully vested and invested per the employee’s direction in various funds including company common stock.  Employees will be automatically enrolled at 3% of their income unless they elect otherwise or opt out.

401 (K) Plan Special Contribution Feature: In addition to the company match, eligible employees will receive a Special Contribution equal to 5% of eligible compensation, as long as the employee has worked a minimum of 1,000 hours during the calendar year.  The employee does not have to defer income into the 401(k) plan to receive this Special Contribution.  An employee must complete a minimum of three years of vesting service to receive the benefit upon termination

401 (K) Plan Profit Sharing Feature:  Employees who are eligible for the 401(k) plan may receive an additional contribution of 1% of eligible compensation if the Company achieves 100% of its annual Utility financial goal, as long as the employee has worked 1,000 hours during the calendar year and is employed by the company on December 31. This contribution will be made to the plan in the first quarter of the next plan year.   An employee does not have to defer income into the 401(k) plan to receive this Profit Sharing Contribution.  An employee must complete a minimum of three years of vesting service to receive the benefit upon termination.

Paid Time Off

Sick Leave:  Eligibility begins after completing six months of employment.  Employees have up to 40 hours of paid leave available for their own illness or injury or to care for an immediate family member (mother, father, spouse or child) each payroll calendar.

Short Term Income Procection Plan (STIPP):  Available for employee illness only.  this benefit provides full pay for an employee illness or disability for a maximum of 175 calendar days (LTD benefit waiting period).  STIPP is not limited to serious health conditions.

Long Term Disability: The LTD plan provides 60% of income if an employee continues to be disabled after an initial 180-day benefit waiting period. Replacement income is offset by other income such as workers compensation and social security benefits. Employees are eligible after completing one year of service. This plan is offered at no cost to the employee.

Vacation: Vacation is earned and accrued every paycheck based on the years of service.  An employee may accumulate vacation up to two times the annual rate at which it is being earned. Once this cap is attained, no further vacation hours can be earned.  New hires will accrue vacation hours but are not eligible to use them until 6 moths of employment is completed.

Personal Holidays: Employees covered by the Collective Bargaining agreement have available three personal leave holidays per year. In the first year of employment, if hired in the first quarter two days are available; in the second quarter one day is available; in the third or fourth quarters no days available during that year. Personal leave holidays are available after completing six months probationary employment. Nonunion employees are not eligible for personal leave holidays because it has been added into their vacation accrual schedule, noted above.

Scheduled Holidays: Nonunion employees are eligible for eight paid scheduled holidays effective on your date of employment. They are: New Year’s Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  Emplyees covered by the Collective Bargaining agreement are eligible for six paid scheduled holidays effective on your date of employment.  They are New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Incentive Compensation:  Currently the Company offers an Incentive Compensation Plan, which is a goal-focused incentive compensation program. The company sets profitability and incentive goals each year for this program. If the company meets targeted earnings and goals are achieved, eligible employees may receive a bonus.

Learning and Development

Training & Education: The Company supports continuous learning and will assist employees in pursuit of developmental training and educational opportunities that are mutually beneficial to both the individual and the company, when funds are available.

Employee Discounts

Preferred Service Discount/Appliance Protection Plan - Employees enrolled in the Preferred Service program, if offered by the Company at employee's location, will receive a discount of $2.00 per month after completing six months of employment.

Labor & Material Discount - Employees will receive 25% off labor (by Company personnel) and material when having services performed at their primary residence after completing six months of employment.

Employee Vehicle Discount Program - This program allows employees to buy or lease new vehicles at prices below factory invoice from participating companies.

NOTE: The Company expects to continue these plans indefinitely but reserves the right to amend or terminate them. For specific details, please refer to the applicable Summary Plan Description.