Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver announced that Commonwealth employees can save money on transit and parking expenses through a new commuter benefit. Eligible employees under the Governor’s jurisdiction can now set aside a portion of their pay on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified transit and parking expenses.
“Commonwealth employees show up to work each day to serve their fellow Pennsylvanians. With this new benefit, they can make their trip to work more affordable,” said Secretary Weaver. “We’re also helping to incentivize the use of mass transit services that reduce traffic congestion and environmental pollution, as well as provide access to jobs and essential services for thousands of people.”
The Internal Revenue Code permits employers to provide a qualified transportation benefit program (commuter benefits) to eligible employees. Under the program, employees may set aside money from their paychecks on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualifying expenses such as parking and transit, such as a bus, subway, or train. Fuel and use of a personal vehicle are not qualifying expenses.
Jawnt, a Pennsylvania-based company, will administer the new benefit.
“As a Philly-founded company, we’re incredibly proud to support Commonwealth of Pennsylvania employees with better access to affordable, reliable transportation to and from work,” said Jeff Stade, CEO and Co-Founder of Jawnt. “At Jawnt, we believe commuter benefits should be simple and accessible for everyone—and we’re thrilled to help make that a reality for the people who keep Pennsylvania running.”
In addition to offering rewarding work and opportunities for career growth, the Commonwealth also provides a comprehensive benefits package that emphasizes physical and mental health, work-life balance, and personal well-being, including:
- Affordable medical, dental, vision, and prescription plans through the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund (PEBTF) to ensure employees and their families are covered from day one. The fund recently announced the elimination of all waiting periods for new hires and dependents to enroll in benefits without paying additional out-of-pocket costs. Benefits are reviewed regularly to ensure they keep pace with the private sector and meet the evolving needs of our workforce.
- Paid leave that includes holidays, vacation, and sick leave to allow employees time to recuperate from illnesses, spend time with loved ones, and relax. Last year, the Shapiro Administration increased support for Commonwealth employees and their families by increasing paid parental leave benefits from six weeks to eight weeks.
- Flexible retirement plans to help plan for the future, as well as a voluntary deferred compensation plan to boost retirement savings.
- Wellness benefits, such as confidential counseling and financial and legal support, at no cost, through the State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP) for employees and their families. New work/life benefits were added last year to help balance the demands of work and family, and the Shapiro Administration increased the number of no cost counseling sessions for mental health, substance misuse, and family issues covered by SEAP.
- Employee discounts and optional benefits such as insurance for home, auto, life, pet, chronic illness, and disability and tax-advantaged accounts to pay for health care and dependent care expenses.
- Education assistance for employees and their dependents, including tuition discounts and scholarships at a growing number of colleges and universities, as well as reduced interest rates on student loans.
- Additional support for military personnel and veterans, including up to 15 days of paid military leave annually, up to five years of unpaid leave for service, a monthly stipend while on unpaid leave for active duty, and options to maintain health insurance coverage and purchase service time toward retirement while on long-term leave. Veteran job seekers may also be entitled to hiring preference when applying for jobs with the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to employment.pa.gov to browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and be notified when new jobs are available.
# # #