Open Enrollment for Your 2026 City of Seattle Benefits Begins Now!
The annual Open Enrollment period for your City of Seattle benefits starts on October 6 and runs through 11:00 pm, October 31. Open Enrollment is your opportunity to make changes to your 2026 City of Seattle benefits package. Remember that you need to make your HealthCare Trust benefit selections during October, as well.
During the City of Seattle’s Open Enrollment period, you can update your current benefits plans, enroll in new coverages or cancel current ones, and add or remove dependents from your coverage. You can also set up your Flexible Spending Account (FSA) contributions for health and daycare accounts, and update your beneficiaries for your Life and AD&D insurance.
- You’ll find more information about your options on the Seattle.gov Human Resources website and in the Open Enrollment Benefits Highlights for 2026 guide. The City also provides an Open Enrollment job aid that guides you through the process.
- Webinars are scheduled throughout October on open enrollment, FSAs, and 2026 plan rates. Visit the City’s Open Enrollment webpage for the full webinar schedule.
- You should receive a letter from the City about Open Enrollment. Click here to view the online version of the letter for Seattle Fire Fighters.
Make your Open Enrollment selections through Workday. If you’re satisfied with your current benefits, no action is required, except for updating your Flexible Spending Account elections.
Any changes you make during Open Enrollment will take effect on January 1st of the following plan year.
2026 City of Seattle Benefit Changes
This section summarizes the changes for the upcoming plan year. Detailed information about all the plans is available here.
Flexible Spending Accounts
- Health Care FSA
- Maximum contribution increased to $3,300.
- Carry-over amount from 2025 to 2026 increased to $660.
- Group Term Life Basic Plan
- Premium increased by 54.7%. Total rate $0.116/$1,000 of coverage. Employee portion $0.070/$1,000; City portion $0.046/$1,000.
- Supplemental Employee Plan
- Premium increased by 33%. See chart below for monthly cost per $1,000 of coverage.
- Supplemental Spouse/Domestic Partner Plan
- Premium increased by 33%. See chart below page for monthly cost per $1,000 of coverage.
2026 Supplemental Employee and Spouse / Domestic Partner Premium
| Your Age | 2026 Monthly Cost Per $1,000 of Coverage |
|---|---|
| 18-29 | $0.032 |
| 30-34 | $0.047 |
| 35-39 | $0.063 |
| 40-44 | $0.088 |
| 45-49 | $0.149 |
| 50-54 | $0.227 |
| 55-59 | $0.354 |
| 60-64 | $0.541 |
| 65+ | $0.942 |
Important Notes
We strongly recommend taking advantage of the City’s FSA options and, if you haven’t already, enrolling in the City’s Group Term Life Insurance program. It’s an affordable way to provide your loved ones with additional financial security.
Flexible Spending Accounts: Open Enrollment is your chance to participate in the Flexible Spending Account program, which includes both Health and Daycare options. Remember that re-enrollment in FSAs is not automatic—you must actively enroll each year, regardless of whether you participated in the previous year.
To learn more about your FSA options:
- Read our article “Do You Know Your FSA Benefit Options?”
- Visit the City of Seattle Benefits website page for Fire Fighters Local 27, then look for the “Optional Plans” subhead and click on the “Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) option.
Life Insurance: If you choose to increase your existing life insurance coverage, the insurance carrier must first approve your Medical History Statement before the change becomes effective.