Membership Information
All full-time and part-time Illinois SWCD Employees are part of the ISWCDEA. To be considered an active member of the ISWCDEA, employees will pay annual ISWCDEA dues. By paying dues, active members are able to vote in the election of the ISWCDEA representatives for their respective area as well as the Officers of the ISWCDEA Board. Active members also are able to vote on amendments of the ISWCDEA By-laws.
Membership dues are $10.00 per year. In order to be considered active for the upcoming calendar year, dues should be paid by December 31st of the current year. If a new employee is hired, a sixty-day (60) grace period will be allowed for the new employee to pay the dues and still be considered an active member of the current year. See the bylaws Article IV, Section 2.
Your paid membership will help defray costs incurred with statewide employee functions, assist in employee program development and send delegates to represent Illinois at Regional and National Association Meetings. The paid membership also helps pay for the employee association costs for annual meeting/winter training and summer conference.
SWCD employees are not the only ones that may have a paid membership to the ISWCDEA. We welcome and appreciate associate memberships from SWCD Boards, individual board members, AISWCD Board members, employees from our partner agencies and other interested persons.
2024 ISWCDEA dues are payable now through December 31, 2023. For a printable 2024 Dues Form, click here.
Membership dues are $10.00 per year. In order to be considered active for the upcoming calendar year, dues should be paid by December 31st of the current year. If a new employee is hired, a sixty-day (60) grace period will be allowed for the new employee to pay the dues and still be considered an active member of the current year. See the bylaws Article IV, Section 2.
Your paid membership will help defray costs incurred with statewide employee functions, assist in employee program development and send delegates to represent Illinois at Regional and National Association Meetings. The paid membership also helps pay for the employee association costs for annual meeting/winter training and summer conference.
SWCD employees are not the only ones that may have a paid membership to the ISWCDEA. We welcome and appreciate associate memberships from SWCD Boards, individual board members, AISWCD Board members, employees from our partner agencies and other interested persons.
2024 ISWCDEA dues are payable now through December 31, 2023. For a printable 2024 Dues Form, click here.
Employee Benefits
Insurance
Retirement
Scholarship
Illinois SWCD employees do have a group insurance plan available to them. Vision and Dental Coverage are available to all that enroll in one of the medical coverage plans. There are several medical plans for employees to choose from. Any SWCD employee who works a minimum of 50% of the regularly scheduled hours for their field office is eligible to participate in the SWCD of Illinois Employee Health Plan at their own expense. SWCDs have the option of subsidizing the employee’s premium. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) subsidized premiums for full time (37 hours weekly) Administrative Coordinators (AC) and Resource Conservationists (RC). The Benefit Choice Period to make changes to health plans may be done from May 1st through May 31st of each year. This is the only time that changes other than qualifying changes can be made. IF members make changes to their health plans they must fill out the membership correction/change form and submit the signed form to the administrating SWCD. New SWCD employees, click here for information regarding insurance benefits and options. For more information about the policies, plans or to get copies of forms, please to the Illinois SWCD insurance web page http://www.montswcd.com
Retirement
Not every SWCD in Illinois has a retirement plan; however, in 1996 there were many districts that signed up for a 457 plan through PEBSCO. PEBSCO is now Nationwide Retirement Solutions. These 457 plans are owned by the district, but the money belongs to the employee that is contributing to the plan. 457 plans are payroll deduction only plans. If your district has a 457 plan or would like to investigate getting a 457 plan for their employees, our contact’s name is below. Don Regan Cell: 309.660.2917 Fax: 855.282.7912 Email: regand2@nationwide.com Website: www.nrsforu.com
Scholarship
Beginning in 2005, the ISWCDEA created a scholarship. Those eligible to apply must be active members (dues-paying) of the Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District Employees Association or a member of an employee's immediate family (including stepchildren). The scholarship application will be available in May of each year. Notification of application acceptance will be emailed to employees by the ISWCDEA. Applications must be turned in by the deadline announced with the notification to be considered. The scholarship recipient will receive $500 and will be awarded annually at Summer Conference.