Cabarrus County is working to improve its employee time-off benefits to stay competitive in the job market. On August 16, the county's HR department proposed enhancements to vacation, bereavement, and parental leave policies after a survey revealed that the county's benefits lagged behind those of 18 nearby areas.
The HR Director Lundee Covington, alongside HR Strategy Manager Ashley Dobbins, proposed adjustments at the August 5 Work Session, suggesting that changes to vacation policies could benefit all levels of employment and align Cabarrus County with other governments. According to a statement obtained by Cabarrus County, employees with 10-15 years of service could see an increase from 15 to 18 vacation days. This could play a key role in the recruitment and retention of experienced personnel, especially given Dobbins' remarks: “We have lost experienced candidates because we don’t currently offer this. It’s difficult to convince a tenured candidate to walk away from 18 days off and starting over with 10 days off.”
A separate bereavement leave bank is also on the table, with county commissioners considering the implementation of five paid bereavement days per occurrence. This proposal exceeds the HR team's initial proposal of three days, following Commissioner Kenny Wortman's recommendation for a more adequate time for grieving employees. Furthermore, Cabarrus County is looking at establishing parental leave, offering six weeks for the birthing parent and four weeks for a non-birthing parent or those adopting or taking in a child through long-term foster placement or guardianship, recognizing the importance of this time for caregiving and bonding.
Aside from employee benefits, the August Work Session also included discussions on various grants and initiatives, with Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Tessa Burchett speaking on the success of the GHSP grant aimed at reducing youth accidents. Active Living and Parks Project and Events Manager Ian Sweeney detailed plans to use a Healthy Aging NC grant to provide free exercise programs, while Library Director Melanie Holles pushed for an initiative to boost library card sign-ups. These discussions precede the Regular Meeting set for August 19, where voting on these recommendations will take place, as detailed in a release by Cabarrus County.
Residents can follow the live discussions and share their views on these proposals at the upcoming Regular Meeting, available via the county's livestream or YouTube channel. Updates on county programs and projects are also provided on the official Cabarrus County website and social media.
