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Employee Benefits
The County offers its employees a comprehensive health and dental program, along with a wide array of supplemental insurance programs. The County has long been committed to providing its employees the best possible insurance benefits at the greatest possible value. We’ve maintained that commitment even in the face of healthcare costs that continue to soar.
Employee Insurance Program
The County of Orangeburg offers the following kinds of benefits to its full-time employees through the State of South Carolina’s Budget and Control Board Employee Insurance Program (EIP):
- Dental
- Life insurance
- Long term care
- Long term disability
- Medical
- Vision
- Optional medical / dependent care spending accounts
For additional information regarding these benefits, please visit Employee Insurance Program (EIP) at 888-260-9430 and Retiree Billing at 803-734-1696 or you may contact Human Resources.
Benefits
Benefits Summary
- annual leave
- Bereavement leave
- Deferred Compensation-Empowerment Retirement (401K & 457)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Family Medical Leave of Absence
- Group Long Term Disability
- JURY DUTY PAY
- Military Leave
- Paid Holidays
- paid leave
- sick leave
- South Carolina Retirement
- Supplemental Insurance
- Workers’ Compensation
Special note. A County department may have different policies regarding leave and, if so, department employees will be provided a copy by the department head. If there is a difference between the following policy and a department’s policies, your department’s policy will apply to your conduct.
All employees assigned to regular, full-time positions accrue annual leave with pay. New hires in their introductory period are not allowed to use accrued annual leave until satisfactory completion of their new hire introductory period, including any extension of the employee’s new hire introductory period. The maximum amount of accrued leave that can be carried over at the end of the year is 240 hours. Use of annual leave is encouraged and subject to supervisor approval.
Pre-Approval. Except in the case of an emergency, all annual leave must be approved a minimum of two (2) days in advance by the employee’s Department Head. Whenever possible, an employee wishing to take more than four (4) hours of annual leave time should request approval at least one (1) week in advance.
Vacations. Department heads are responsible for scheduling vacations based on employee seniority and must ensure that their departments are adequately staffed at all times. Consequently, the County may limit the number of employees that may be absent from a department at any one time.
Restrictions on accumulation and use. The value of an employee’s accumulated but unused annual leave not to exceed two hundred forty (240) hours will be paid to the employee at termination only if: (1) the employee gives and satisfactorily completes the relevant notice period; or (2) in the case of the employee’s discharge by the County, the employee is not discharged for disciplinary reasons as determined by the County.
Annual leave accrual schedule. The following is the annual leave accrual schedule for each pay period:
Tenure 7.5 Hour Shift 8 Hour Shift 12 Hour Shift 24 Hour Shift
0-6 Years 3.7 hours 3.7 hours 4.44 hours 4.62 hours
7-14 Years 4.6 hours 4.6 hours 5.55 hours 5.78 hours
15 or More 5.5 hours 5.5 hours 6.66 hours 6.94 hours
An employee will be paid for time actually lost from straight time scheduled work up to three (3) work days due to attendance at the funeral of a member of his immediate family, which, for purposes of this policy is defined as spouse, parent, legal guardian, child or legal ward, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, parent-in-law, grandparent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law and daughter-in-law. Step-relatives will be considered relatives within the meaning of this policy if the employee and the step relative lived in the same household for a substantial period of time.
Employees will be normally excused from work to attend the funerals of other family members or friends and, upon request, will be permitted to use annual leave for such absences. At the discretion of the Department Head and upon the approval of the County Administrator, an employee may be granted reasonable time off to attend the funeral of a fellow employee. There will be no loss of time if the time used is less than two (2) hours and is made up during the same workweek.
The State of South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program is a voluntary tax sheltered retirement program available only to public employees. It was established in 1980 to allow employees to supplement their South Carolina Retirement and Social Security Benefits. The Deferred Compensation Commission, established by the State, oversees the safety and security of the Program.
As a public employee in the State of South Carolina, the Deferred Compensation Program offers a number of important features and benefits to help reach your financial goals. When participating in the 401K or 457 pre-tax programs, through the convenience of payroll deduction, you realize a tax deferral each pay period and your deposits accumulate tax deferred. Depending on which plan you choose, you may have the ability to borrow money, tax free, from your account.
At retirement or termination, you have a multiple choice of withdrawal options. Depending on which plan you choose, you may participate at levels as small as $10 per pay period and as much as $16,500 per year. You may shelter your savings from current income taxes using one or both of two pre-tax plans: 401(k) and/or 457.
Access your Account
Participants can make changes to their account via the South Carolina Retirement Systems and State Health Plan website once they have obtained a PIN number from Great West Retirement.
Contact Us
For additional information regarding these benefits, please visit the South Carolina Retirement Systems and State Health Plan website.
South Carolina Deferred Compensation-Empowerment Retirement, C/O Great West Retirement
P.O. Box 173764, Denver, CO 80217-3764
Toll Free: 877-457-6263.
Almost all of us, at one time or another, experience serious personal problems. Sometimes they affect job performance, sometimes they don’t. Because Orangeburg County Council values our employees personally as well as the work they do, we provide a comprehensive "Employee Assistance Program" (EAP) to give employees the help they need, when they need it. EAP is confidential, professional and available for those times when we have personal problems. No problem is too big or too small.
EAP can assist in the following problem areas:
- Alcohol Abuse
- Anxiety
- Children
- Depression
- Drug and Substance Abuse
- Family
- Financial/Legal
- Grief
- Marital
- Stress
- Other Personal or Emotional Problems
You can also view the Employee Assistance Program Brochure (PDF) or for EAP services, please call the Dawn Center at: 803-536-4900
Employees who meet the length of service and hours worked requirement under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may be eligible to take leave under this benefit. As a general rule, employees must request a leave of absence under this law and policy, but in appropriate situations employees may be placed on leave status without application.
Please reference the Employee Handbook (PDF) for additional information regarding FMLA.
All full-time regular employees are offered long term disability insurance through The Standard. Employees who elect to enroll in the long-term disability program become eligible for disability benefits after 90 or 180 calendar days of continuous sickness or accident disability in which the employee received no income. The monthly benefit amount is 66 2/3% of the employee’s annual salary.
LTD is an automatic coverage if an employee is enrolled in either of our health plans through PEBA. SLTD is optional coverage they can elect to pay for as an extra coverage.
For additional information regarding these benefits, please visit The Standard, or call Customer Service at 800-628-9696.
An employee will be paid for wages lost from scheduled straight-time work due to jury service for up to a maximum of ten (10) workdays per calendar year. In order to qualify for this payment, an employee called for jury service must:
- Provide his supervisor with at least two (2) workdays advance notice of the date on which the employee has been directed to report for jury service;
- Report for work if released by the court before 12:00 noon on any day of jury service; and
- Submit written documentation from the court indicating the days of jury service, time released each day, and the amount received from the court as payment for jury duty.
Employees who have been subpoenaed or ordered to attend court as a witness or to testify in an official capacity on behalf of the County, by the County, the State or Federal government shall be provided with paid leave up to an additional five (5) days. The absence of an employee due to private, personal, or any other litigation will be charged to compensatory time, annual leave
Military Leave Employees are entitled to such leave of absence and reinstatement upon return from leave of absence for military service (including Reserve and National Guard duty) as may be provided by applicable state and federal law. An employee going on military leave shall present a copy of his orders to the appropriate department head not more than three days after receiving them. Employees are entitled to reinstatement upon release from military service as provided in state and federal laws. The provisions of such laws change from time to time and for that reason no effort is made to set forth the law in this policy.
The County offers the following paid holidays to full-time employees unless otherwise changed by Council action:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday
- President’s Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day and following Friday;
- Christmas Day and either Christmas Eve or the day following Christmas
Generally, when a holiday falls on a Saturday, the County will observe the holiday on the preceding Friday. Generally, when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the County will observe the holiday.
Each full time employee will accrue annual leave bi-weekly in hourly increments based on their length of service as defined in the Accrual Schedules below. Annual leave is added to the employee's Annual leave balance at the end of each pay period (the Saturday before pay day). Annual leave taken will be subtracted from the employee's accrued time balance. Part Time Employees, Temporary employees, contract employees, and interns are not eligible to accrue annual leave.
Eligibility to accrue annual leave is contingent on the employee either working or utilizing accrued annual leave for the entire bi-weekly pay period. Annual leave is not accrued in pay periods during which an employee is on a leave without pay status. To see Paid Leave Exceptions, see Employee Handbook.
Special note. A County department may have different policies regarding sick leave and, if so, department employees will be provided a copy by the department head. If there is a difference between the following policy and a department’s policies, your department’s policy will apply to your conduct.
Unless otherwise stated by a department’s policy, an employee must notify the department head at least one hour before the work day if the employee will be using sick leave.
All employees assigned to regular, full-time positions accrue sick leave with pay. The maximum amount that can be carried over at the end of the year is 720 hours. Temporary employees are not eligible for paid sick leave.
Sick leave may be used, with prior approval, as needed under the following circumstances:
• The employee's own illness, injury, or incapacitation;
• The employee’s medical appointments;
• Serious injury or illness involving a member of the employee’s immediate family; and
• During the employee’s introductory period.
The County reserves the right to require any employee to present a doctor’s excuse prior to return to duty. Employees who are absent for three (3) or more consecutive days may be required to present a doctor’s excuse prior to return to duty.
Under no circumstances will accrued but unused sick leave be paid at termination. Accrued but unused time shall be used concurrent with Family and Medical Leave.
Sick leave accrual schedule. The following is the sick leave accrual schedule for each pay period:
7.5 Hour Shift 8 Hour Shift 12 Hour Shift 24 Hour Shift
3.7 hours 3.7 hours 4.44 hours 4.62 hours
All regular County employees are required to participate in the South Carolina Retirement System unless exempted by law. An employee is vested in the System after 5 years or 8 years depending upon the class and of full-time service and may draw an annuity upon eligibility.
Regular Employees
Regular employees are eligible for full retirement benefits at age 65 or upon completion of 28 years of service of which five years must be earned service if you became an South Carolina Retirement System member on or after January 1, 2001. Provisions for earlier retirement are available. Employees contribute a percentage of their salary to their retirement and the County contributes a percentage to employees’ retirement.
Law Enforcement Employees
Law Enforcement Employees are eligible for full retirement benefits at age 55 or upon completion of 25 years of service. Provisions for earlier retirement are available. Employees will contribute a percentage of their salary to their retirement and the County contributes a percentage to employees’ retirement.
Military Service Credits
You may establish up to six years of credit for any period of military service. This includes service in the United States:
- Air Force
- Army
- Army or Air National Guard.
- Coast Guard
- Marine Corps
- Navy
- Select Reserves
The cost is 16 percent of current salary or career highest fiscal-year-salary, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. The cost for purchasing periods of less than one year will be prorated. Discharge from service must be under conditions other than dishonorable. Military service credit may not overlap earned service (service for which regular contributions have been paid to the system) or other purchased service.
Disability Retirement
Disability retirement is available with over five 5 years of service credit. Employees retiring from Orangeburg County Council shall be eligible for monthly benefit checks, if they meet the requirements as governed by the South Carolina Retirement System.
Contact Us
For additional information regarding these benefits, please visit South Carolina Retirement Systems, or call customer service at 888-260-9430.
The County of Orangeburg provides all full-time employees an opportunity to elect supplemental benefits not offered through the South Carolina Employee Insurance Program from the Insurance Companies below:
•AFLAC
Customer Service: 800-992-3522
•Colonial Life
Customer Service: 800-325-4368
Representatives from Colonial and AFLAC are allowed to enroll County employees into their supplemental benefits programs various times during the calendar year.
Employees must report all work-related accidents immediately to his/her supervisor. Orangeburg County provides Workers’ Compensation Insurance to provide medical benefits and/or compensation (indemnity) benefits for a covered worker who sustains a disabling injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment.
For additional information regarding Worker’s Compensation please contact the Risk Management Department at 803-533-6151.