Burke County HR seeks board approval to update personnel manual and pursue state "substantial equivalency" for classification and pay

Human Resources staff presented a proposed, updated county personnel policy and a plan to seek “substantial equivalency” designation from the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (NC OSHR) for classification and compensation.

Mark, who is leading the project in HR, said the county’s current policy manual dated from about 2009 and that the modernization work focused on legal compliance (FMLA, ADA, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and lactation accommodation), clarity, updated job descriptions, and aligning classification and compensation with market comparators. Mark said staff had run employee listening groups, an HR subcommittee, department head reviews and was in legal review with the county attorney; a final draft of the manual was being prepared for the board.

Staff requested two actions for the board at a forthcoming meeting: approval of the new personnel policy subject to county attorney review with a proposed effective date of July 1; and adoption of a resolution to certify substantial equivalency for classification and compensation so the county can complete its NC OSHR submission (staff said classification and compensation could be on the state agenda in October). Mark said the county previously received substantial equivalency for the recruitment and selection component in 2024 and that the current work completes the remaining pieces.

If the board approves and the state grants substantial equivalency, HR staff said the county will implement training, distribute updated manuals to employees, and use the new classification and pay bands in recruiting and job postings. The presentation did not include a formal board vote at the pre‑agenda meeting.