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Personnel office reports rising headcount, benefit renewals and new flexible spending accounts
Summary
The parish personnel office reported steady headcount growth through April 2025, no health premium increases with Blue Cross renewal, and the introduction of flexible spending accounts effective July 1, 2025.
Dana Parker, director of the St. Charles Parish personnel office, briefed the council on May 5 about departmental activities and employee benefits for 2025. Parker said overall headcount had grown to about 680 employees as of late April, an increase of about 7% since 2023, and that civil service employee counts rose to about 442 (a 9% increase since 2023).
Why it matters: The personnel report outlined recruitment and retention measures, benefits renewals and a new benefit offering that affect parish employees’ compensation and out-of-pocket costs.
Details: Highlights from Parker’s presentation: - Headcount: roughly 680 total parish employees (April 2025), up from about 634 in 2023; civil service employees about 442. - Hiring/retirements: Hiring has slowed slightly as vacancies decreased; five retirements in 2025 to date; 17 employees in DROP (deferred retirement option plan). - Benefits renewals: Continued HMO and PPO coverage through Blue Cross (BCBS) with the same coverage and no premium increase. Dental, vision, life and disability will move to Mutual of Omaha with a 10% dental premium decrease and 5% vision premium decrease. - New benefits: A flexible spending account (FSA) and dependent care FSA will be offered to eligible full-time employees, effective July 1, 2025. Personnel will hold employee meetings this month to explain the accounts. - Wellness program: Ongoing partnership with Ochsner for screenings and health coaching; roughly 325 employees had met the premium-reduction wellness threshold and five employees had earned a wellness day off at the time of the report.
Parker also described internal promotion trends and new recognition awards, including the Jimmy Breaux Outstanding Achievement Award and recognition of employees who supported Waterworks billing software and Paycom implementation projects.
No formal council action was required on the informational report.
