Buncombe County discontinues longevity pay for employees hired Jan. 1, 2026, onward

The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners voted Dec. 2 to adopt a change to the county personnel ordinance that ends longevity pay for employees hired or rehired on or after Jan. 1, 2026. Karen Marshall, who introduced the ordinance at the public hearing, said the proposal would discontinue longevity for new employees while preserving benefits for existing recipients.

Commissioner Sloane moved to adopt the amended personnel ordinance and the motion carried. The board then voted to adopt revised human resources policies reflecting the change; Vice Chair Moore seconded the personnel-policy motion. No members of the public spoke during the brief public hearing on the ordinance.

The change applies only to new hires and rehires beginning Jan. 1, 2026; Marshall said employees already receiving longevity pay would not be affected. County Manager Pender told the board the county will also issue a request for proposals this month for a third-party salary study required at least every five years; the study’s results are expected in June and would inform any future implementation decisions but would not itself guarantee pay increases.

Commissioners framed the action as an administrative policy change to align benefits for future hires while the county evaluates overall pay equity through the forthcoming salary study. The board did not change existing pay for current employees and recorded the policy’s effective dates and implementation steps as part of the adopted ordinance.

The board’s action completes the ordinance vote and the subsequent policy updates; staff said they will follow up with implementation guidance and the anticipated timeline for the countywide salary study.