Harrison County HR lays out benefits package aimed at recruiting younger workers

Miss Johnson, the county's human resources lead, told the court the county ‘‘now have five generations in the workplace’’ and urged changes to better attract millennials and Gen Z, including more flexible schedules, mental-health supports and clearer development paths. She framed the proposals as mostly low- or no-cost tweaks that could improve employee experience without large budget increases.

The package includes proposals to eliminate the current use-it-or-lose-it vacation policy, simplify vacation accrual tiers, consider payroll-based accrual so employees can use earned time sooner, and raise maximum accruals so staff can cover a 12-week FMLA absence by combining sick and vacation. "Eliminating our use it or lose it policy" was presented by Miss Johnson as an easy change that would "make a huge impact" for staff who cannot take leave because of operational constraints. She also proposed shortening the county's insurance eligibility from 90 days to 60 days to help recruitment, noting Harrison County is self-insured and could implement the change.

Miss Johnson reported results from a county staff survey of 174 responses on longevity pay timing, saying 47% preferred an annual lump sum while 29% preferred per-paycheck payments and 24% had no preference. She proposed lowering the waiting period for longevity pay from three years to one year and exploring an annual payout approach for administrative convenience and morale. The presentation closed with a slate of potential engagement measures — an October employee event, an employee newsletter and pilots of alternative schedules such as 4/10s — that Miss Johnson said she will return with concrete policy language and payroll implications for the court to consider.