Home Departments Administration Human Resources Benefits Management and Confidential Employees

Jackson County provides an excellent, generous and comprehensive benefits package for eligible employees and their dependents, as applicable.
This overview provides highlights of the comprehensive benefits package Jackson County management/confidential employees receive. If any statement conflicts with the applicable plan documents, Codified Ordinance, and/or Jackson County policies, the applicable documents will govern.

Insurance
Health Insurance – As of July 1, 2023 Regular full-time employees and their eligible dependents receive medical insurance, including prescription and chiropractic, dental, and vision coverage at a cost to the employee of $22.82 per paycheck ($49.45 per month) toward the monthly composite premium.  Regular full-time employees may not waive coverage.  Regular part-time employees may enroll in the full plan, with a prorated composite premium depending on their full-time equivalent (FTE), or may elect to waive benefits.  Coverage begins on the first of the month following an employee’s date of hire.

Hinge – Provided through Regence, Hinge is an online virtual Physical Therapy benefit for all employees and their dependents enrolled in the health insurance plan. This online virtual service will work around your schedule in the comfort of your own home, and there is no cost to the employee.

Wellness Center by CareATC – In addition to health insurance, certain primary care medical services, lab services, and prescription medications are offered at no out-of-pocket cost for the employee who is enrolled in the County’s health insurance plan, and their eligible dependents at the wellness center.

Group Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), the benefit is equal to two times the employee’s annual salary rounded to the next higher $1,000, to a maximum of $500,000.  Insurance in excess of $50,000 is a taxable benefit.

Long-term Disability – Fully funded for regular full-time employees (prorated for regular part-time employees), employees are eligible the first of the month following date of hire.  The benefits are payable after a waiting period of 60 days at a rate of 66 2/3 percent of base salary, up to a maximum monthly benefit of $12,000.

Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment – Regular employees may choose to participate in additional AD&D coverage through payroll deduction, and have the choice of plan and coverage amounts.  

Voluntary Life Insurance – Regular employees may choose to participate in additional Life Insurance coverage through payroll deduction, and have the choice of coverage amounts.

Leaves

 Vacation – Regular full-time employees earn vacation leave at a rate of 17 to 33 days annually depending upon years of County service and position band.  Regular part-time employees accrue vacation leave on a prorated basis. Employees can carry forward up to three times the annual vacation accrual (prorated for part-time employees).  Vacation leave cannot be used during the first six full months of regular employment. Twice per fiscal year, employees may request to be paid for vacation accruals, provided specific requirements are met.

Years of Service	Annual Vacation Accrual
	Pay Band 1 – 5	Pay Band 6 – 11	Pay Band 12 - 20
0 to 5 yrs	17 days (5.24 hrs/pp)	19 days (5.85 hrs/pp)	21 days (6.47 hrs/pp)
Over 5 to 10 yrs	20 days (6.16 hrs/pp)	22 days (6.77 hrs/pp)	24 days (7.39 hrs/pp)
Over 10 to 15 yrs	23 days (7.08 hrs/pp)	25 days (7.70 hrs/pp)	27 days (8.31 hrs/pp)
Over 15 to 20 yrs	26 days (8.00 hrs/pp)	28 days (8.62 hrs/pp)	30 days (9.24 hrs/pp)
Over 20 yrs	29 days (8.93 hrs/pp)	31 days (9.54 hrs/pp)	33 days (10.16 hrs/pp)

 

Sick Leave – Regular full-time employees earn sick leave at the rate of 3.70 hours per pay period (12 days annually), which starts to accrue during the first pay period and may accrue without limit.  Regular part-time employees accrue sick leave on a prorated basis.  Accrued sick leave may be used as soon as it is accrued.

Holidays – Regular full-time employees receive ten paid holidays annually (prorated for regular part-time employees), New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Holidays that fall on a Saturday will be observed on the previous Friday and holidays that fall on a Sunday will be observed on the following Monday.

Sheriff Management Employees Only – In lieu of holidays, each regular full-time employee receives, on July 1, a block of 12 days (96 hours), and they are prorated for regular part-time employees.  Employees hired after July 1 will have holiday hours assigned on a prorated basis.  Unused holiday hours at the end of the fiscal year cannot be carried forward.  Holiday hours remaining at the end of the fiscal year will be paid to the employee at the employee’s regular rate of pay. 

Personal Leave – Each fiscal year on July 1, full-time regular employees (except Sheriff management employees) receive one personal leave day (eight hours; prorated for regular part-time employees based on the position’s FTE as of July 1).  Employees must be employed on July 1 to be eligible to receive the personal leave day. Personal leave is used in 15 minute increments. If it is not used, it does not roll over to the following year.

Retirement

 Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System – Jackson County participates in the State of Oregon Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS).  PERS has Tier One, Tier Two, and the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) pension programs, as well as the Individual Account Program (IAP).  Tier One covers members hired before January 1, 1996; Tier Two covers members hired between January 1, 1996 and August 28, 2003; and OPSRP covers members hired on or after August 29, 2003. 

IAP contains all member contributions (6% of covered salary, currently County-paid) made on or after January 1, 2004.  The legislature created the IAP in 2003 to provide an individual account-based retirement benefit for new workers hired on or after August 29, 2003, and for Tier One/Tier Two members active on or after January 1, 2004.  The IAP benefit is in addition to the member’s other retirement program benefit (i.e., Tier One, Tier Two, or OPSRP).  Employees are automatically vested in their IAP account when their account is established.

IAP Redirect - Per Senate Bill 1049 (2019) contributions remain at the rate of 6% however, a portion of that 6% is redirected to the Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA). 2.5% is redirected for the Tier 1 and Tier 2 members and 0.75% is redirected for OPSRP members. The rest of the county-paid contribution is directed to the employee’s IAP. Employee’s may choose to make voluntary contributions for the amount of the redirect through the Oregon PERS Online Member Services (OMS) at www.oregon.gov/PERS.

 Salary Limit - Beginning January 1, 2020, SB 1049 changed the definition of “salary” for PERS purposes and created new limitations on annual and monthly “subject salaries.” Your salary is used to determined member Individual Account Program (IAP) contributions, employer contributions to fund the pension program, and the final average salary used in calculating retirement benefits under formula methods. The 2022 limit $210,582 per year. The limit is prorated when members work fewer than 12 months in a calendar year. 

OPSRP is designed to provide approximately 45 percent of an employee’s final average salary at retirement (for a general service member with a 30-year career or a police and firefighter member with a 25-year career).

OPSRP General Service: Unless employees are in a police or firefighter position, they are considered a general service member. In addition to other retirement programs or any social security benefit, when employees retire, if vested, PERS will calculate monthly benefit using the following formula:

1.5 percent x years of retirement credit x final average salary. Normal retirement age for general service members is age 65, or age 58 with 30 years of retirement credit.

General Service Benefit Calculation Example (employees can estimate benefits using any number of years and any final average salary)

Final average salary: $45,000

Retirement credit: 30 years as an OPSRP member

30 (years) x 1.5 percent = 45 percent

45 percent x $3,750 (final average monthly salary) = $1,687.50

Single Life Option monthly benefit = $1,687.50 ($20,250 annual benefit)

OPSRP Police and Firefighter (P&F): To be classified as a P&F member at retirement, employees must have been employed continuously as a P&F member for at least five years immediately preceding their retirement. In addition to other retirement programs or any social security benefit, when employees retire, if vested, PERS will calculate monthly benefit using the following formula:

1.8 percent x years of retirement credit x final average salary. Normal retirement age for P&F members is age 60, or age 53 with 25 years of retirement credit.

P&F Benefit Calculation Example (employees can estimate their benefit using any number of years and any final average salary)

Final average salary: $45,000

Retirement credit: 25 years as an OPSRP member

25 (years) x 1.8 percent = 45 percent

45 percent of $3,750 (final average monthly salary) = $1,687.50

Single Life Option monthly benefit = $1,687.50 ($20,250 annual benefit)

Voluntary Deferred Compensation Program – Jackson County offers regular employees the option to enroll in IRS Section 457 Deferred Compensation Retirement Plans.  The employee defers compensation through voluntary payroll deductions into this supplemental retirement plan.  The 457 plan is a separate retirement plan from PERS. 

Other Benefits

 Voluntary Direct Deposit – An employee may choose to have their payroll check automatically deposited into their bank account.  Employees can choose up to four accounts to receive direct deposit funds.  Most banks allow participation of this program.

Voluntary Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Section 125 Plan – The FSA is a tax-free regular employee-funded account.  Regular employees may choose to participate in pre-tax health insurance premiums, out-of-pocket unreimbursed eligible health care expenses, dependent care expenses, and qualified transportation expenses, in order to have “before-tax” dollars deducted from their paychecks. 

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – The County has a fully-funded Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to offer. The EAP is a FREE and CONFIDENTIAL benefit that can assist you and your eligible family members with personal problems, large or small. The EAP provides confidential services to help people privately resolve problems that may interfere with work, family, and life. The EAP is offered to regular employees, their dependents, and any household members.  Services include up to four face-to-face counseling sessions per year, 24/7/365 access to crisis counselors, and convenient access to on-line consultations with licensed counselors.