Employee Benefits
Retirement 401K Life Insurance Annual and Sick Leave Observed Holidays HRA Health and Dental Coverage Direct Deposit
Retirement
It is mandatory that all eligible full and part time City employees be enrolled as a member with the South Carolina Retirement System.
As a member of the Retirement System, you will contribute 6.5% of your gross earnings per pay period and your employer will contribute 9.385% into your retirement account. If you are a Sworn Police Officer or Firefighter, you will contribute 6.5% of your gross earnings per pay period and your employer will contribute 11.363% to your retirement account.
The retirement eligibility requirements for Police Officer's Retirement is 25 years of service and age 55; Regular retirement is 28 years of service or age 65.
401K
The South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program's 401(k), 457 and 457(Roth) plans are voluntary supplemental retirement savings plans available to you. If you decide to establish a 401K account, this will allow you to supplement your retirement or social security benefits. The amount you choose to defer is payroll deductible. You have the option of choosing investments, fixed interest, equities and life insurance depending on the plan you select. You may have the option to borrow money, tax free, from your account. This is a volunteer program and the City does not match funds.
Life Insurance
The City of Walterboro provides life insurance to all employees who work a schedule of 37.5 or more hours per week. The employee will be insured for $3,000 and $40,000 at no premium cost to the employee. Additional life insurance may be purchased by employees.
Annual Leave
All regular full-time employees earn annual leave per month that may be used for vacation, bereavement, personal time, etc., subject to Department Head approval. The maximum number of annual leave days which can be carried over from one calendar year to the next is 144 hours. Earning rates are as follows and apply to all pay cycles:
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Assigned Work Hours
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0-9 Yrs. Service
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10+ Yrs. Service
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Exempt Employees
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8 Hours
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12 hours
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8 hour shifts, 40 hours per week
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8 Hours
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12 hours
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12 hour shifts (Police)
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8.42 hours
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12.63 hours
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18 hour shifts (Fire)
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9 hours
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13.5 hours
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Part-time
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0 hours
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0 hours
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Sick leave is paid when an employee is excused from work due to his own non-occupational disability or for medical and dental appointments. Sick leave may be used to cover absences made necessary by an illness of an employee's immediate family. Regular full-time employees accrue sick leave as follows:
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Assigned Work Hours
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Monthly Sick Leave Earning Rate
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Exempt Employees
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8 Hours
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8 hour shifts, 40 hours per week
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8 Hours
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12 hour shifts (Police)
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9 hours
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18 hour shifts (Fire)
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9 hours
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Part-time
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0 hours
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Military Leave
Employees are entitled to such leave of absence and reinstatement upon return from leave of absence for military service (including Reserve and National Guard duty) as may be provided by applicable state and federal law.
The following are observed as official paid holidays for full-time non-temporary employees of the City:
- New Years Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Good Friday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Thanksgiving
- Day after Thanksgiving
- Christmas Eve
- Christmas
For each holiday, each regular employee receives a holiday allowance equal to his normal scheduled hours.
A holiday falling on Saturday is observed on Friday; a holiday falling on Sunday is observed on Monday.
A non-exempt employee, other than emergency personnel, who is required to work on an official holiday receives, in addition to his normal pay for the hours worked, an alternate day off to be taken, if possible and workload permitting, within (30) calendar days. An exempt employee, other than emergency personnel who works a holiday earns his regular salary for such work and, in addition, receives an alternate day off to be taken, if possible and workload permitting, within (30) calendar days.
Health and Dental Insurance
The City of Walterboro offers group health and dental insurance to employees who work a schedule of 37.5 hours per week at no cost to the employee. Dependent coverage is also available and may be purchased by the employee. The current insurance plan is through Employee Insurance Plan State Health Plan, administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield. The plan includes medical, basic dental, basic Long Term Disability insurance and life insurance with optional Dental Plus and Vision care being available to the employee at their own cost.
Total 105 Plan
The City of Walterboro's Total 105 Medical Reimbursement Plan also reimburses each insured the $350 deductible and allows up to $500 to use for other expenses such as prescription reimbursements, dental expenses and/or coinsurance.
Direct Deposit
Employees have the opportunity to choose direct deposit for their paychecks.