Staff is working to ensure that County processes and policies are incorporated into the new ONESolution program. This has resulted in the analysis and review of current processes and policies to ensure best practices are being utilized. Under current County policy, new hires are required to observe a waiting period before the effective start date of County benefits, specifically leave accrual and health insurance. This waiting period is: thirty (30) days from date of hire (DOH), first (1st) of the month following.
It is recommended that County policy be adjusted to be more competitive in the current surrounding labor market by changing policy to have benefits take effect the first (1st) of the month following date of hire (DOH).
County HR staff surveyed surrounding and competing localities to determine their policy. The following localities responded to our request and communicated that their effective date policy was first of the month from date of hire: Hanover, Fairfax, King George, Albemarle County, City of Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Prince William County. It is important to remain competitive in the current job market. Benefit effective dates are an important contributor in recruitment. As the County moves forward with the implementation of a new system, effective start dates will need to be built into the programing.
This change will also bring health insurance and leave benefits in line with the County’s other benefit start dates.
Based on an analysis of costs for new hires from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018, the financial impact of this change is estimated to be an annual increase of $68,000 in health care costs and $45,000 in leave benefits. These amounts will fluctuate year to year depending on claims experience, inflation, and the number of new hires.