County HR outlines compensation posture, wellness incentives and proposed plan changes

Rose McKay, the county's director of human resources, briefed supervisors on compensation and benefits. McKay said the county aims to remain "in the middle of the pack" regionally and referenced the administrator's budget proposal described in the meeting as a "4 percent 500" general wage increase. She described the county's three medical plan options (an HSA high‑deductible plan, an OAP point‑of‑service plan and a Humana Medicare Advantage plan for retirees) and said total membership across medical plans and dependents is roughly 1,700.

McKay outlined new initiatives for calendar year 2024 and proposals for 2025: a Motivate Me wellness program in partnership with Cigna (quarterly payments toward a $200 annual wellness incentive for eligible employees), enhanced pediatric dental preventive coverage (100% coverage for diagnostic/preventive services for children under 13 and expanded cleanings), an RFP for a standalone vision plan, and a proposal to pilot "wellness days" (a small, use‑or‑lose pool of days intended to permit employees to take time for mental‑health needs). "It's our biggest investment," McKay said of employee retention and wellbeing, noting that targeted programs can save the county on future claims and turnover costs (Rose McKay, Director of Human Resources).

Board members raised operational questions about implementation, oversight and potential costs. Several supervisors suggested tying wellness‑day use to existing employee assistance program (EAP) contacts or requiring an EAP referral in certain circumstances; McKay said staff would fold options such as EAP referrals into policy development. Members also asked whether neighboring localities' compensation actions (a referenced compensation study in James City County) should inform York County decisions to avoid workforce flight in high‑skill or public‑safety roles.

Why this matters: compensation and benefits affect recruitment and retention of public‑sector workers, and the board must weigh modest immediate costs against potential savings in turnover and health claims. Next steps: staff will continue refinement, pursue the vision RFP, monitor Humana Medicare rates when available, and bring back details if supervisors decide to advance a wellness‑day policy or a larger general wage commitment.