Dorchester County to post proposed personnel-rule changes including Juneteenth holiday and bereavement leave

The Dorchester County Council on May 28 agreed to post proposed resolutions amending the county Personnel Rules and Regulations. The proposed changes include adding Juneteenth Day as a county paid holiday effective July 1, 2024 (with implementation beginning June 2025), changing bereavement leave to five days (maximum 40 hours) and referring to it as bereavement leave rather than funeral leave, and removing corrections personnel from the overtime-threshold calculation (hours in excess of 171 in a 28-day work cycle).

Human Resources Director Kristin Budd, Interim County Manager Jeff Powell and County Manager Jerry Jones were recognized by the Council for work on the amendments, which Council members said are intended to help recruitment and retention.

Why it matters: The proposed changes affect employee benefits and payroll calculations and will be posted in all departments for a 10-day comment period before the Council considers formal adoption.

What’s next: The resolutions will be posted for public review in county departments for 10 days and then presented for adoption at a future Council meeting.