Regular Employee Benefits
Listed below are McDowell County benefits and their descriptions for regular, full-time employees. Also, see the annual Benefits Summary booklet. 

Medical Insurance
The County offers medical coverage for regular full-time employees through MedCost. Employees may add spousal or dependent coverage for an additional cost.  

Dental Insurance
The County offers employer-paid dental coverage for regular full-time employees through MedCost. Employees may add spousal or dependent coverage for an additional cost.  

Life Insurance
The County offers an employer-paid Group Term Life Insurance with AD&D. These benefits are provided by McDowell County at no cost to you. Group Term Life Coverage provides a benefit to your designated beneficiary in the event of your death.  The benefit amount is $20,000 and reduces after age 65. 

Retirement 
The County participates in the North Carolina Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System starting the first day of your employment. As an employee, 6% is deducted from your paycheck and is applied to your pension. An employee becomes fully vested in the NCLGERS retirement plan after five years of credible service. 

401(k) and 457 Retirement Plan
McDowell County contributes 2% towards regular, full-time employees' plan of choice (401(k) or 457). Employees may make additional contributions to their 401(k) or 457 by payroll deduction. Employees are vested in the Supplemental Retirement Plan from the first day of employment. 

Flexible Spending Accounts
Employees are offered the option to participate in Flexible Spending Accounts through Flores, which provide a way to save federal, state, and social security taxes on eligible medical and dependent care expenses.

Holidays
Full-time employees receive 12 paid holidays per year. 

Sick Leave
County employees accrue four (4) sick hours per pay period, which is eight (8) sick hours per month. Sick Accruals from other North Carolina County entities can be transferred and used for time off after a 90-day wait. 

Vacation Leave
County employees can accumulate vacation leave without any any applicable maximum until December 31 of each year. At that time, any hours over 240 are converted to sick leave. 

Current employees will accrue vacation leave based on years of service in the Local Government Employees Retirement System (LGERS). 










Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
McDowell County provides employees and family members within the household with free, confidential short-term counseling to help resolve problems (marital, family, financial, legal, alcohol, and more) that may impact their work or personal lives. The EAP provides 24-hour phone assistance and is available for appointments at your convenience. 

Longevity Bonus
McDowell County offers a longevity bonus to reward the total years of service as a regular employee. Longevity pay is a percentage payment given once a year after 10 years of continuous service based on the employee's date of hire in a full-time position. 










Supplemental Insurances
McDowell County employees are eligible to enroll in supplemental insurances with Aflac, Colonial and/or Liberty National during open enrollment in November of each year. 

Workers Compensation
All County employees (full-time and part-time) are covered under the N.C. Worker's Compensation Act. Responsibility for claiming compensation under the Workers Compensation Act is on the injured employee. 

Credit Union Membership
All County employees have the opportunity to join the N.C. State Government Employees Credit Union. 

Direct Deposit
The County requires direct deposit for all employees. Employees are paid semi-monthly. 

**Medical and dental insurance coverages become effective 30 days following the hire date. Vision becomes effective on the 1st of the month, following the 30 day benefit waiting period. Accruals are effective the first pay period following the 30 day wait. Direct transfers from a full-time position with another NC County entity, will have the 30-day wait waived.**