Benefits

Jackson County offers a comprehensive, balanced and competitive benefits package as part of your total compensation. The County's benefits programs address both the immediate needs that you and your family may have such as medical coverage or dependent care assistance and your long-term needs, such as retirement savings. 

The following outline of County-offered benefits serves as an overview and does not provide all provisions, limitations and exclusions. If there is a contradiction between this and the official plan documents, the plan documents will prevail. 

Vacation:

Vacation accruals, utilization and payouts vary within collective bargaining agreements and/or the employee handbook. The following is a general overview of vacation benefits: 

Years of Service - Bi Weekly Accrual Rate (based on 80-hour pay period)

    • 0 - 5 years; 4 hours

    • 6-10 years; 5 hours

    • 11-15 years; 6 hours

    • 16-20 years; 7 hours

    • 21 + ; 8 hours

Emergency Sick and Safe Time (ESST):

Employees earn 8 hours of emergency sick and safe time leave per month. 

Personal Leave:

16 Paid Personal Hours for employment starting between January 1 and June 30; 8 hours of Paid Personal hours for those starting between July 1 and December 31. Prorated for Regular, Part-Time Employees. 

Paid Holidays:

Most employee groups observe the following holidays: 

    • New Year’s Day

    • Martin Luther King Jr Day

    • Presidents Day

    • Memorial Day

    • Juneteenth 

    • Independence Day

    • Labor Day

    • Veterans Day

    • Thanksgiving Day

    • Friday after Thanksgiving

    • Christmas Eve Day

    • Christmas Day 

Health Insurance:

Eligibility begins on the first day of month following the first day of employment. Employees have 3 health insurance plan options of either single or family coverage. 

Jackson County makes bi-weekly medical savings account contributions on behalf of employees. Contribution amounts vary based on health plan election. 

Life Insurance: 

Employees are provided with $20,000 Basic Life Insurance, with an additional $20,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment at no cost to them. 

Dental Insurance: 

Jackson County pays for Employee Only dental coverage and offers co-paid Employee + One and Family dental coverage. 

Retirement:

The County and the employee contributes to PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association)

  • Employees must participate as directed by Minnesota statutes.

  • Contribution rates vary depending on position.

  • Employee may obtain refund of employee contribution upon termination of service.

Voluntary Benefits Available:

  • Vision Insurance

  • Flexible Spending Accounts (Medical & Dependent Care) 

  • Supplemental Accident Insurance

  • Supplemental Critical Illness Insurance

  • Supplemental Hospital Insurance

  • Short-term Disability

  • Long-Term Disability

  • Supplemental Life 

  • Deferred Compensation (457b)

  • Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PLSF)