Rock County Employee
 Facts and Benefits Highlights
 

• Rock County historic and cultural attractions:

Rock County is in south Central Wisconsin along the Illinois border.  The County has a population of 161,188 making it the ninth largest County in Wisconsin.  Janesville, Wisconsin (pop. 64,009) is the county seat.  Janesville is located on the I39/90 corridor, forty miles south of Madison, seventy-six miles west of Milwaukee and about two hours from Chicago.
Rock County’s many historic and cultural attractions include the City of Evansville historic district, Beloit College (an acclaimed liberal arts institution located in the City of Beloit) and the City of Janesville’s Rotary Botanical Gardens and Tallman House (an exceptional example of Italian villa style architecture from the mid 1850’s). 
The Cities of Janesville and Beloit have a combined symphony orchestra, as well as individual performing arts centers.  The Rock County Fair and Riverfest are regional cultural celebrations held every summer in the Cities of Janesville and Beloit respectively.  These Cities both have extensive park and open space networks, including portions of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, a Statewide trail commemorating the State’s geologic history.  Additionally, the Rock River runs through these Cities, offering many recreational opportunities. 

• Salary:

Employees are paid every two weeks on Friday (26 checks in a year).  Paychecks are directly deposited in the employee’s bank account.  There is a two-week delay between the pay period worked and the payday. New employees generally wait four weeks before they receive their first check, which is a live paper check.  Direct deposit is a requirement of employment.
 

• Holidays (Ordinance 18.501):

The following holidays are observed by the County and shall be granted to regular employees with pay and to temporary employees without pay, unless such employees are required to be on scheduled work:
(a) New Year's Day
(b) Martin Luther King Jr. Day
(c) Spring Holiday to be observed the Friday immediately preceding Easter
(d) Memorial Day
(f) July 4th
(g) Labor Day
(h) Thanksgiving Day
(i) Friday following Thanksgiving
(j) Day before Christmas
(k) Christmas Day
(l) One Floating Holiday
(m) Any additional holiday granted by the County Board.
(n) The County Administrator may designate additional holidays in unusual circumstances with the approval of the County Board Chair and/or Vice Chair.
For employees working the standard work schedule, when a holiday falls on Saturday, it shall be observed on the preceding Friday. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed.

For employees not working the standard work schedule see the HR Policies and Procedures.
 

• Vacation (Policy & Procedure Manual 5.47):

Employees (.4 FTE or greater) hired on or after April 10, 2023, shall earn vacation according to the following schedule:

• Health Insurance including our Wellness component:

Rock County offers a dual choice point of service plan. Employees will have a choice to elect coverage with either Dean Health Care or Mercy Health Care. Employees can enroll within the first 30 days of employment, after that there is an annual open enrollment period in the fall. In the case of a qualifying event (birth, marriage, FTE increase, loss of coverage, etc.), the employee will also have 30 days to enroll or make changes. No exceptions will be made. The County will pay 90% of the premium for health insurance and the Employee may earn the remaining 10% of the premium, based on the terms of participation of the Healthy Employee Incentive Program.





 

• Sick Leave (Policy 5.39):

Sick leave pay shall commence on the first day of any period of illness due to accident, injury, or disease.
 
All full-time employees shall earn one sick leave day per month of continuous employment. All part-time em­ployees whose regular workweek is sixteen hours or more shall earn one sick leave day on a prorated basis directly in rela­tion to the normal full time employment period.  All part-time employees, who work less than sixteen hours per week, shall not earn sick leave.  Temporary and seasonal employees are not eligible for sick leave. Sick leave shall accrue to a maximum of one hundred thirty days.
 

• Dental Plan:

The County offers a dental plan through Delta Dental and will pay 60% of the applicable
 premium for the lowest cost plan.  Employees can enroll within the first 30 days of
 employment, after that there is an annual open enrollment period in the fall. In the case of a qualifying event (birth, marriage, FTE increase, loss of coverage, etc.), the employee will also have 30 days to enroll or make changes. No exceptions will be made. Newly enrolled employees will likely see a double deduction on their first paycheck; premiums are paid one month in advance.
 

• Vision Plan:

The County offers a vision plan which employees can enroll in at their own cost.  Employees
 can enroll within the first 30 days of employment, after that there is an annual open enrollment
period in the fall. In the case of a qualifying event (birth, marriage, FTE increase, loss of coverage, etc.), the employee will also have 30 days to enroll or make changes. No exceptions will be made.
Newly enrolled employees will likely see a double deduction on their first paycheck; premiums are paid one month in advance.
 

• Life Insurance:

The County provides term life insurance through the State of Wisconsin Plan.  Employees can purchase insurance in increments based on their salary, up to five times their salary.  The County will contribute 20% of the cost for the first increment only - one times the employee’s salary.  Employees can also purchase coverage for their spouse and/or children.
*Eligibility for this benefit is tied to whether the employee is eligible for retirement benefits. (You must be expected to work for at least 12 months and 1200 hours, or have previously qualified for the WRS)
 

• Voluntary Benefits:

The County offers voluntary benefits which employees can enroll in at their own cost.  Employees
can enroll within the first 30 days of employment, after that there is an annual open enrollment
period in the fall. Voluntary benefits may include: Disability, Hospital indemnity, Supplemental Life, Critical Illness, and Accident Insurance. Employees are responsible for 100% of the premiums for any voluntary benefits elected. Deductions are taken post tax. Please visit the Human Resources intranet page for more information.

 

• Deferred Compensation:

Employees can participate in one of the identified deferred compensation plans (Nationwide, Wisconsin Deferred Comp, and Security Benefits) at their own cost.
 

• Flexible Spending Account (Medical and Dependent Care):

Employees can elect to put an annually IRS established amount into a flexible spending account through (EBC) to pay for their own non-reimbursed medical care expenses.  Employees can also put in up to $5,000 for dependent care accounts.
If you leave County employment, you have ninety (90) days to submit expenses incurred prior to your last day. 
 

• Retirement:

Rock County participates in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS). Eligible employees are required to participate. What an employee receives at retirement is dependent upon several factors – age, length of service, salary.  

Rock County and the employee make equal contributions to the Wisconsin Retirement System on behalf of the employer. The contribution rate is addressed in the employment letter.

Employees in protective status have the percentage contributions defined in their respective collective bargaining units.

Employees who have questions about their retirement benefits should contact WRS. 
 

• Bereavement Leave (Policy 5.04):

In the event of a death an employee may be excused from work without loss of pay for up to a maximum of thirty-two (32) hours annually for the purpose of attending a person’s wake, visitation, memorial service, funeral, or make necessary arrangements regarding the person’s death, within a reasonable time after the occurrence.  Reasonable time after the occurrence is defined as within six (6) months from the date of death.

No more than (32) hours can be used for the same decedent.
 
If additional time is required beyond the thirty-two (32) hours annually, an employee may request to use accumulated vacation, holiday, or comp-time.  Sick leave can be used for a parent, spouse, or child only.                                      
 
Bereavement leave cannot be accrued from one year to the next. 
Bereavement leave can be used in increments of quarter hours.

A second or third shift employee may be excused from work the scheduled shift before or after the event, provided the shift begins or ends on the same calendar date of the event.
All leaves under this section shall be prorated based upon the employee’s FTE.


 

• EAP:

The County provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employees to use for all kinds of personal and professional assistance.  In the case of counseling, professional counselors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  An employee can establish a relationship with a counselor over the phone or set up an in-person appointment with a counselor in the area.  As of March 1, 2022, the EAP program will pay for up to six visits.
 

• Parking:

The County provides free parking at all its facilities.
 

• Workplace Attire (Policy & Procedures 5.53):

All Rock County employees are expected to present a professional, businesslike image to clients, visitors, customers, and the public. Acceptable personal appearance, like proper maintenance of work areas, is an ongoing requirement of employment with the County. Supervisors should communicate any department-specific workplace attire and grooming guidelines to staff members during new-hire orientation and evaluation periods. Any questions about the department’s guidelines for attire should be discussed with the immediate supervisor.
 

• Employee Identification Badge (Policy & Procedure 5.08)

All Rock County employees shall have and display, an identification badge while conducting official County business.  Minimal exceptions, for safety reasons, may be approved by Department Heads.
 

• Smoking:

All County buildings are smoke free.  By County Ordinance anyone visiting or working in any County building is prohibited from smoking closer than 30 feet from any building entrance.  The Ordinance also makes the entire Rock Haven Nursing Home a smoke free “campus.”


Prior to new hire orientation, please access policy documents here: https://www.co.rock.wi.us/hr

Active Employees: For full policy documents, please visit the Human Resources Intranet page, “Personnel Ordinance” and “Policy & Procedure Manual”. https://www.co.rock.wi.us/rchr/

Please note, you may also be subject to department specific work rules.

Still have questions? Call us! Human Resources: 608-757-5520