policies Archives - HR Employee Portal

Summer and the end of the fiscal year are right around the corner. You may be planning some time off to enjoy the beautiful weather and time with family or friends. As you plan these things, be sure to utilize your different kinds of leaves and be mindful of the accrual process and deadlines for use.

The County offers eligible employees 12 paid holidays, one paid floating holiday, paid annual leave, paid sick leave, paid wellness leave, and paid volunteer leave, among other types. Here are ten things you should know about your Henrico County Employee paid leave:

You can see all the pay periods, paydays, and paid holidays on the Employee Payroll Calendar.
This fiscal year ends on Friday, June 16, 2023. B01, or the first pay period of the next fiscal year, starts on Saturday, June 17, 2023.
Sick and annual leave accrues on a pay period basis. In order to accrue sick or annual leave, an eligible employee must be in a paid status for at least seven-eighths (7/8) of their standard hours in a pay period.
1. For example, an 80‐hour employee must be in a paid status for 70 or more hours, and a 112‐hour employee must be in a paid status for 98 or more hours in order to accrue sick or annual leave.
All annual leave balances are reduced to the maximum for all eligible full-time County employees at the end of the last pay period in the fiscal year (June 16, 2023).

NOTE: This table shows the maximum for full-time eligible employees that work 40 hours per week. For eligible full-time fire suppression employees that work 56 hours per week, please view the table in Section 8.6 of the Policies and Procedures.

Years of Service	Annual Leave Accrual Rate Per Pay period (hours)	Maximum Allowance Annual Leave Accrual Balance (Annual accrual X 2)
Less than 5 years	4	208 hours/ (26 days)
5 but less than 10 years	5	260 hours/ (32 ½ days)
10 but less than 15 years	6	312 hours/ (39 days)
15 but less than 20	7	364 hours/ (45 ½ days)
20 but less than 25	8	416 hours/ (52 days)
25 or more years	9	468 hours/ (58 ½ days)

All full-time employees in authorized positions are credited with one floating holiday, 16 hours of wellness leave, and 8 hours of paid volunteer leave at the beginning of each fiscal year (pay period B01).
Floating holiday, wellness, and volunteer leave must be used in the fiscal year that they are earned.
If you want to use volunteer leave but are not sure what is permitted, please read the leave policy on the employee website and then contact your direct supervisor with questions. Our County Volunteer program provides multiple options across many interests through the non-profit organizations we have partnered with. Currently, there are five outside organization partners but we are looking for more.
Wellness leave can be used to take care of personal needs. Note: New employees hired (or re-employed) after April 30 of the fiscal year do not earn wellness leave at the time of their employment but must wait until the beginning of the following fiscal year to be credited.
At the end of the fiscal year, HR completes a carryover process that calculates every employee’s amount of leave carried over to the new physical year. At the end of the fiscal year, if you try to view or create a B01 timecard or leave of absence before this process is completed, you will see a “0” accrual balance. This process is usually on the first Wednesday of the new fiscal year.
If you have questions about your timecards or leave, please read Section 8 of the Policies and Procedures or contact your department’s timekeeper.

There are many benefits to having paid time off, such as reduced stress levels, reduced risk of chronic illness, more productivity, and higher morale. Knowing when and how to use your leave can help you achieve work-life balance. Remember to take advantage of your available leave before it’s too late!

We have all been told that smoking is bad for our health and the health of those around us. It is currently the leading cause of preventable death and is responsible for 480,000 deaths per year in the United States; including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure. In keeping with Henrico County’s commitment to providing a safe and healthy work environment, as of August 1, Henrico’s Western and Eastern Government Centers are smoke‐free. According to the new policy, “County‐owned and County‐leased buildings over which the County Manager has control shall be smoke‐free, including private offices. For purposes of this policy, this also shall include County‐owned vehicles. The smoke-free designation also pertains to vaping, e-cigarettes, and other like devices.” Subsequently, designated smoking areas, including cigarette boxes, at these locations will be eliminated and new “Smoke-Free Environment” signage will be added.

Employees that do smoke are encouraged to consult a medical professional regarding tobacco cessation. There is no doubt that quitting smoking is difficult, but it is not impossible. It is estimated there are 45 million smokers in the U.S., but there are at least 48 million former smokers, and if they could do it, maybe you could join their ranks. Just remember, most people have to try to quit more than once, so don’t get discouraged if that is the case for you. Consider talking to your doctor about smoking cessation strategies that might be right for you or look into these resources offered to Henrico County Employees:

Employee Health Services (EHS) is available to meet with employees individually to discuss smoking cessation strategies. If an employee prefers a prescribed cessation medication, they will be referred to their Primary Care Physician (PCP). Please contact EHS over the phone at (804) 501-1600 or stop by their office at 7740 Shrader Rd, Suite A, Henrico, VA 23228.
Quit Now is a free service through the Virginia Department of Health that assists Virginians to quit smoking and using tobacco products. They can be contacted at 1(800) 784-8669, www.QuitNow.net/Virginia, or via a referral from Employee Health Services.
Anthem members have access to cessation support services and benefits. Please visit anthem.com or reach out to the Human Resources Benefits Division at (804) 501-7371 or HR-Benefits@henrico.us for more information.
The Employee Assistance Program through Optima Health offers My Life My Plan “Staying Healthy” a collection of self-paced at-home programs including a tobacco cessation program called “Get Off Your Butt: Stay Smokeless for Life” and additional resources.

It is your individual choice to quit smoking, but you do not have to do it alone! If you have questions or concerns regarding the new smoking policy, please contact John Neal at John.Neal@henrico.us.