Employee Leave

Personal leave may be used for rest and relaxation, and for approved sick leave. Only regular, benefits-eligible employees accrue personal leave. Regular employees scheduled to work 2,080 hours a year accrue personal leave based on consecutive years of county service as follows: 

PERSONAL LEAVE

Regular, benefits-eligible employees who work more or less than 2080 scheduled hours per year have their personal leave accruals prorated accordingly.

Sick Leave

Regular, benefits-eligible employees will accrue 96 hours of sick leave for each year of completed service. Sick leave will be cumulative for an indefinite period. The balance of unused sick leave will not be paid to the employee upon separation.

Active enrollees in the NCLGERS may transfer up to 96 hours of accumulated sick leave balance upon employment. After 5 years of service with the county, the remaining balance of prior sick leave will be transferred to the employee's sick leave account.

For retirement purposes, all unused sick leave transforms into creditable service. For every 20 days of unused sick leave the retiring employee has, he or she receives one month of creditable service.

New Hanover County will observe the same holiday schedule as designated by the Office of State Personnel. The amount of time allowed for a paid holiday is based on the number of annual hours for which an employee's position is budgeted. If employees' normal work schedules are other than the standard 2,080 hours per year, their holiday pay may be pro-rated based on the number of hours budgeted for their positions. Fire Rescue staff scheduled to work 24-hour shifts receive 12 hours of holiday pay for each holiday. Employees are also given one personal floating holiday per year to take as they choose.

holiday leave

Paid Parental Leave

Benefits-eligible employees are allowed up to six weeks of paid leave for the parental care of a newborn or a child placed for adoption, foster care, or guardianship within twelve (12) months of the qualifying event that occurs on or after the effective date of this policy.

The approved leave must be used concurrently with approved FMLA leave or another approved leave of absence for the qualifying event.

This policy applies to full‐time and part‐time employees who have been in a regular (benefits-eligible) status for at least twelve (12) months and have completed their introductory period prior to the qualifying event as defined in this policy

Employees are eligible to receive up to three hours a week for educational leave. This leave is granted to attend classes that are only offered during regular work hours, and which count towards a degree related to your field of work with the county.

Community Service Leave

Employees may be paid for up to eight hours of Community Service Leave each year. Leave must be used for participation in school activities with their children or in volunteering their services in the community during normal working hours.

Wellness Clinic Leave

The county provides an on-site wellness clinic to regular, benefits-eligible employees. To encourage use of the facility, which positively impacts both employee health and medical insurance costs, employees are provided with a special leave for visits to the clinic.


Wellness Incentive Leave

The Wellness Incentive Leave Program provides an opportunity for employees to earn additional paid leave for completing proactive healthy behaviors towards achieving and maintaining good health. Participants complete online wellness challenges and become eligible for wellness incentive leave. Successful completion of one online challenge awards participants four hours of wellness incentive leave.

The county recognizes the need for an adequate blood supply, and to encourage participation in the county blood drives for the American Red Cross, employees are provided with paid leave for successful blood donation. For each successful donation, an employee is credited with four hours of paid leave. Employees may not accrue more than 16 hours in a year. There is no maximum accumulation, but this leave will not be paid out at separation.