Contact Information , Office Hours
Functions , Department Responsibilities
FAQ's , Common Terms , History , Interesting Facts
Employment with Charleston County

Functions

Administration
Benefits
Compensation
Employee Relations
Employment
Human Resources Information System (HRIS)
Recruitment
Training

The Human Resources Department recruits, trains and supports the staff necessary for the basic operation of County government. The Department also supports the management staff of Charleston County toward its goal of effectively utilizing our most valuable resource, our employees. This effort includes organizing employment activities, developing policies and procedures, administering the County's benefits and compensation programs, providing training, coordinating award and recognition programs, as well as facilitating employee relations and interventions.

This Department also provides employees with services ranging from performance counseling and wellness programs to benefits education and problem solving. These and other project objectives are accomplished in a state-of-the-art management environment based on team building, group decision making and flexible job designs. These techniques are used to model new approaches to productivity and organization effectiveness.

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This Department Does

	Recruit prospective employees by attending job fairs, advertising, collecting applications, etc.
	Orient new employees
	Process job applications and personnel actions
	Develop and deliver countywide training programs
	Administer benefits and compensation programs
	Provide employees with benefits counseling and wellness programs
	Maintain the Human Resources Information System (HRIS)
	Develop and coordinate Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) for employees and their families
	Interpret personnel policies and procedures
	Handle employee complaints and grievances
	Monitor compliance with legal requirements
	Administer award and recognition programs
	Coordinate the performance appraisal process

This Department Does Not

	Handle workers compensation claims (See Risk Management )
	Issue payroll checks (See Controller )
	Have direct oversight of safety functions (See Safety Office )

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Common Terms

COBRA(Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act)-- A federal law that allows employees and their eligible dependents to retain some group insurance benefits with the employer upon separation from employment or loss of insurance benefits under specific conditions.

EAP (Employee Assistance Program)-- A confidential service provided to regular County employees. Private providers are contracted to provide confidential, short-term counseling services to employees and members of their families.

EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity)-- A system of employment practices under which employees are not excluded from any participation, advancement or benefits because of their sex, age, race, color, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability or other factors which cannot lawfully be the basis for such employment actions.

Exempt Status Employees-- Employees who are paid a salary and are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA.

FLSA (The Fair Labor Standards Act)-- A federal law that establishes the standards, guidelines and provisions of maximum work hours, minimum wage and overtime pay for employees.

HRIS(Human Resources Information System)-- An integrated computer database of County employee information.

Non-exempt Status Employees-- An hourly employee who is covered by the FLSA.

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History

The Human Resources Department began as part of the Administrator's Office in 1968. A more formal, separate Human Resources Department was created in the mid-1970s.

Interesting Facts

	Human Resources processes 11,000 job applications annually and handles 25,000 employee data changes each year.
	Human Resources handles over 2,100 regular employees.
	Human Resources handles over 2,300 part-time employees.

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Contact Information

Human Resources
Lonnie Hamilton, III Public Services Building
4045 Bridge View Drive
North Charleston, SC 29405-7464
(843) 958-4700
(843) 958-4720 (Fax)

JobLine
(843) 958-4719
(843) 958-4717 (TDD)

Office Hours

Monday-Friday
8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

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