Currituck County takes getting important information to our employees very seriously. That is why the Employee section of our website was created.

Here you will find important information on your benefits, including your health insurance coverage, how to get assistance with an insurance problem, who is on your county wellness committee, etc.

Employee News

1)    Optima EAP – “Calm Down: Meditation and Relaxation Guide Webinar

Learning to calm and center ourselves is a necessary skill. Making time for a regular practice of meditation, yoga or another form of relaxation can be challenging. In this seminar, we’ll review some of the most popular relaxation tools and how to integrate them into our busy lives. We’ll discuss how to find and make time, even if you think you’re totally overbooked already!

For access to additional information to help you live a more balanced life, check what is available on our Employee Assistance Program website.

2)    Total Retirement Planning Online Conference – Planning for a Successful Retirement

Date:   Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Time:   11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Register:  www.myretirement.com

The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer is presenting a Teachers’ and State, and Local Governmental Employees’ Total Retirement Planning Conference online. Register to attend and have your questions about retirement answered by our counselors.

This conference will provide an orientation for new members, pre-retirement planning information for members closer to retirement, and educational information for personnel officers and others who handle retirement matters. In addition, Prudential Retirement, our defined contribution plans administrator will offer information on the Supplemental 401(k), 457, and 403(b) plans.

Take an extra ½ hour for lunch to discover your benefits!

3)    Retirement Planning Webinar – Local Government Employees

Date:   Monday, February 22, 2021
Time:   9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Register:  www.myretirement.com

Webinar attendance is available to the first 500 registrants. An email confirmation will provide a link to the webinar. You will also receive a reminder email the day of the event that includes the link to the webinar. A phone number and teleconference password will be provided for those that would like to participate with audio only, or if you want to listen to the presentation through your phone.

4)    Retirement Planning Webinar – Local Government Employees

Date:   Thursday February 25, 2021
Time:   1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Register:  www.myretirement.com

Webinar attendance is available to the first 500 registrants. An email confirmation will provide a link to the webinar. You will also receive a reminder email the day of the event that includes the link to the webinar. A phone number and teleconference password will be provided for those that would like to participate with audio only, or if you want to listen to the presentation through your phone.

5)    Need tax help? Not a problem.

​Take advantage of member tax preparation assistance from Local Government Federal Credit Union.

Low-Cost Tax Preparation Service: Eligible members can have a basic income tax return prepared and filed in one of our branches for only $95. Branches will begin preparing 2020 tax returns on January 20, 2021.

Choose to have your return filed electronically* — if you’re expecting a tax refund, you may receive it faster!

Tax services offered by your local branch are available year-round. Visit lgfcu.org/taxprep for more information and a list of what to bring with you when you go to the branch. Certain tax returns may fall outside the scope of these programs.

Call 888-732-8562 for additional information.

LGFCU members receive special discounts on TurboTax® online tax preparation.

• ​$10 off Deluxe Federal
• $15 off Premier Federal
• $20 off Self-Employed Federal

Electronic filing is easy and convenient, and you typically receive your refund in less than two weeks. You can even choose to have
your refund deposited directly into an LGFCU account!

Visit lgfcu.org/turbotax to learn more and to file your taxes today.

Tax Check List

6)    Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association Scholarship Available 

Nominations are being sought for a $750 scholarship offered by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association (NCCEAPA) through Wednesday, March 17, 2021. 

The scholarship is available to North Carolina residents pursuing a college degree (Associates and/or Bachelors) in business or a business-related field of study. Applicants must be enrolled to attend classes at a college or university during the 2021-2022 school year.

The scholarship is awarded annually to honor the work and dedication of Edith Herter and Frances O’Neal, co-leaders in forming the NCCEAPA in 1973.

Qualified applicants interested in applying for this scholarship may obtain an application packet from the financial aid office at their local community college.  Additional information and scholarship applications can be obtained by contacting the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Currituck County Center, at 252-232-2261, or by visiting currituck.ces.ncsu.edu.

7)    Cigna’s  January 2021 Drug Formulary Changes

As clients and customers continue to face the financial burdens resulting from a lengthy pandemic, lowering drug cost is more vital than ever. Cigna’s January 2021 Formulary changes – which encompass our low net drug cost approach – center around better affordability and improved pharmacy plan performance.

8)    Information Regarding COVID-19 & Employment

Currituck County Human Resources has compiled information to help you know what to do if you or an immediate family member need to take time off due to COVID-19.

9)   The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

Alert: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from Wednesday, April 1, 2020 through Sunday, December 31, 2020.

• Employee Rights: Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave under The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

10)  2020 Form W-4 &  Tax Changes

Ray Scerri, Director from the State of North Carolina, Office of the State Controller has sent a memo (PDF) to all employees concerning 2020 Form W-4. The memo states:

The 2020 Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, is very different from previous versions. This is due to the federal tax law changes that took place in 2018. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is not requiring all employees to complete the revised form and has designed the withholding tables so that they will work with both the new and prior year forms. However, certain employees will be required to use the new form: those hired in 2020 and anyone who makes withholding changes during 2020.

Even though the IRS does not require all employees to complete the revised form and even if your tax situation has not changed, we recommend you perform a “paycheck checkup” to see if you need to make adjustments to your current withholding. To conduct the checkup, you can use the IRS’s Tax Withholding Estimator. To effectively use the estimator, it is helpful to have a copy of your most recent pay stub and tax return. It is likely that the estimator will be updated to account for the 2020 tax tables in early January. Please note: if you do not submit a new form, withholding will continue based on your previously submitted form.

Before completing the 2020 Form W-4, please read the instructions that are included with the form. You must complete Steps 1 and 5. Steps 2, 3, and 4 are optional, but completing them will help ensure that your federal income tax withholding will more accurately match your tax liability.

• Step 1 is for your personal information;
• Step 2 is for households with multiple jobs;
• Step 3 is used to claim tax credits for dependents;
• Step 4 is for other adjustments (additional income such as interest and dividends, itemized deductions that exceed the standard deduction, and extra tax you want withheld);
• Step 5 is where you sign the form.

The IRS takes your privacy seriously and suggests that if you are worried about reporting income from multiple jobs in Step 2 or other income in Step 4(a), you check the box in Step 2(c) or enter an additional withholding amount in Step 4(c). To determine the additional withholding amount, you can use the withholding estimator.

The IRS has published Frequently Asked Questions that you may find helpful as you complete the form.