Program Specialist I

Health/Prescription Insurance Eligible employees have the opportunity to participate in the state’s health and prescription insurance program. Employees may select either single or family coverage with affordable co‑payments. More detail can be found at Know Your Benefits. Wellness Benefits Employees are eligible for a wellness and health promotion program. This plan provides annual benefits for certain services with first‑dollar coverage with no deductible. Life Insurance All eligible employees receive an actual term life insurance policy upon employment. The policy coverage is two times the employee’s annual salary to a maximum of $100,000. More detail can be found at Life Insurance Choices. Optional Insurances Many agencies offer discounted premiums for dental, vision, and cancer insurance. Flexible Spending Accounts Many state agencies provide opportunity for employees to participate in pre‑tax spending accounts. These accounts allow employees to withhold childcare expenses and unreimbursed medical expenses prior to application of state and federal taxes. Paid Personal Leave and Sick Leave Full‑time employees receive paid time off for personal needs and for sick leave. Leave begins accruing after one month of employment and may be used as it is accrued. Employees earn approximately 18 days of personal leave annually and 12 days of sick leave annually. Military Leave In accordance with federal law, all employees serving in the armed forces or the military reserves are entitled to 15 days per year for military training. Holidays Employees receive up to 10 paid holidays to enjoy many of our nation’s celebrations with family and friends. Retirement Programs The State of Mississippi provides all its employees a Defined Benefit/Defined Contribution Retirement Program. Employees become vested in the State’s retirement system after 8 years of employment. Both you and your employing agency contribute toward your retirement. More detailed information regarding the State’s retirement program can be found at Deferred Compensation State agencies offer several opportunities for their employees to participate in a deferred compensation voluntary retirement savings plan. More information can be found at Deferred Compensation. State Credit Union All state employees are eligible to participate in the Mississippi Public Employees’ Credit Union. This organization offers state employees special savings and borrowing plans. For more information about this program, call View phone number on click.appcast.io. Tuition Reimbursement Many state agencies provide opportunities for their employees to achieve higher education through tuition reimbursement. Common programs include medical and nursing fields, accounting, and business/administrative fields. Career Development and Training The Mississippi State Personnel Board offers several management and administrative certification programs, as well as professional development courses to enhance employee value to the agency. Individual agencies also offer technical training and allow membership in professional organizations to employees in their specific fields of employment. Promotional Opportunities Employees who have completed 6 or more months of service are eligible for promotional opportunities within state government employment. Minimum qualifications must be met. Career Ladders Many job classifications provide career‑ladder opportunities based upon attainment of competencies. These career ladders can increase an individual’s salary, provided funds are available within the agency. Experience Requirement No experience 1 year of experience 2 years of experience 3 years of experience 4 years of experience 5 years of experience 6 years of experience 7 years of experience 8 years of experience 9 years of experience 10 years of experience More than 10 years Education Requirement None GED or High School Equivalency Diploma / High School Diploma 30 semester hours Associate's Degree / 60 semester hours 90 semester hours Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree Specialist Degree Doctorate Degree Required Question #J-18808-Ljbffr