Ericka has been part of the Clerk’s Office for six years, quietly doing work that keeps everything moving. Her role may happen behind the scenes, but its impact is felt by every employee who receives a paycheck or relies on their benefits being right.
“I started here in 2019,” she says. “I was transitioning from the private sector and moving from Jacksonville, so I was applying for positions I felt I could be a good fit for.”
That search led her to the Civil Division, where her Clerk’s Office journey began. In civil, Ericka worked as a small claims clerk, supporting courtrooms and judges throughout the division. The pace was demanding, and at times, intense.
“At one point, I was the only small claims clerk,” she recalls. “I had to run from courtroom to courtroom to cover court.”
She enjoyed the work and the challenge it brought. “I really enjoyed that part,” she says. “But I knew I wanted to do more.”
A Move Toward Growth in Human Resources
When an opportunity opened in Human Resources, Ericka saw a chance to grow while leaning into skills she already had.
“I wanted to grow more,” she explains. “Administration is something I’ve always done, and I thought this would be a great fit for me.”
When she transitioned to HR in 2023, the role immediately felt familiar. Payroll, benefits, and administrative work were all areas she had handled before while running her own business.
Payroll week is always front and center. Preparing payroll takes focus, structure, and follow-through.
“We prepare for payroll, make sure it’s processed, and then we follow it all the way through until payroll closes,” Ericka says. “And even after it closes, we still have to make sure it worked and everyone got paid.”
She reviews timecards, looks for incorrect coding and leave balances, and makes sure sick time and FMLA leave are handled correctly before payroll moves forward.
“If they worked 80 hours, I made sure they were paid for 80 hours,” she says. “That part is very important.”
Planning Ahead, Not Reacting
Outside of payroll, she fields benefit questions, reconciles insurance premium invoices and manages retirement payments for former employees who remain on benefit plans.
Ericka’s approach is shaped by years of compliance-focused work, which has trained her to always think a few steps ahead.
“I always think of the worst and hope for the best,” she says. “If this happens, then A, B, and C could happen.” For her, being proactive, not reactive, means being prepared; she maps out every variable to stay ahead of the issues.
Her background working with housing authorities, grant-funded programs, and state compliance taught her to assess risk and understand consequences. That mindset still guides her work today.
“Even though I’m not in a compliance role, everything we do is about staying in compliance,” she explains.
Teamwork That Connects It All
HR is a collaborative environment, and Ericka values the support within her division. She sees everyone’s work as interconnected, not separate. She keeps a board in her workspace that tracks not only her tasks, but how her work connects to others across the division.
“I have a bigger picture in my head,” she says. “Everything ties together.”
Ericka takes pride in knowing her work supports both employees and residents. When systems run smoothly behind the scenes, others are free to focus on serving the public. That responsibility matters to her.
Life Beyond the Office
Outside of work, Ericka’s favorite role is being a grandmother. Her five-year-old grandson brings balance and joy to her life in a way nothing else can.
After days filled with planning, precision, and problem-solving, time with him is where she truly recharges. It is a reminder of why the details matter and why taking care of people, both at work and at home, is at the heart of everything she does.
For Ericka, that connection is what makes the work meaningful.
