Is a governmental body providing sufficient notice of events that will be discussed in executive session by simply quoting the statutory language "to deliberate the appointment, salary, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee"???

Last time I checked, it depended on the position to be discussed. If it was a high profile position in which the public might have a greater interest, such as a department head etc.the postition needed to be specified in the notice.....if, however, it was a position that would not be of high public concern such as a groundskeeper, for example, the the notice did not have to be specific and the general statutory language might be sufficient.
Also, best I remember, the employee has a right to have the discussion held in a pulic forum and not in executive session, upon proper request.
Caveat: I has been a while since I looked at this issue. There may be a more recent interpretation....perhaps some of the civil gurus that hang out here can shed more light.

What if the discussion pertains to employee benefits of the county as a whole? Not just to a particular employee.

I believe a class of employees may not be the proper subject for an executive session. If memory serves, discussions about a class of employees, all deputies as an example, must be discussed in an open session. Similarly, discussions that contemplate benefits for all county employees should probably be held in an open session unless you can get ceative and find another executive session section that might work. Once again, there are people more qualified than I to answer this question. The open meetings handbook put out by the AG's office is a good place to start.

I agree that you can't talk about the benefits of a whole class of employees in closed or executive session.

Let the sunshine in.