Dallas County HR proposes 3% pay-structure increases, recommends 5% employee premium hike after insurer switch

Bob Wilson, Dallas County HR director, presented compensation and employee-benefit recommendations to the Commissioners Court and said the county should adopt a 3% structure increase for non‑law‑enforcement employees and targeted adjustments for other pay schedules.

The change is paired with benefit updates after the county—s move from UnitedHealthcare to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Consultants from Holmes Murphy told the court the plan is running below the budgeted medical and pharmacy costs year to date and that pharmacy rebates have increased since the carrier change.

The topline compensation recommendations came from Wilson. "We are recommending for non law enforcement is a 3% structure increase," Wilson told the court, adding that the approach is a pay‑structure adjustment rather than a cost‑of‑living allowance he said some employees viewed as a "tip." Wilson said the 3% structure change would help keep Dallas County competitive in the market and provide consistency for employees.

Wilson presented cost estimates the court discussed: he said a 3% structure increase for all employees would cost about $14,000,000; a separate law‑enforcement structure (intended to reach every uniformed employee rather than applying step increases) represents about $4,200,000; and an additional alignment for the Schedule E (exempt/managerial) group would cost about $2,000,000. Wilson said the county had allotted "a little over $25,000,000" for compensation…