Travis County staff urge court to approve market pay adjustments, proposes multi‑phase modernization of pay scales

Travis County human resources and budget officials on Aug. 26 urged the Commissioners Court to adopt a market adjustment and to approve a two‑phase modernization of county pay scales that would add a separate exempt schedule and later refine attorney and other specialty ladders. No vote was taken; staff said they will return with updated cost numbers for formal action.

The county’s Human Resources Management Department (HRMD) presented the final analysis of a project begun with an outside consultant in 2022 and completed by HRMD staff. The recommendations include applying a market salary adjustment to classifications below market, implementing an exempt pay schedule in phase one, and continuing detailed work on an attorney career ladder and other specialty scales in phase two. Travis County Planning and Budget Office (PBO) staff provided draft cost estimates for competing scenarios but said the numbers are still being finalized and could change.

Why it matters: County leaders said the move is intended to keep the workforce competitive after several years of large increases at the low end of the pay scale; staff told the court that while the county raised minimum wages aggressively between 2022 and 2025, many mid‑ and upper‑level positions…