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Commissioners adopt updates to county compensation philosophy, effective April 1, 2025
Summary
After a presentation by HR Answers, the board voted to adopt revisions to Wasco County’s compensation philosophy and recommended structural pay changes; staff said a 3% keep‑pace adjustment and several structural realignments were planned and could be implemented April 1 or July 1 depending on budget timing.
The Wasco County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt recommended updates to the county’s compensation philosophy and to begin implementing a triennial pay‑structure review prepared by HR Answers.
Laurie Grama, president of HR Answers, and Jennifer Shirl, senior consultant with HR Answers, presented the results of a maintenance cycle review of the county’s compensation program. The consultants described the county’s dual focus on internal pay administration (required by Oregon pay‑equity statutes) and external market competitiveness. Grama said the county’s process measures six comparable job characteristics and that the county’s overall compensation level is about 1 percent below market on average, with individual jobs ranging as much as 35 percent below to 36 percent above market.
The consultants recommended three steps in order: a keep‑pace adjustment (they modeled a 3 percent across‑the‑board increase), structural realignment to correct several grade progressions (including adding two nonmanagement grades and standardizing management grades), and targeted individual job adjustments to resolve remaining market lags and compression. They provided a list of about 11 specific job adjustments by grade and described two scenarios for implementation and budget impact. County finance staff said departments have been modeling the cost and that most departments could absorb the changes in the next fiscal year; one fund (public works supplemental) would need a budget change if the implementation occurs before fiscal year end.
A commissioner moved and seconded a motion to adopt the changes to the compensation philosophy as presented, effective April 1, 2025. Commissioners voted aye and the motion passed unanimously. Staff and the HR consultants said implementation timing could be April 1, 2025, or phased to July 1, 2025, depending on commissioner direction and budgeting steps. County staff said finance needs roughly two weeks to prepare payroll and budget adjustments if the board elects an April 1 effective date.
