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Levy County board designates electrician, plumber and HVAC roles as 'critical' to ease hiring
Summary
The Levy County School Board voted unanimously to classify electrician, plumber and HVAC technician openings as critical positions, allowing new hires to receive full credit for prior years of experience under a union agreement; board members discussed limits and implementation.
The Levy County School Board voted to classify three maintenance trades—electrician, plumber and HVAC technician—as critical positions, a change supporters said will help the district recruit qualified applicants.
Board Chair opened the vote after a presentation from a maintenance representative who asked the board to recognize the positions as critical because “we struggle to get qualified applicants” when hiring. The presenter said designating the roles would allow the district to “offer them 1 to 1 on years of experience,” meaning applicants could receive full step credit for prior work experience under the district’s collective-bargaining rules.
The change is intended to address recurring vacancies in specialized trades that the maintenance team said can remain open for lengthy periods. The presenter described the difficulty of recruiting candidates who have 20 years of outside trade experience but would be placed at a lower pay step without full credit for prior work.
Board members asked about documentation for prior experience. The presenter said candidates’ prior employers are contacted and that personnel handles verification with a certification form; self-employed applicants must submit tax records. Board members also asked whether the change would apply to existing employees; the presenter said the classification would affect new hires only and that any step or base-pay changes for current employees would have to be negotiated with the union.
After brief discussion, a motion to adopt the critical designation was moved and seconded and carried on a unanimous voice vote.
Votes at a glance - Motion to designate electrician, plumber and HVAC technician positions as critical (affecting new hires; verification of experience to be handled through personnel forms and supporting documentation): approved (motion carried by voice vote; tally not recorded in the minutes).
Why it matters: Board members said the step-credit change aims to make the district more competitive in hiring for skilled trades, which school maintenance staff described as essential to keeping facilities operational.
What’s next: Personnel will apply the district’s existing verification process for prior employment and certifications to new hires in these job classes; any retroactive pay or step changes for current employees would require negotiation with the union, the presenter said.
