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Richland County approves placement of all employees on new wage grid
Summary
County finance committee approved placing all full- and part-time employees on a new pay scale funded from the current budget; the plan includes a 3% cost-of-living adjustment and leaves steps for a later date.
Richland County commissioners voted to place all full- and part-time county employees on a new pay grid, using funds the board set aside in this year’s budget, the county administrator said at the finance committee meeting Dec. 10.
The action moves staff onto a revised salary scale and applies a 3% cost-of-living adjustment. County officials said the change is funded by an $804,000 pool approved during the budget process and will allow pay placements to take effect in the first payroll of January 2026.
The county administrator told the committee the detailed placement sheet (the proposed placements) remained nonpublic while staff work with department heads to correct any classification or supervisor/employee misplacements. “The wonderful news is that we will be able to get all full time and part time employees placed on the new scale with the money that the board approved in our budget process,” the county administrator said, adding the combined adjustment includes both a 3% pull-up and placement onto the new grid.
Staff presented two cost scenarios. The administrator summarized work from Tessa, a staff member: a 3% pull-up would cost $386,065 and placing everyone into the new grid would cost $358,019, for a combined total of $744,084. The administrator said giving every employee an additional step this year would have required roughly $356,924 more. The administrator also said about $56,000 remained unallocated after the placements and would be held to cover any adjustments during the placement process.
“I am asking for approval to place everyone on the new grid,” the county administrator said, noting there may be minimal tweaks after department-head review and any appeals are resolved. The administrator said staff held an emergency department-head meeting after receiving the material late on Friday and expected to handle outstanding appeals within about a week and a half.
Commissioner Manning moved to approve the placement plan; Commissioner Bridal seconded. Committee members signaled assent by saying “aye” and no opposition was recorded during the audible vote, and the motion carried.
Officials said the placement keeps the county within the 5% pool the board approved during budgeting and that the county will include funding for both a cost-of-living increase and potential step adjustments in next year’s budget if needed. Staff were directed to finalize placements, process appeals, and prepare the item for the full county board as required.
The committee also noted that the payroll timing requires the approvals to be processed so pay changes can appear on the Jan. 1, 2026 payroll.
