Dunn County proposes new quarterly performance reviews tied to 2026 pay adjustments

Dunn County human resources staff presented a redesigned performance-management process and a proposal to tie 2026 pay adjustments to October performance ratings during the Executive Committee meeting.

The proposal would replace the county’s fixed 11-step system across 25 pay grades with a market adjustment plus performance-related increases: a 2.75% raise for employees rated "meets expectations" and a 3.25% raise for those rated "exceeds expectations." Employees rated "needs improvement" in October would not receive a pay increase for 2026. County staff said the market adjustment portion would be 2.25% with the remaining 0.5% or 1.0% representing performance-related pay.

Why it matters: County staff said the change is intended to give the county flexibility to respond to budget constraints and to provide a means to recognize high performers without requiring an ordinance change each time pay parameters are adjusted. Staff framed the change as an alternative to the…