HR: Parish ties pay tables to CPI‑W, flags rising health premiums and limited 2026 budget growth

Cindy Samuel, identified in the meeting as the HR manager, summarized the parish’s compensation work and benefits outlook as departments reviewed the proposed 2026 budget.

Cindy said the 2023 compensation study was implemented last year and noted that without annual maintenance the salary tables “quickly become obsolete.” She recommended tying table adjustments to the CPI‑W, a Bureau of Labor Statistics index for wages, to keep employee pay competitive with cost-of-living changes: "Linking our salary table to the CPIW is not a discretionary action but a responsible and well supported strategy," she said.

Why this matters: Council members pressed on how pay adjustments affect lower-paid, hourly employees and asked whether targeted increases or one-time payments might be alternatives to across‑the‑board cost-of-living adjustments.

Key HR points presented Cindy reported that the HR office processes roughly 120 terminations annually, about 13 rehires, and 100 promotions/transfers. HR runs roughly 40 payroll cycles each year (biweekly and monthly) that cover both parish staff and certain external agencies (for example, the 20th Judicial District Court payrolls noted in the discussion). She said 88 percent of parish staff are nonexempt (hourly) employees.

Compensation: study and maintenance The 2023 comp study raised pay for about 112 employees who were below the minimum of their job grade; those employees were moved up to the minimum pay for their grade. Cindy explained that many employees still have small movement within grades, noting a concentration of entry-level hires who start at the bottom of pay ranges. The department recommended annual maintenance tied to CPI‑W so pay keeps pace with inflation. Council members asked about targeted approaches (for example, larger adjustments for lower‑paid workers), and Cindy offered to provide scenario modeling if the council wished to pursue nonuniform adjustments.

Benefits and premiums Cindy said renewal discussions are under way and that medical premiums have been trending upward. She noted marketplace and Office of Group Benefits rate approvals in the region and that the parish’s 2025–26 renewal increase was “just under 10%” in her presentation. Cindy said parish staff would begin pre‑renewal meetings with the broker and examine options, including level‑funding or hybrid/self‑funding arrangements. She cautioned that self‑funding entails higher risk and that the HR team will evaluate the options with the parish broker.

Budget posture Cindy described HR’s 2026 budget as essentially a standstill budget; she said staff reduced expenses where possible while preserving compliance and core services. The HR office will continue discussions with the council about how to target pay changes or design benefit options that reduce long‑term cost pressure.

Ending: follow-up offered Cindy offered to produce more detailed cost analyses and scenario modeling on targeted pay adjustments and on alternative benefits approaches for council review.