Committee approves higher pay band for state crime lab medical examiner classification to ease recruitment

The Budget Personnel Committee approved a request from the Department of Public Safety to establish a labor‑market rate of up to $350,000 for the classification of crime lab associate medical examiner, citing a nearly 17% turnover rate and recruitment challenges.

Department of Public Safety representatives told the committee that the requested change would allow the agency to increase salaries for incumbents and better compete in the labor market. Karen Perry, chief financial officer for the Department of Public Safety, and Philip Warner, the department's head of human resources, were present to explain the request. The Office of Personnel Management estimated implementation would cost about $248,000 from general revenue; the department told the committee it has sufficient funds to support the increase.

Staff said the request does not add positions but is intended to permit hiring and incumbent pay at a higher market rate. The letter lists four incumbents who would be affected and notes two additional vacant positions the department is trying to fill, including one vacancy expected from a retirement in July.

Committee members pressed for specifics on the number of positions and turnover. Philip Warner explained that the classification has “a turnover rate of almost 17%” and that recruitment challenges have hampered the state crime lab’s ability to produce needed work. Warner compared the current situation to prior recruitment problems in other technical classifications and said the state has been authorizing above‑grade hires on a case‑by‑case basis; the request would standardize a higher market rate for the classification.

The committee approved the request on a voice vote. The transcript records a staff motion, a second and unanimous voice approval; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Background and implications

Committee staff and the department said the higher market rate aims to reduce turnover and make incumbents’ pay more competitive with private‑sector and out‑of‑state salaries for comparable forensic positions. The department indicated it seeks to raise incumbent salaries and improve recruitment rather than create new positions.

Implementation will require the Department of Public Safety to apply the new labor‑market rate when hiring or adjusting incumbent pay; OPM provided the cost estimate cited to the committee. The committee did not set an expiration date for the market rate in the transcript.