Committee backs Labor and Human Rights budget, approves funding request as amended

Zach Greenberg, interim commissioner of the North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights, told the House Appropriations — Government Operations Division that his agency seeks full funding for 13 full-time equivalents and a biennial appropriation of $3,687,922 to reduce a backlog of cases.

Greenberg said the department operates on a mix of state general funds and two federal contracts — one with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and one with the Department of Housing and Urban Development — and that HUD reimbursements are paid after work is completed, which leaves the department operating on general funds until federal reimbursements arrive. "I respectfully request the committee support for the statutory duties assigned to the department by the legislature and ask that you recommend a due pass for the requested $3,687,922 and fully funding our 13 FTEs," Greenberg said.

The department told the committee it currently has a backlog of about 417 cases and that replacing the vacant compliance investigator positions is the most effective way to reduce that backlog. Greenberg said the agency posted the vacant investigator position, received 19 qualified applicants, had interviews underway and hoped to fill the vacancy within a week of testimony.

Committee members questioned several line items and asked for clarifications about temporary salaries that appear in the agency base. Staff explained the temporary-salary money was included in prior bases to address compliance backlogs and remains in the base in case future temporary help is needed. Committee discussion also addressed how hiring new employees at lower salaries than retirees can create base salary savings the agency can redeploy to temporary staffing.

After staff and members worked through the long sheet, Representative Bosch moved an amendment to include items the committee had marked okay on the worksheet — payroll changes, cost-to-continue, salary increases, health insurance, the FTE pool, temporary salaries and travel funding — and Representative Meyer seconded. The amendment passed on roll call. Later the committee approved a further amendment to add language authorizing the vacant FTE pool, and then voted to give House Bill 1007 a due pass as amended. The clerk recorded roll calls for the amendment votes and for final passage; members recorded on the roll calls included Chairman Munson, Vice Chairman Brandenburg, Representatives Bosch, Fisher, Meyer and Pyle; the bill was carried to the floor with the committee's recommendation as amended.

The committee instructed staff to draft the specific section language authorizing the new-and-vacant FTE pool and said that staff will add the correct amounts before the bill is filed out of the division. Representative Meyer was assigned as the bill carrier to the House floor.

Copies of the agency's long sheet and supplemental testimony were placed in the committee record for follow-up. Greenberg and department staff were excused after the vote; members noted the bill will still need to clear the Senate and that additional changes could occur during the remainder of the session.