Commissioners back one-step merit increases; discuss COLA timing and new on-call compensatory time policy

Human-resources staff presented compensation options and implementation impacts during the March 7 budget work session. Staff said a one-step merit increase — roughly equal to 2.5 percent of base salary — would cost about $600,000 for county employees and that merit increases are awarded on employees’ anniversary dates so the expense is phased through the year.

Staff also described a potential 1 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for FY18, estimated at $532,000 if paid on July 1 (a January 1 COLA would cost half, about $266,000). Commissioners discussed whether to approve both step and COLA but the mercantile direction at the meeting was to incorporate a one-step merit increase for county employees and defer a COLA.

On workplace time rules, staff proposed an on-call policy that would use compensatory time rather than cash to maintain budget neutrality. Under the proposal, employees on a one-week on-call rotation would receive 16 hours of compensatory time for that week; the comp time would be paid out if employees separate employment and have unused comp time. Commissioners indicated support for the policy, which staff said had been drafted in consultation with department leadership.

Staff noted the Board of Education's request for step increases (the board's current request included merit/step costs that the county had already incorporated into the draft budget figures) and identified that the county's $600,000 estimate covered only county-side employees.