CEC recommends targeted pay increases; JFAC accepts compensation report by unanimous consent

Senator Dan Foreman, cochair of the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) committee, presented the committee’s recommendations on salary schedule adjustments and targeted pay changes and the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee accepted the report by unanimous consent.

“We recommend shifting the primary compensation schedule upwards by an average of 3.2% as recommended by the Division of Human Resources,” Foreman said, and outlined exceptions and targeted adjustments. The committee recommended maintaining existing pay‑line exceptions for certain job classifications and recommended funding a $1.55 per hour per full‑time position (FTP) increase for state employees, with flexibility for agency heads and institution presidents to distribute funds.

The committee proposed specialized compensation schedule adjustments of about 3.2% for public safety, 3% for IT and engineering, and 3.5% for nursing and health care. For Idaho State Police troopers (pay grade L) the committee recommended funding a salary increase up to but not exceeding 8% to address “a serious public safety emergency” and retention issues, Foreman said. For IT and engineering positions the recommendation was a 4.5% increase; for nursing and health care the committee recommended $1.55 per hour per FTP or 3%, whichever is greater.

Senator Ward Engelking expressed concern that employees making roughly $64,000 would not receive a 5% raise and noted cited turnover and recruitment pressure in state employment. Representative Tanner asked how the trooper pay recommendation was derived; Foreman said the committee supported the larger increase because low wages were the principal driver of short staffing and retention problems in some Idaho State Police districts.

The committee also recommended keeping the current employee benefits package intact and recommended appropriation-level guidance for fiscal 2026 (the transcript records a recommendation to increase appropriation levels from 13,000 to 13,960 per FTP in the budget book presentation).

Cochair Harmon requested unanimous consent to accept the CEC report; the request was seconded by Senator Woodward and JFAC accepted the report by unanimous consent, with the committee to consider funding details during upcoming budget deliberations.

The CEC recommendations will be incorporated into program maintenance and enhancement discussions next week, with agency heads given flexibility on distribution of funds where the committee recommended that approach.