Change in Employee Compensation committee recommends pay adjustments; JFAC accepts report
January 10, 2025 | Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Idaho
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Dan Forman, co-chair of the legislature’s Change in Employee Compensation committee, presented the committee’s recommendations for FY2026 salary and benefit adjustments and asked JFAC to accept the report.
The committee recommended shifting the primary compensation schedule up by an average of 3.2 percent (with the exception that pay grade D minimum remains at $7.25 per hour). It recommended specialized compensation schedule increases of 3.2% for public safety, 3% for IT and engineering, and 3.5% for nursing and health care; the committee said funding for schedule shifts should be applied only when an employee falls below the new minimum.
The CEC recommended a $1.55 per hour per full-time position (FTP) salary increase be funded by the Legislature, with flexibility for agency heads and institution presidents to distribute funds internally. The committee recommended an up-to-8% increase for Idaho State Police troopers (pay grade L) to address critical staffing shortfalls; a 4.5% increase was recommended for IT and engineering salary schedule employees; and nursing/health care positions should receive either the $1.55 per hour per FTP increase or 3%, whichever is greater. The committee recommended no structural change to the employee benefits package.
Forman noted the committee did not vote on insurance appropriation for school districts and left that to be addressed within the school budget. James Holdsclaw (District 20) thanked staff. Senator Ward Engelking expressed concern that employees making about $64,000 would not receive a 5% raise, pointed to a 19% vacancy/turnover rate and said many classifications remain below market.
Representative Tanner asked for the rationale behind the trooper recommendation; Forman described critically low trooper staffing in parts of the state (citing ISP District 2 at roughly 50% staffing), and said the committee concluded pay — not morale or management — was the primary driver of attrition, and that an 8% increase should help retention.
Co-chair Harmon requested unanimous consent to accept the CEC report. The committee approved acceptance by unanimous consent with no recorded objections.
—Ending—
The committee recommended shifting the primary compensation schedule up by an average of 3.2 percent (with the exception that pay grade D minimum remains at $7.25 per hour). It recommended specialized compensation schedule increases of 3.2% for public safety, 3% for IT and engineering, and 3.5% for nursing and health care; the committee said funding for schedule shifts should be applied only when an employee falls below the new minimum.
The CEC recommended a $1.55 per hour per full-time position (FTP) salary increase be funded by the Legislature, with flexibility for agency heads and institution presidents to distribute funds internally. The committee recommended an up-to-8% increase for Idaho State Police troopers (pay grade L) to address critical staffing shortfalls; a 4.5% increase was recommended for IT and engineering salary schedule employees; and nursing/health care positions should receive either the $1.55 per hour per FTP increase or 3%, whichever is greater. The committee recommended no structural change to the employee benefits package.
Forman noted the committee did not vote on insurance appropriation for school districts and left that to be addressed within the school budget. James Holdsclaw (District 20) thanked staff. Senator Ward Engelking expressed concern that employees making about $64,000 would not receive a 5% raise, pointed to a 19% vacancy/turnover rate and said many classifications remain below market.
Representative Tanner asked for the rationale behind the trooper recommendation; Forman described critically low trooper staffing in parts of the state (citing ISP District 2 at roughly 50% staffing), and said the committee concluded pay — not morale or management — was the primary driver of attrition, and that an 8% increase should help retention.
Co-chair Harmon requested unanimous consent to accept the CEC report. The committee approved acceptance by unanimous consent with no recorded objections.
—Ending—
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