JFAC accepts technical corrections to CEC compensation letter; clarifies $1.55 hourly increase and 4.5% IT/engineering market adjustment

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Monday accepted technical corrections to the committee's CEC recommendation letter, clarifying the committee's wage and market adjustment recommendations for state employees.

Frances Lippett, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told the committee the corrections remove previously included "flexibility" language and clarify two separate elements of the pay package: an ongoing $1.55-per-hour-per-FTE salary increase and a separate 4.5% market-based increase for employees on the IT and engineering salary schedule. "The motion in committee that passed did not include that flexibility language," Lippett said, and the 4.5% market adjustment is intended to be paid in addition to the hourly increase.

The clarification was offered after Lippett said drafts of the letter did not accurately reflect the committee's action taken at a prior meeting. Representative Petzke asked whether the 4.5% market adjustment applies to all IT and engineering staff across state agencies. Lippett said the committee's motion covered employees on the IT and engineering salary schedule and may not include nonclassified IT and engineering staff who work for constitutional officers, adding that JFAC could consider whether to expand the language.

By unanimous consent the committee approved the corrected letter; there was no roll-call vote. The change ensures the CEC letter sent from Legislative Services will match the recommendation the committee recorded in its prior meeting.

The corrected wording matters because it defines what pay adjustments the committee formally recommends and whether those adjustments are additive for particular salary schedules.