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Joint committee accepts CEC pay recommendations; trooper pay targeted to address staffing shortfalls
Summary
JFAC accepted the Change in Employee Compensation committeereport recommending across-the-board and targeted pay adjustments: a $1.55 hourly increase per FTE or 3% (whichever is greater for nursing), a 4.5% schedule increase for IT/engineering, and a targeted trooper pay adjustment up to 8% to address retention concerns.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee accepted the Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) committee report by unanimous consent after hearing the committee co-chairs outline recommended salary adjustments and targeted increases for critical occupations.
Senator Dan Foreman, co-chair of the CEC committee, told the committee the recommendations are intended to address recruitment and retention problems identified in agency reporting and Division of Human Resources analysis. "We recommend shifting the primary compensation schedule upwards by an average of 3.2% as recommended by the division of human resources," Foreman said. He added the minimum for pay grade D would remain at $7.25 per hour.
Key recommendations and rationale The CEC report and the presentation to JFAC included these recommendations as described by committee members and staff: - Fund a salary increase equivalent to $1.55 per hour per FTE for state employees, with flexibility for agency heads and institution presidents to distribute funds. - Shift the primary compensation schedule upward by an average of 3.2% (Division of Human Resources recommendation). - Maintain pay-grade D minimum at $7.25 per hour. - Specialized schedules: increase public-safety schedules by 3.2% (general), IT and engineering schedules by 4.5%, and nursing/health‑care schedules by an average (3.5%) or the $1.55 per hour per FTE, whichever is greater. - Targeted increase for Idaho State Police troopers in pay grade L: recommend funding to meet but not exceed an 8% increase, with flexibility on distribution by the agency.
Why the trooper increase was recommended Representative Tanner and others asked for detail on the trooper recommendation. Foreman described the issue as a staffing and public-safety concern in some districts: "The Manning level of the Idaho State Police with respect to street troopers... is at a critically low level. In my district, ISP District 2... they're already at 50% manning," Foreman said, adding the committee saw low wages as the driving factor in departures. "It's pay," he said. "It's simply pay. And in the interest of public safety, we felt like an 8% increase would make a significant difference and help improve retention of our troopers."
Substantive concerns raised Senator Ward Engelking warned some recommended increases would not keep many employees near market rates and cited turnover. "We have over a 19% vacancy in turnover. We also are looking at being 25% below market rate," Engelking said, arguing the plan may not be sufficient for some occupations.
Process and next steps Committee members accepted the CEC report by unanimous consent. The chair and staff clarified that accepting the report at this meeting is a procedural step; final funding decisions and allocation mechanics will be addressed in upcoming JFAC budget hearings when program-maintenance and enhancement bills are set. Staff emphasized flexibility in how agencies may distribute the recommended dollars.
Action taken A member moved to accept the CEC report; the request for unanimous consent was seconded and the committee recorded no objections. The report will be part of the program-maintenance decisions the committee will consider in next week's hearings.
