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Compensation committee asks JFAC to fund raises, targets trooper pay and nursing increases
Summary
The Change in Employee Compensation committee recommended across-the-board schedule shifts and targeted increases — including a $1.55-per-hour-per-FTE general increase and up to 8% for state troopers — and asked that appropriations reflect those changes.
The Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) committee recommended several salary schedule and compensation changes intended to improve recruitment and retention for state employees and public safety staff.
Senator Dan Foreman, co-chair of the CEC committee, told JFAC the committee recommends shifting the primary compensation schedule up by an average of 3.2%, with exceptions. The committee recommended shifting specialized schedules by an average of 3.2% for public safety, 3.0% for IT and engineering, and 3.5% for nursing and health-care schedules. The committee recommended funding salary increases equal to $1.55 per hour per full-time position (FTP), with agency heads and institution presidents allowed flexibility in distribution.
On specific occupations the committee recommended: funding an increase for Idaho State Police troopers (pay grade L) to meet, but not exceed, an 8% salary increase; a 4.5% salary increase for employees on the IT and engineering schedule; and for nursing and health-care positions funding either the $1.55/hour per FTP increase or 3%, whichever is greater. The committee also recommended keeping pay-grade D minimum at $7.25 per hour and maintaining the current employee benefits package without significant plan design changes. The recommended appropriations level for benefits was raised in the committee's materials from $13,000 to $13,960 per FTP for FY2026.
Why it matters: Committee members flagged recruitment and retention pressures, including vacancy rates and pay gaps. Senator Foreman described low pay as a principal driver of attrition among state troopers and said some ISP districts were operating at roughly half authorized staffing, a shortfall the committee said threatened continuous patrol coverage.
Several legislators asked questions and expressed concerns about whether the recommended amounts would be sufficient to address vacancies and market gaps. Senator Ward Engelking noted the state’s historic vacancy and turnover rates and cautioned that many employees would not receive full 5% increases under the proposals.
Action: The committee accepted the CEC report by unanimous consent; JFAC will consider CEC-funded items as part of program maintenance and enhancement budget hearings next week.
