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Wausau Water Works approves wage reclassification plan after removing two administrative positions for separate review
Summary
The commission approved updated pay grades and wage recommendations for most utility positions after an amendment excluded two administrative assistant positions pending a separate job-analysis and reclassification review.
The Water Works Commission voted Tuesday to adopt updated pay grades and wage recommendations for most utility positions, but amended the measure to remove two administrative assistant positions for separate review.
Commissioner Gellhar moved to approve the wage recommendations; Commissioner Hadley seconded. After discussion about internal equity and whether clerical positions should be reclassified, Commissioner Galhar moved an amendment to accept the pay changes "with the exception of the admin highlighted in red." The amendment was seconded by Commissioner Hadley and approved by the commission.
HR Director Eric said the proposal was based on updated pay grades and comparisons to other utilities and American Water Works Association compensation surveys. "This will definitely make us competitive, which will go a long ways with our recruitment and retention," Eric said, adding the changes are not intended to put the utility "at the forefront" of pay but to improve competitiveness.
HR analyst Miss Nowak reported she is conducting job-description reviews and that some administrative roles have evolved into higher-responsibility duties. "I've been running an analysis on the level 2 which is going to be resplotted to a level 3 and the level 3 which is going to be resplotted to an analyst," Nowak told the commission.
Commissioners cited recruitment and retention concerns. One supervisor told the commission an offer for a qualified candidate was pending and the supervisor was waiting to see the wage recommendation outcome before making a formal offer. Several commissioners said the increases would help morale and retention.
Commissioner Yahart moved to approve the recommendation as amended (excluding the two administrative assistant positions). The motion was seconded and the commission voted to approve the wage changes as amended. Commissioners were told the overall impact to the utility budget is about 1 percent.
The two administrative assistant positions highlighted in red in the packet will be returned to the commission once the HR analysis and job-description work are complete.
