Lake County E911 Authority adopts 2025 pay scale and incentive program

The Lake County E911 Authority voted to adopt a 2025 pay scale, a collection of incentives for dispatch staff and a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and directed staff to submit payroll change forms for current employees.

The program the authority approved on a 3-0 voice vote includes a mix of percentage-based incentives tied to education (associate, bachelor, master, PhD tiers), functional duties (a 2% training-officer/CTO supplement), Spanish-language capability, and a night-shift differential. The authority budgeted a $40,000 incentive and retention pool for 2025 and asked staff and finance to track incentive payments in a separate GL code so the primary salary budget remains distinct.

The incentive framework mirrors a program previously used in the sheriff’s office but was revised for E911. Examples discussed included a 3% increase for a bachelor’s degree and 4.5% for a master’s degree; CTO duties (2%); Spanish language skills split into tiers with speaking valued highest; and a proposed 2% night-shift allowance. Payroll and HR staff recommended handling the night-shift pay as an hourly differential in the county payroll system rather than as a percent incentive to ensure the money is pulled from the correct GL code and applied only for hours actually worked on nights.

Why it matters: Authority members said the package is intended to improve retention and recruitment for the dispatch center, reduce overtime pressure and pay employees for skills and duties beyond minimum job descriptions.

Key details and implementation notes discussed during the meeting: - Funding and pool size: The authority budgeted $40,000 for the incentive and retention pool in 2025. The presenters modeled using roughly half of that for monthly retention/incentives and the remainder as an end-of-year bonus distributed based on months of employment. - Taxes and retirement: Payroll and HR staff confirmed that incentive wages and bonuses are subject to FICA (Social Security and Medicare), retirement withholdings (the authority used a planning estimate of 6% employer retirement cost for budgeting), unemployment and other employer-side costs. The board directed staff to include those employer-side costs in year-two projections so the gross cost is understood. - Payroll coding: Staff recommended using separate GL codes for base salary and incentive pay to preserve clear budgeting and year-end reconciliation. The board requested that staff add GL-code detail to the payroll change submissions. - Night-shift pay: Payroll staff proposed creating a discrete pay code (an hourly differential) for night shifts so the differential applies only for hours worked, with per-employee rates entered into the payroll system; the board and staff agreed to pursue that approach rather than a percent-based incentive. - Step increases and COLA: The authority also discussed a step program (3% per step) timed to a July 1 step increase intended to reward demonstrated performance and years of experience; the COLA would be applied at the beginning of the calendar year. The board did not finalize detailed step-eligibility criteria at the meeting and asked staff to draft policies linking step increases to performance and measurable requirements.

The authority voted to approve the payroll changes and transmit change forms to HR and finance so staff can implement the adopted pay scale and incentive plan for current employees.

Evidence in meeting record: The discussion began under agenda item A (discussion of the 2025 pay scale and incentive program) and concluded with a formal motion and an aye vote to approve the 2025 COLA and incentive program for current employees.