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Stevens County settles AFSCME grievance over child-protection social worker pay adjustments
Summary
The county reported a mediated settlement that equalizes pay steps for two child-protection social workers effective June 4; the settlement discharged the grievance and avoided arbitration.
County staff reported that an AFSCME grievance filed over the hiring and pay placement of a child-protection social worker was resolved in mediation and will not proceed to arbitration.
Jan (county staff) told the board that a personnel committee meeting with the state mediator on July 7 led to a settlement. The county agreed to move two child-protection social workers, Elizabeth Peterson and Hannah Merrow, to the same step and grade effective June 4 as the employee whose hiring prompted the grievance, Becca Bernalello. Jan said the settlement was reached to resolve the grievance administratively; the settlement ‘‘does not set any precedent’’ and is not an admission of guilt. With the settlement executed, the grievance was discharged and will not be arbitrated.
Why it matters: The mediated settlement resolves a labor grievance involving AFSCME-represented child-protection staff and clarifies pay placement for affected employees. County staff described the decision as a cost and personnel adjustment that avoids arbitration.
Provenance: Jan presented the outcome to the board during personnel and staffing updates and described the timeline and effective date for the pay adjustments.
