Sullivan County HR committee approves retroactive reclassifications for two employees

At its Human Resources Committee meeting, Sullivan County officials approved two resolutions to reclassify employees identified as working “out of title” and to make the pay adjustments retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025.

The actions affect one employee at the county care center who has been performing duties above their current classification and a separate employee in the district attorney’s office. Committee discussion included whether the county should make the pay adjustments retroactive for budgetary purposes and whether language referencing a one‑time $5,000 stipend should remain in the district attorney resolution.

Julie, a human resources staff member who presented the items, told the committee that the $5,000 payment referenced in the district attorney item was a one‑time stipend paid in 2024 and ‘‘is not ongoing.’’ Committee members then moved to amend both resolutions to make the reclassifications retroactive to Jan. 1, 2025 and to redact the sentence referencing the one‑time $5,000 stipend in the district attorney resolution. Brian moved the primary motion to approve resolution number 1; Kat seconded. Brian later moved the amendment to make the reclassification retroactive; Kat seconded that amendment. Committee members voiced their approval of the amendment and of the final resolutions and the chair called the measures approved.

Committee members discussed the appropriate retroactive period during debate. Julie said the staff historically has ‘‘gone back to the date of the reclassification request’’ but that in prior cases the committee has retroactively adjusted pay ‘‘to the beginning of the year for budgetary purposes.’’ Committee members agreed to make both reclassifications effective Jan. 1, 2025.

The committee did not provide a numeric recorded roll‑call tally in the transcript; the meeting record shows committee members verbally indicated “aye” on the motions as called.

The HR office will update pay and budget figures to reflect the retroactive effective date and will remove the stipend language from the district attorney resolution text as directed.