Montgomery County adopts sign-on bonus policy and approves pay increases for select positions

The Montgomery County Legislature voted to adopt a county sign-on bonus policy and approved salary increases for several specific positions after a lengthy discussion weighing short-term recruitment incentives against permanent pay raises.

Lawmakers said the new sign-on policy allows up to $5,000 at hire, $5,000 after 12 months and $5,000 after 36 months (not to exceed $15,000 total per position over three years) and requires departments to fund bonuses from their own "other compensation" lines. The legislature amended the implementing resolution to add a corresponding budget transfer entry before approving the measure.

The debate centered on whether the county should add recruitment money to base pay or use a time-limited sign-on bonus. Several legislators said adding the amount to base pay would compound future salary obligations and complicate the county's salary-study process; others said a one-time cash incentive risks bringing employees in temporarily then losing them when market pay rises.

Personnel staff told legislators the policy includes a cap and a prorating/recoupment clause if an employee leaves before meeting service requirements. The legislature amended the resolution to reflect the treasurer's recommended accounting change: sign-on payments will be funded through the respective departments' "other compensation" lines rather than being shifted into central personnel lines.

The sign-on policy and its implementing resolution (Resolution 1 42 as presented) passed after an amendment and roll-call; recorded roll-call votes in the transcript name Chair Tara Cupp (Aye), Legislator Kelly (Nay), Legislator Hebbell Jr. (Aye), Legislator Wilson (Aye), Legislator Kowalczyk (Aye) and Legislator Pollock (Nay). The measure was recorded as passed following the roll call.

The legislature also approved related salary adjustments tied to the recruitment plan: salary increases for the first assistant district attorney and a bureau chief in the district attorney's office and a supervising social services attorney. Those resolutions passed by voice vote with no further debate.

Legislators directed that the policy and the amended funding approach be reflected in the implementing language so that future sign-on bonus requests follow the established funding procedure and that larger cumulative sign-on amounts trigger additional legislative oversight.

The measures approved at the meeting were procedural resolutions instructing the county executive to implement the new policy and salary lines in forthcoming budgets; no new ongoing, county-wide salary schedules were adopted beyond the specific adjustments approved for the named positions.

Looking ahead, legislators said they will monitor how the pilot policy is used, and staff indicated the legislature can rescind or amend the policy if it is not used as intended or if it causes unintended budget pressures.