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Human Resources outlines FY2026 workforce investments: 3.5% proposed merit increase, benefits changes and recruitment pressures
Summary
HR presented proposed compensation moves—a 2% range adjustment and a 3.5% merit pool for general employees—rising health premiums, childcare and eldercare membership supports, and an uptick in applications amid ongoing recruitment challenges in public safety and other areas.
Arlington County Human Resources briefed the County Board on March 25 about FY2026 compensation proposals, benefits changes and recruitment efforts across the county workforce of roughly 4,338 employees.
The county manager’s compensation proposal shown to the board includes a 2 percent movement of pay ranges and a 3.5 percent merit increase for eligible general employees. HR staff said bargaining‑unit employees are governed by their respective collective‑bargaining agreements and noted additional, targeted pay adjustments proposed for police and fire beyond the base merit program.
HR described continued recruitment challenges in a tight labor market and said applications had risen sharply — staff characterized recent month‑over‑month application volume as materially higher (roughly a 50 percent increase year‑over‑year in recent periods), which increases processing time and the workload for recruiting teams. HR said public safety recruitments and summer‑job fairs remain staff priorities; the department reported attending roughly 20 job fairs in the most recent year and named upcoming recruitment events.
On benefits, HR said health insurance premiums are increasing (staff cited an effective premium increase in the range of about 7.5 percent) and explained that an employee taking a 3.5 percent pay increase would still see out‑of‑pocket health‑premium impacts depending on plan choice. The department listed existing benefits that remain available: a dependent‑care match (up to $2,000), a tuition reimbursement program ($2,500 for college credit courses), on‑site clinic services and paid family leave (the county’s policy provides leave designed to cover parental and family care needs; staff said the program is in effect and available to eligible employees).
HR described several programmatic proposals in the FY2026 package: employer‑paid membership to an eldercare / backup childcare concierge service (employees would pay hourly service fees to use providers), a re‑opening of an on‑site daycare center (staff said the vendor and lease work are in process and a fall opening is anticipated), and continued investments in leadership and career‑development programs. The department also announced an expanded manager training curriculum, employee resource group (ERG) support and a leadership mentorship program for public‑safety agencies.
HR reported modest workforce turnover overall and said some retirements remain a predictable driver of separations. Staff said exit interviews and vendor‑administered exit surveys indicate the most common reason employees cite for leaving is career growth opportunity elsewhere. HR concluded by asking the board to consider budget tradeoffs that preserve recruitment capacity, training and core benefits as priorities in the FY2026 package.
No board votes were taken during the presentation; board members asked clarifying questions about remote work, apprenticeship and internship pathways, apprenticeship partnerships with Arlington Public Schools, and the department’s approach to new HR technology.
