Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce And Personnel topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission revives $500 employee-referral incentive for nursing-home hiring, sets 2026 sunset
Summary
The commission reinstated an employee-referral program that pays $500 to a referring employee if a hire remains six months; the program was originally enacted July 2021 and ended 12/31/2021. Commissioners set a sunset of Dec. 31, 2026 and asked for regular department-head reminders to boost participation.
County staff described a prior employee-referral program that paid $500 to a referring employee if the referred worker remained employed for six months. The program was enacted in July 2021 and automatically ended Dec. 31, 2021; staff said it had not produced applicants and county nursing-home staffing remains strained.
A staff member who identified herself in the meeting as Deborah explained the incentive and asked whether the commission wanted to reinstate the program. She proposed leaving the program open or setting an end date. Commissioners discussed outreach cadence and the possibility of reminding department heads monthly or bimonthly to promote the program.
Unidentified Speaker 1 moved to reinstate the employee-referral program and to set an expiration of Dec. 31, 2026; the motion passed with "Aye" votes. Commissioners said the program could help reduce reliance on agency staff if it produces applicants, and staff agreed to include the item on department-head meeting agendas as a regular reminder.
Why it matters: The county's nursing home is experiencing staffing shortages; reinstating the referral incentive is an operational step intended to encourage internal recruitment before paying higher agency rates.
The motion reinstates the program with a sunset date; details about program administration, tracking and exact outreach schedule were left to staff.
