Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Employee Benefits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Saline County court votes to cover $554,967.60 insurance increase to protect employees' COLA
Summary
The Saline County Quorum Court approved a $554,967.60 action to absorb a projected 25% health-insurance increase so employees will realize any approved cost-of-living adjustments; the measure passed by voice vote after discussion about wellness checks and retention risks.
Saline County’s Quorum Court voted to absorb a projected $554,967.60 increase in the county’s health-insurance costs so employees will not see their take-home pay reduced by higher premiums when a planned cost-of-living adjustment takes effect.
The motion, made by Justice Whitley and seconded by Justice Engel, followed a presentation from Angie, the county comptroller, who said insurers notified the county of an approximate 25% increase this year. Angie and other members said the jump would equate to roughly $500,000 in employer cost and an additional roughly $54,000 spread across employees who cover family tiers, potentially erasing the net benefit of any pay increases. The court debated options for mitigation and wellness-check incentives; members discussed retention risks if the increase were not absorbed.
Supporters argued absorbing the extra cost is fiscally prudent because it protects employee compensation and reduces turnover expenses. Justice Billingsley said approving the measure sends the right message before open enrollment began the next day. The plan includes a wellness-check program: employees who decline the wellness check would incur a $50-per-pay-period deduction, a detail Angie said would be written into employment terms rather than requiring an ordinance.
The motion passed on a voice vote; the court recorded unanimous assent and Speaker 1 announced the passage. Court members said final budget numbers would be presented to the financial team the following morning to implement the change for open enrollment.
The court scheduled follow-up budget work at the finance and HR meetings in late November and on Dec. 1; the regular December court meeting will consider final budget adoption.
