Elk County approves state-backed recruitment and retention incentives for CYS

Elk County—Salary Board voted to approve recruitment and retention incentive payments for the county—Children and Youth Services (CYS) office, a measure county leaders said is intended to help address persistent staffing shortages.

The board was told the incentives must be included in the CYS needs-based budget and are approved annually by the state. "The state also contributes 80% of the funding toward that. The county is responsible for 20% of the funding," the chair said during the discussion.

Nancy Baker, a CYS official, told the board the funding is aimed at retaining current staff and encouraging applicants for open caseworker positions. "We're still at a deficit with staff upstairs," Baker said, adding that the incentives may include one-time recruitment bonuses for new hires and retention payments for existing employees.

Baker and board members explained the program differentiates recruitment and retention payments: a newly hired employee would generally receive a recruitment incentive (a one-time payment) and would not immediately receive retention pay until meeting tenure requirements. A reporter asked whether bonuses alone would solve staffing problems, noting the county remains short-staffed; Baker said pay is one factor among others and that the work itself can be difficult.

Commissioners said the county uses a peer-county compensation study to benchmark salaries and that incentives can help without triggering an unsustainable "arms race" of across-the-board raises. Commissioner Quezinberry cautioned that raising base pay above peers could simply shift staff between counties rather than expand the total workforce.

On motion and second, the board approved the incentive payments. The chair announced the motion carried.