Commission extends and phases down DCFS child-welfare premium pay through 2027

The State Civil Service Commission on July 1 approved an extension and phased reduction of premium pay for certain Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) child-welfare positions in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Staff summarized the history: premium pay was first authorized in 2022 as a frontline crisis measure and extended several times. The current policy provided $5 per hour for front-line child-welfare specialists and supervisors, and smaller sums for support staff. The department told the commission it will freeze premium pay for new hires and gradually reduce rates for existing staff on a quarterly schedule: leadership and some higher tiers will see pay reductions and eliminations earlier while front-line specialists and support staff will see step-down amounts that extend longer into the next fiscal year. Staff said the staged reduction is intended to minimize immediate hardship.

Commissioners asked if employees had been notified; staff and the department said HR communications had been sent and that feedback to date was limited to clarification requests. A commissioner noted that the policy was always intended as a crisis measure limited to specific locations, and praised the step-down approach versus an immediate stop. The commission voted to extend and amend the premium-pay policy effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, as requested.

The vote passed with no recorded objections. Staff noted the department continues to evaluate organizational changes and other pay mechanisms to stabilize frontline staffing.