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Harris County HR recommends 9.2% option and launches countywide pay-equity study
Summary
Harris County Human Resources recommended a 9.2% salary increase proposal for constables as part of recent cost-of-living adjustments and told the grievance committee a consultant-led countywide compensation study will begin next month to benchmark pay across positions.
Shane Carousel, director of Harris County Human Resources and Risk Management, told the grievance committee on Aug. 20 that HR presented two options to Commissioners Court earlier in August and recommended a 9.2% increase to align constable pay with recent county cost-of-living adjustments.
Carousel said HR's constable salary survey — which included the five largest Texas counties — showed Harris County constables earned about $4,588 less per year than the survey average, and that the proposed 9.2% adjustment would place constables slightly above the benchmark. He also said Commissioners Court authorized a countywide compensation study for all positions, which HR expects to begin next month with a consultant and report results for elected officials, including constables, in time to influence the 10/01/2025 budget.
Carousel cautioned that immediate large increases could create new internal disparities: "Approving increases to $177,483... may cause more pay disparity among other county positions," he told the committee, and HR recommended pairing any short-term action with the planned study to ensure broader pay equity. Committee members asked whether the study could be completed in time for the current budget cycle; HR replied it would not be ready by 10/01/2024 but would target the next budget year.
