During a recent government meeting, officials discussed the rising cost of living and its impact on employee compensation, emphasizing the need for a structured approach to cost of living adjustments (COLA) and performance evaluations.

The meeting highlighted a twelve-month analysis of the Consumer Price Index, revealing a 2.9% increase in the cost of all items, with food prices rising by 2.2% and energy costs by 1.1%. Based on these trends, projections for the 2025 COLA are estimated to be between 2.5% and 3.5%. Officials recommended using conservative figures from established organizations, such as the Utah Retirement Systems, which recently implemented an 8% COLA for 2022-2023 and a 4.1% increase for 2023-2024.

The discussion also focused on the importance of a fair and consistent employee evaluation process. Officials stressed the need for supervisors to engage in honest conversations with employees regarding their performance, ensuring that evaluations reflect true performance levels rather than being a mere formality. The evaluation system is designed to categorize employee performance into five distinct ratings, ranging from \"excellent\" to \"unsatisfactory,\" with clear guidelines for merit increases and performance-based awards.

A new incentive award system was proposed to recognize employees who exceed expectations, with awards being discretionary and dependent on budget availability. This system aims to replace traditional bonuses with performance-based incentives, encouraging employees to enhance productivity and engage in relevant training.

The meeting concluded with a discussion on the implementation of a step-in-grade system for employee compensation, which will assign grades based on job descriptions and years of service. This system is intended to streamline pay adjustments and ensure competitive compensation for employees, particularly in law enforcement, where retention is critical.

Overall, the meeting underscored the government's commitment to addressing employee compensation in light of economic pressures while fostering a culture of accountability and recognition within the workforce.