Commissioners table merit-scale decision; debate over merit raises vs. flat bonuses
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Summary
After a review of the county’s merit-pay scale, commissioners voted to table any action and asked for further examination following debate over the merit system versus flat or lump-sum increases.
County human-resources staff presented the annual merit-scale review and asked the board to approve the scale before performance reviews begin. The board debated whether to continue the merit-based increase system or replace it with a uniform bonus.
Desi (human resources) explained the classification-and-pay structure and the merit scale’s mechanics, including use of compa-ratio to determine merit percentages and step-based starting salaries for hires. She described how the scale treats direct and indirect experience and how salary ranges and merits interact: “The further you go into your comp ratio … the percentage that you're able to achieve with performance is lower than if you were at the beginning of your scale.” She also noted the scale had been adjusted in 2023 and that the new table was before the commission.
Commissioner Kliman said he was “not in favor of this merit system at all” and proposed instead that employees receive a $4,000 bonus while keeping longevity and insurance; other commissioners defended merit pay as a performance incentive. Commissioner Olson moved to table the matter to allow further review; Commissioner Kliman seconded. The motion to table carried.
The commission did not change pay policy at the meeting. Staff said performance reviews and salary administration will proceed when the board concludes where to set the merit system and any cost-of-living or lump-sum adjustments.