The Jefferson County Health Department has budgeted $154,702 this year for employee performance-based pay raises, according to Executive Director Kelley Vollmar.
Vollmar said the department budgeted for the maximum raise employees can receive.
“That equates to a maximum increase for hourly staff of $1 per hour and a 4 percent increase for salaried staff,” she said, adding that the amount an employee receives depends on the person’s performance review.
Spokesperson Brianne Zwiener said the Health Department has nearly 80 staff members, including 60-65 full-time employees, and as of Monday, the number of employees who will receive a performance-based raise had not been determined.
“Our process is that reviews are completed by the end of December, (and) raise recommendations are sent to (human resources) and (our) executive team will then review and make the final call,” Zwiener said. “That typically happens right after the holidays are over.”
The executive team had not met as of Monday, she said.
Vollmar explained to the Board of Trustees that the performance-based raises are separate from the department’s ongoing pay study.
“We are still in the process of completing a compensation study, which is looking at market rate for our positions and ensuring that we are in line to be competitive and be able to retain staff,” she said. “Once that study comes back, there is additional revenue that has been put into the approved 2024 budget … it’s part of a grant (a contract with the state for four years) that would allow us to adjust salary structures, so that will be a separate vote at that point in time.”
Zwiener said she didn’t expect the compensation study would go to the board for review and further action until February.
During past meetings, Health Department officials have talked about the struggle to attract and retain staff because private health providers pay better.
The board voted 4-1 to approve the budgeted performance-based raises. Board member Suzy Davis, who has not filed to run for re-election to the board in April, cast the sole no vote.
“I am opposed,” she said. “I’d like to see them get a minimum of a $5 an hour raise.”
When another board member asked where they would get that money from, Davis said the agency has “tons of money.”
“Why not give it to the people who work for us?” Davis added.
“That’s an inappropriate thing for a board member to bring up,” board chairperson Tim Pigg said before moving on to the next agenda item.