County moves ahead with pay policy

Months of work and discussion have culminated in a proposed new salary policy for the county. If approved, the Crook County Compensation Plan will alter the way in which employee salaries and raises are determined.

After taking time to review the new policy, the county commissioners plan to hold a public hearing on April 5 at 2:30 p.m., at which time they will consider whether to adopt it.

A salary matrix that helps place employees in the correct role at the right pay level is something elected officials have been trying to put in place for years. Many conversations have been held about the intricacies of such a policy, with the goal of creating a “simplified process” that takes into account such things as experience, longevity, education, performance and compensation levels for the same role in nearby communities.

Department heads have now been able to construct the Crook County Compensation Plan, which outlines exactly how all this should be done. The policy will apply to the offices of all elected officials and all county departments, as well as to the library and fair board.

“The foundation of the compensation is the compensation philosophy which is intended to attract and retain quality employees with competitive compensation based on relevant labor markets,” states the draft of the new policy.

“The compensation program and its component plans shall be based upon principles of fairness and equity and shall be administered with sound fiscal discipline.”

The policy also aims to reinforce a productive work climate and a culture of accountability and encourage employees to “achieve their career potential within the county.”

The policy is based on a set of principles, the first of which is the experienced employees provide services in the most efficient manner possible – and competitive pay is the best way to achieve this. The principle of fairness is meanwhile addressed by introducing a single policy for all county employees.

However, department heads, board members and elected officials will have flexibility when it comes to utilizing compensation as a means of hiring and retaining the best employees.

The policy includes the creation of a Compensation Committee, appointed by the commission, to implement the plan. The committee can conduct salary surveys, reclassify and review job descriptions and update the salary matrix.

This information will be compiled into an analysis and recommendation each March for the county commissioners when making adjustments to the salary matrix. The adjustments could be made due to cost of living adjustments, changes in job description, private and public sector market considerations or to correct equity issues.

The commissioners appointed the five-person committee at their March regular meeting. The initial committee will be comprised of Todd Leimser, Melissa Jones, Tina Wood, Tammy Jundt and Morgan Ellsbury.

The policy also outlines the process an elected official, department head or board should follow when determining the salary of their employees. For example, it lists the considerations that should be borne in mind when preparing annual budgets – such as employee experience, specialized training or past performance – and how to set a hiring rate when seeking a new member of staff.

The next step to formalize salary determination for Crook County’s employees will be to create the actual salary structure. Meanwhile, department heads, boards and elected officials will create and submit job descriptions for each of their employees to the new salary committee.

The draft policy in its entirety can be viewed on the county website.