County studies yield salary increases for staff

County studies yield salary increases for staff
Amid cutbacks, pay rises
By Kirsti Marohn • kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com • August 9, 2009

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St. Cloud-area counties are using hiring and wage freezes, furloughs and layoffs to cope with tight budgets amid the nation’s worst recession in decades.



But within the past three years, all three counties undertook comparable worth studies that gave most employees a salary bump on top of regular cost-of-living increases. In Stearns and Benton counties, the pay increases are taking effect this year, just as county officials are looking for ways to reduce expenses to balance the books for 2010.

Officials say Minnesota’s pay equity laws — among the toughest in the nation — are necessary to ensure employees receive equal pay for equal work, as well as to make sure wages aren’t falling behind those offered by other local governments and the private sector.

But a few critics say the comparable worth studies cities and counties do to make sure they are complying with the law go well beyond ensuring that women are treated fairly in the workplace. They say the studies wind up pushing up all public sector salaries and contend the studies have been rendered inaccurate by the economic downturn.

A St. Cloud Times analysis of payroll data from all three counties found that while most employees received a modest salary adjustment following the studies, a handful of employees received pay hikes of more than 10 percent — a contrast to the flat salaries most private-sector workers are experiencing in the tough economic times. When combined with other increases, a few saw their pay jump by more than 20 percent.

Some examples:

The salary of a social worker who has worked for Stearns County since 1993 rose from $56,345 in 2007 to $71,810 this year, thanks to the comparable worth study, step increases and cost-of-living adjustments, a total increase of 27 percent over two years.

A computer specialist hired by Benton County in March 2008 got an almost 17 percent increase based on the comparable worth study alone. Combined with cost-of-living and step increases, his annual salary rose almost 25 percent to $51,293.

Amid cutbacks, pay rises
By Kirsti Marohn • kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com • August 9, 2009

Read Comments(48)Recommend(5)


St. Cloud-area counties are using hiring and wage freezes, furloughs and layoffs to cope with tight budgets amid the nation’s worst recession in decades.



But within the past three years, all three counties undertook comparable worth studies that gave most employees a salary bump on top of regular cost-of-living increases. In Stearns and Benton counties, the pay increases are taking effect this year, just as county officials are looking for ways to reduce expenses to balance the books for 2010.

Officials say Minnesota’s pay equity laws — among the toughest in the nation — are necessary to ensure employees receive equal pay for equal work, as well as to make sure wages aren’t falling behind those offered by other local governments and the private sector.

But a few critics say the comparable worth studies cities and counties do to make sure they are complying with the law go well beyond ensuring that women are treated fairly in the workplace. They say the studies wind up pushing up all public sector salaries and contend the studies have been rendered inaccurate by the economic downturn.

A St. Cloud Times analysis of payroll data from all three counties found that while most employees received a modest salary adjustment following the studies, a handful of employees received pay hikes of more than 10 percent — a contrast to the flat salaries most private-sector workers are experiencing in the tough economic times. When combined with other increases, a few saw their pay jump by more than 20 percent.

Some examples:

The salary of a social worker who has worked for Stearns County since 1993 rose from $56,345 in 2007 to $71,810 this year, thanks to the comparable worth study, step increases and cost-of-living adjustments, a total increase of 27 percent over two years.

A computer specialist hired by Benton County in March 2008 got an almost 17 percent increase based on the comparable worth study alone. Combined with cost-of-living and step increases, his annual salary rose almost 25 percent to $51,293.