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| Escambia County currently employs 177 staff members that earn less than $13 per hour. A plan is being forwarded to Commissioners to raise all staff to a minimum of $15 per hour over the next five years....It will be an interesting conversation. |
There is apparently an initiative coming to the Escambia BCC from staff to move toward a $15 minimum wage per hour incrementally over the next five years. This is the email all commissioners received. I know it would help us in hiring and being competitive with other local governments and employers. It will be an interesting conversation.
From the email:
"Hi Commissioners,
During the recent budget meetings with Department Directors,
it became very apparent that most Directors are having trouble recruiting new
employees and retaining current employees at our lowest hourly salaries. Many private businesses, local governments
and states are phasing in a $15 per hour minimum “livable” wage ($31,200) over
several years. If Escambia County were
to adopt a 6-year phased approach to achieve this goal, we could start by
implementing a $13 per hour minimum wage this next fiscal year (2019 - 2020)
for full-time County employees, and then annual 3% cost of living salary
increases over the following 5 years would achieve the $15 per hour minimum
wage by October 1, 2024.
Our County Budget Office determined the number of full-time
employees (not including part-time, relief, student and training positions) who
are currently earning less than $13 per hour ($27,040). There are 177 full-time County employees
(mostly Custodial Workers, Equipment Operators, Emergency Medical Specialists,
Maintenance Workers, Detention Assistants, Animal Control Officers, Library
Clerks, and Office Support Assistants) who would be earning less than $13 per
hour this October 1st, assuming that the 3% COLA is approved in the
2019 – 2020 budget. If we raised the
salaries of these 177 employees to $13 per hour on October 1, 2019, the cost
would be approximately $378,258. The
6-year plan to achieve the $15 per hour minimum wage would assume a 3% cost of
living increase each of the following 5 years from 2020 to 2024:
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2019: $13.00 per
hour Cost Year 1: $378,258
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2020: $13.39 per
hour Cost Year 2: Included in 3% COLA
for all employees
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2021: $13.79 per
hour Cost Year 3: Included in 3%
COLA for all employees
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2022: $14.20 per
hour Cost Year 4: Included in 3%
COLA for all employees
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2023: $14.62 per
hour Cost Year 5: Included in 3%
COLA for all employees
County Employee Minimum Wage Oct 1, 2024: $15.06 per
hour Cost Year 6: Included in 3%
COLA for all employees
The $13 per hour minimum wage for 2019 – 2020 would be a
bold first step to achieving the goal of a $15 per hour minimum wage for
full-time County employees by October 1, 2024.
This will help multiple County Departments with employee recruitment,
retention, and morale. Please let me
know if you have any questions, and remember not to “Reply All”.
Thanks,
Chips"
