Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 25, 1993 TAG: 9303250343
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO OVERSEE PAY PLAN
Three years after being told they were underpaid, more than 100 Roanoke County employees have seen little change in their paychecks.The mid-level workers were passed over for salary adjustments in 1990, even though many top officials got unscheduled raises ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent.
The workers missed out again in 1991 and 1992 because the economic recession left the county with no extra money for salaries.
The same thing may happen this year.
The Roanoke County Board of Supervisors has washed its hands of the issue, leaving it to County Administrator Elmer Hodge to work out an equitable-pay plan.
"That's now in Mr. Hodge's lap," said Hollins District Supervisor Bob Johnson.
Pay raises for Roanoke County employees used to be a simple matter. Supervisors would give every employee the same percentage pay raise each year.
Three years ago, Hodge overhauled the system by trying to make sure no county employee was being paid less than workers performing similar tasks for private companies and other governments.
A 1990 salary survey found that employees in more than 200 job classifications were underpaid compared to similar employees elsewhere. Hodge recommended spending $331,251 to bring their salaries up to the "market" level.
When the board provided just $213,396, Hodge decided to implement the salary survey in phases.
Under the first phase, 118 employees whose salaries were farthest below the market scale got unscheduled raises in 1990. It turned out that these employees were mostly high-ranking officials who made more than $26,000 a year.
"We found that the upper level people were in worse shape, but they were treated with the same methodology," said Keith Cook, the county's human resources director.
Another 100 or so employees who made less money were told to wait another year for a salary adjustment.
The second phase never happened because of the economic recession.
Now, Roanoke County has a new salary survey that Hodge says should help many of the mid-level employees who have been waiting three years for a salary adjustment.
The problem is that the plan would cost $920,000 to implement during the budget year that begins July 1.
Hodge acknowledged that the board probably will not have that much new money for employee benefits this year.
Supervisors made it clear this week that they wanted to avoid any morale problems that might arise from the salary survey. They stressed that although they provided money for salaries, Hodge was responsibility for setting up the pay plan.
"That's a hot potato," Johnson said. "He's stuck with it."
Hodge said he would leave it up to a team of employees from various departments to come up with an equitable way to phase in the latest salary survey.