Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 15, 1993 TAG: 9304150267
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
STOPGAP JOB BEING CHANGED
Like Roanoke County, Roanoke has some full-time temporary workers who have no fringe benefits such as health insurance, vacation, pension and sick leave.But city officials say they have only five workers in the same category - and they intend to convert some of the temporary jobs to permanent positions soon.
Questions arose about temporary workers in the city after it was disclosed that the county has 14 full-time employees who have worked for more than a year without benefits.
After complaints by Supervisor Harry Nickens, County Administrator Elmer Hodge included $45,000 in next year's budget to provide benefits for the temporary employees.
The controversy over the issue in the county prompted city officials to check on temporary employees on the city payroll.
Of the five city employees who have worked for more than a year without benefits, two are in positions that are scheduled to become permanent this summer, said Ken Cronin, city personnel manager.
Two other full-time temporary employees are retirees from private businesses who are receiving pensions, he said.
Cronin said two of the employees are in clerical positions and one is in public safety. He did not identify the jobs or the departments where the full-time temporary employees are working.
He said some positions have remained temporary because city officials weren't sure whether they would be permanent. He denied that the jobs remained temporary so the city could save money.
"The use of full-time temporary workers is the exception rather than the rule," he said.
Cronin said the city had some temporary employees in the library system several years ago, but those jobs have been converted to permanent positions.
The city uses many seasonal temporary workers in the summer for athletic programs in the Parks and Recreation Department and for leaf collection in the fall. The temporary employees work only a few months each year, he said.
The current year's budget includes $171,516 for temporary wages in the Parks and Recreation Department and $72,337 in the Refuse Collection Department.
Some temporary workers are on call daily in the Refuse Collection Department, filling in whenever permanent employees are off for sick leave or vacation, Cronin said.
"Some people are working almost full time with a temporary status because they get called in so often," Cronin said. "But they know that when they agree to fill in."