Los Alamos County Councilors approved salary adjustments for general County employees Tuesday night. Courtesy/LACGeneral Los Alamos County employees haven’t seen pay raises since 2017 but that changed during Tuesday night’s County Council meeting.
Council voted 6-0 to implement a 2 percent increase for merit-based salary adjustments as well as a 2 percent increase for step structure-based salary adjustments. Council Vice Chair Pete Sheehey was absent from the meeting.
Additionally, Council approved 6-0 to have a 2 percent increase for the County Attorneys, County Manager and Department of Public Utility Manager salaries.
Council Chair Sara Scott said the reason raises were postponed was because of budget uncertainties. With a new contractor managing Los Alamos National Laboratory, it was unknown whether they would continue paying gross receipts tax (GRT) to the County.
According to agenda documents, during the fiscal year 2019 budget hearings, Council elected to not fund annual salary adjustments while awaiting a decision on the laboratory’s GRT. With state legislators passing SB11 and the laboratory now required to pay GRT, Council approved the salary raises.
Councilor James Robinson said he knew morale among County employees was low during this time of uncertainty, so he looked forward to giving them the pay raises they deserved.
Councilor Antonio Maggiore proposed doing a 4 percent increase or 2 percent for merit-based adjustments and 2 percent for step structure-based adjustments.
“My general inclination given the amount of time since employees have gotten what they should have, I am inclined for the 4 percent option,” he said.
Scott agreed to this percentage. She pointed out that one of the council’s strategic priorities addresses recruitment and retention of excellent staff.
Approving pay raises feels like an opportunity to further reach this goal, she said.
Councilor Randall Ryti also supported the increase.
“We really appreciate the work of all our staff … (we) appreciate the opportunity to do this,” he said.
According to agenda documents, merit increases will only affect employees who would have been eligible for an annual increase the first full pay period in July 2018 and are still considered active employees.
It was further stated in agenda documents that any action regarding changes to the salary plan or step structure will effect those employees covered by the salary plan.
The salary increases will not effect employees in unions, who have all received increases due to each of their collective bargaining agreements, according to agenda documents.
The pay raises will go into effect in April.
Los Alamos Fire Department Security and Safeguards/Labor Relations Manager Sharyl Hofer spoke as an employee advocate during the meeting.
She thanked the Council for addressing this issue.
“Whatever you decide, we so appreciate that you have taken the time to consider this,” Hofer said.
