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Lawmaker predicts better year for state workers

By Dean A. Ferguson
Lewiston Morning Tribune
Idaho state workers can expect raises and no layoffs next year; but, when financial times get tough, lawmakers should consider cutting jobs, said Lewiston's state senator. Another Lewiston lawmaker said the idea is ill-considered and is making an uneasy work force jumpy.

The State Employee Compensation Interim Committee is not recommending immediate layoffs, said Sen. Joe Stegner, R-Lewiston. Rather, the committee wants the state to discard its tight-budget policy of keeping workers while not giving raises.

"I don't think that's a logical assumption – that we're considering any layoffs – we're not," said Stegner. "In fact, this year is going to be a significantly good year for improved competitiveness for state employees. I think we're going to see the largest increase (to wages) that we've had in four years."

The compensation committee studied "broader issues of policy" that have brought state worker wages to 14.2 percent below market rates, said Stegner.

"We're examining long-term statutory and rule policies that, first of all, has contributed to the noncompetitive position the state finds itself in today," said Stegner.

Idaho let wages stagnate so it wouldn't have to lay off workers or find more money for salaries. As a result, those workers are fleeing for better paying jobs.

The problem is costly.

The District 2 Department of Transportation, which covers north central Idaho's five counties, lost 17 of its 172 employees in the nine months between February and November, said District Engineer James Carpenter.

Fifteen of the 17 employees left for better-paying jobs, said Carpenter.

"We do put a lot of training into our employees," said Carpenter.

Along with training costs, the department pays for workers to get inspector licenses and commercial driver's licenses. The department spends more on maintenance costs when inexperienced employees operate equipment.

But, firing some employees so other employees can get raises only exacerbates the problem, said Rep. Mike Mitchell, D-Lewiston.

"Don't kid yourself that cutting people out is going to make things any better," said Mitchell.
A seven-person highway maintenance shop in Orofino may spend more paying overtime for the remaining workers to take up the slack if someone was fired.

"In some cases, you have experienced employees who can't come back to the call to overtime because they're holding down another job, and that's a fact," said Mitchell.
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare workers also worry about added caseloads, said Mitchell.

Just talking about layoffs has spurred more workers to start job hunting, said Mitchell. The compensation committee shouldn't toss around ideas that haven't been studied, he said.
"For somebody to come out and say that (about layoffs) with no foundation for it really makes people nervous," said Mitchell.

A better idea would be for lawmakers to raise the money to pay workers, he said.
Stegner noted layoffs would only be one of a number of strategies the human resources department, the governor and the Legislature should consider as "tough decisions" to keep state wages competitive.

"The committee believes that it is important to keep employees as close to competitive market rates as we can," said Stegner. "If that means at some point having to let some employees go so that we have the money to keep other employees at market rate, that is something the Legislature should consider."

He added that committee, which meets again later this month, is also likely to recommend new guidelines for the governor when he proposes employee raises annually.

Along with recommending the typical general merit-based increase, the governor's office would examine benefits packages and market pay rates. Also, the governor would be asked to target jobs, such as nursing and engineers, where the job market is increasing more rapidly.

"That's the most significant proposal to come out of that committee," said Stegner.

Originally published 12-7-05