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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho lawmakers will once again review state employee salaries as they continue to fall behind market rates.
The Spokesman-Review reports (http://bit.ly/1An2Fqh ) that a joint panel, made up of members from the Idaho House and Senate, will convene Thursday to discuss compensation, turnover and employee morale.
"The legislators, who have been elected to represent you, would like to hear your thoughts," the panel's co-chairs, Sen. John Tippets, R-Montpelier, and Rep. Neil Anderson, R-Blackfoot, said in the meeting's agenda.
The panel will meet again Jan. 13 to consider Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's recommendation for state employee raises that are scheduled to be revealed at his State of the State and budget address a day earlier.
Lawmakers will also consider a report on state employee compensation from the Legislature's Office of Performance Evaluations and appropriation considerations for the coming year.
The panel will submit a recommendation to the Idaho Legislature by Jan. 16.
State employees saw a 1 percent raise last year after going the past five years without any pay boost.
Idaho law requires that state worker compensation be competitive with relevant labor market average. The law also requires lawmakers to address employee compensation every year — even when state revenues lag — by increasing revenues or cutting some government functions.
However, state worker pay rates have fallen behind market rates. Some 20 percent of Idaho's 25,000 employees, as of last January, made less than $20,000 a year, and 56 percent made less than $40,000 annually.
Officials say that state worker pay overall is 19 percent below market rates.
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com
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