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aC�'rqr - e gg 1 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY <br /> BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> Action Agenda <br /> Item No. � <br /> ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br /> Meeting Date: November 3, 1999 <br /> SUBJECT: Personnel Ordinance Revision — Living Wage Increase <br /> DEPARTMENT: Personnel PUBLIC HEARING: (YIN) No <br /> ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br /> 1- Method Used To Establish Living Wage Elaine Holmes, Personnel Director <br /> 2- Draft Personnel Ordinance Revision TELEPHONE NUMBERS: - -ext. 2550 <br /> Hillsborough 732-8181 <br /> Chapel Hill '968-4601 <br /> Durham 688-7331 <br /> Mebane 227-2031 <br /> PURPOSE: To consider a revision to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance to update <br /> the living wage required for County employees from $8.00 an hour to $8.20 an hour <br /> effective January 10, 2000. <br /> BACKGROUND: Effective July 1, 1998, the Board of County Commissioners established <br /> a living wage for County employees. The Board set the amount of that wage at $8.00 per <br /> hour. In follow up to that, the Board has asked to revisit the living wage amount and <br /> consider any necessary update to take account of changes since the Board established <br /> the living wage in 1998. <br /> The Board based its decision to establish the living wage at $8.00 an hour on the <br /> 1997 Federal poverty level for a family of four as adjusted for the Raleigh-Durham <br /> Region based on the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association's cost <br /> of living index. Based on that same index updated to 1999, it is recommended the <br /> living wage. be increased to $8.20 an hour. Attachment 1 shows the Federal poverty <br /> guidelines adjusted for the Raleigh-Durham cost of living along with related information the <br /> Board considered in 1997. <br /> Attachment 2 is the draft revision to the Orange County Personnel Ordinance. Currently <br /> the minimum hourly wage for a permanent Orange County employee is $8.61. Thus, the <br /> proposed living wage increase would have no impact on permanent employees. There are <br /> 48 temporary employees who would be impacted. They presently are at wages ranging <br /> from $8.00 an hour to $8.20. <br /> FINANCIAL IMPACT: The estimated cost for implementing an $8.20 living wage increase <br /> effective January 10, 2000 for the remainder of the current fiscal year (1999-00) is about <br /> $4,000. The estimated. annual cost for the increase is about $8,000. Funds are available <br /> within approved budgets for 1999-00. <br />