Minutes 05-20-2021 Virtual Business meeting

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6 Support Services: • Asset Management Services • Community Relations • Finance and Administrative Services • Human Resources, including Employee Pay and Benefits ➢ Employee Pay and Benefits - staff has provided information relating to FY 2021-22 employee pay and benefits in Appendix A of the Manager's Recommended Budget. The information provided includes background information on employee pay and benefits over recent years and information on specific pay and benefits plan elements. Key components of the recommended employee pay and benefits plan include: o No wage increase for FY 2021-22. o Resumption of the Merit Pay Program on employees' base salaries at the dollar values in effect in FY 2019-20. Merit Pay increases, if any, will be applied to employees' base salaries on the first full pay period in January 2022. o Continue the $27.50 per pay period County contribution to non-law enforcement employees' supplemental retirement accounts and the County matching employees' contributions up to $63.00 semi-monthly (for a maximum annual County contribution of$1,512) for all general (non-sworn law enforcement officer) employees; continue the mandated Law Enforcement Officer contribution of 5.0% of salary, and continue the County's required contribution to the Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System (LGERS) for all permanent employees. For FY 2021-22, the Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) rate increases from 10.90 to 12.10 percent of reported compensation, and all other employees rate increases from 10.15 to 11.35 percent of reported compensation. o Continue to participate in the North Carolina Health Insurance Pool (NCHIP), and continue medical and prescription third party administrators with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) and Prime Therapeutics, a division of BCBSNC, respectively. No increase to health and dental appropriations. No increase to employee premium equivalent for health, dental, or vision insurance. No increase for health coverage premium equivalent for pre-65 retirees enrolled in the County's group plans, and no increase for post-65 (Medicare eligible) retirees. o Increase the Living wage to $15.40 per hour for all permanent and temporary employees, effective October 1, 2021. o Continue the additional eight hours of annual leave to be awarded at an employee's anniversary date, prorated for part time employees. o Continue the six-week paid parental leave policy. • Information Technologies County Manager Bonnie Hammersley said the theme of the FY21-22 budget is social safety net for the most vulnerable residents. She said there are 26 departments, and the budget prioritizes the most vulnerable. She said residents still expect all services regardless, and this budget continues those services at the same, or minimally reduced, levels. She said there have not been many requests for additional resources, and it is important to recognize that there are limited resources. She said staff aims to serve the residents to the best of their ability. She said long-range financial plan requests are tracked and prioritized, and requests will be in future budgets. She thanked the BOCC for its support.