In July, while considering next year’s budget, Sedgwick County commissioners froze salaries for those making $75,000 — including themselves — and suspended performance-based merit raises to give employees a 2 percent raise.
The county’s current policy states that employees have to at least meet the minimum performance criteria to be eligible for performance-based pay increases. A rating of “does not meet expectations” would make an employee ineligible for a pay increase.
The county is considering suspending the performance criteria for the 2 percent raises for employees who make less than $75,000.
Commissioner Gwen Welshimer said she initially thought that employees still would have to meet criteria to qualify for 2 percent across-the-board raises. But she said commissioners Kelly Parks and Karl Peterjohn were not under that impression. All three commissioners asked for a resolution to remove the performance qualification, which the board will consider Wednesday.
County manager William Buchanan estimated that the move would cost the county $54,000. He said 77 employees out of 1,746 failed their performance evaluation at the end of 2008.