Shawnee Co. Commission bumps pay for difficult to fill positions
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Shawnee County will pay Department of Corrections workers more after the Shawnee County Commission approved a series of "significant pay adjustments" on Monday.
According to the commission, the need to keep and hire "quality" officers required the commission to take steps to approve higher wages. The multi-level base and differential pay program can bring wages for current and new corrections officers up by $6.00 an hour on top of an enhanced base pay rate.
In addition to the starting wage for a Corrections Specialist increasing to $20.24 an hour, the Commission also approved:
- A $1.50 hourly pay differential for all hourly staff working within the detention facilities
- A $2.00 hourly pay differential for all department uniformed security staff within the detention facilities
- $2.50 hour pay differential for all 24/7 security staff working within a detention facility with a vacancy rate of 25% or higher, which is considered a “crisis staffing level”.
The new rates will remain in place as long as it is approved by the commissions, or when staffing levels are reduced below 25% for 90 days. Administrative positions within the agency not subject to the differentials have been provided a one-time payment of $3,500.00, paid out of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
The commission also set up a referral bonus of up to $1,500 will be paid in installments by Shawnee County to the current County employee who refers a new hire.
The following positions have been approved at this time for the referral bonus:
- Sheriff’s Office – Communication Specialist (Dispatch)
- Department of Corrections – Corrections Specialists
- Department of Corrections – Custodians
- Parks & Recreation – Park Maintenance Workers (FT)
- Public Works Road Maintenance
- Public Works Bridge Maintenance
- Health Department Registered Nurses
- Health Department Dieticians
- Human Resources Payroll Assistant