IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 8, 2007

Contact:

Rep. Pat George, 785/296-7646

Rep. Lee Tafanelli 785/296-7639

SELECT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS PAY PLAN

Topeka – The Kansas House of Representatives Select Committee on the State Employee Pay Plan today recommended a pay proposal for Fiscal Year 2008 that includes salary increases and one-time salary enhancements for state employees.

“We have a pay system that has been in place since the 1960s and that is not in tune with today’s job market,” said Committee Chairman Rep. Pat George (R-Dodge City).  “Our recommended report is a beginning, a first step, to address the inequities in the current plan.  I believe we have been able to address some immediate needs of our state employees and begin the long process of reworking the state’s compensation and benefits structure.”

The Select Committee’s proposed pay plan for Fiscal Year 2008 includes:

• 1% base salary increase for all employees
• $1,450 one-time salary enhancement (paid in two installments) for all classified employees who earn satisfactory or better performance ratings.
• $150 for every employee for the employee’s deferred compensation plan that must be matched dollar for dollar by the employee.
• 5% base salary increase for those job classes that are 25% or more behind the average market pay.

The plan also proposes the State Employee Pay Philosophy Task Force to provide a framework for the development of the new state employee pay plan and the State Employee Pay Plan Special Committee to work develop a new pay plan for consideration by the 2008 Legislature.

“It is clear the state’s current pay plan didn’t become broken overnight and it will take time to develop the right fix,” said Committee Vice-Chair Rep. Lee Tafanelli (R-Ozawkie).  “Our proposed plan starts the process of meeting the contemporary needs of state employees and the emerging needs of our state.”

Also on the committee: Reps. Mike Burgess (R-Topeka); Charlie Roth (R-Salina); Jo Ann Pottorff (R-Wichita); John Grange (R-El Dorado); Tom Hawk (D-Manhattan), Ranking; Ann Mah (D-Topeka); and Stan Frownfelter (D-Kansas City).

The proposed plan will be sent to the House Committee on Appropriations for further consideration.

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