While federal employees are expecting to get a 1.9 percent raise in January 2019, the staff employed by Cook County will see a cost of living (COLA) average increase of 2.5 percent in the new year.
A 2 percent COLA is fairly normal for government workers. But a look back at 2018 raises in Cook County, which came in the wake of a comparable worth wage study completed in 2016 and then implemented n 2018 after the budget was set, saw Cook County employee hourly rates climb dramatically last year.
The study looked at job titles, responsibilities of the position, years of service, educational qualifications, hazards involved in the work, and so on in determining the new wage scale.
None of the pay increases reflect the county’s benefit package, which is about $25,000 per year per employee.
Cook County employees did see an increase in out of pocket payment for health benefits. Employees without families used to contribute $50 per month while employees with families would contribute $75 per month for health care policies that cost the county about $20,000 per year per employee.
Last year employees agreed to contribute 20 percent to the cost of their annual health care insurance.
The 2018 wage increase totaled 13.4 percent, with 7.69 percent of that added to account for the 20 percent hike in health care employees received.
A five year look at wage increases show a .29 percent raise in 2015; 3.66 percent in 216; 2 percent in 2017; 13.4 percent in 2018 and 2.5 percent in 2019.
Below are the department heads’ salaries for 2018.
Cook County Auditor/ Treasurer Braidy Powers received a 19 percent hike over 2017, which brought his salary to $113,131, an increase of $18,194 over the previous year.
County Administrator Jeff Cadwell’s salary increased by $10,630 to $116,854, a 10 percent jump from 2017.
County Auditor Todd Smith received a raise of $14,093, which brought his 2018 wage to $88,733, an increase of 18.9 percent.
County Recorder Dusty Nelms’ pay was increased by 8.4 percent ($7,202), which brought her 2018 salary to $91,790.
County Land Use director Tim Nelson received a 16.95 percent increase over 2017, bringing his pay to $111,030, a raise of 16.95 percent.
Maintenance Director Brian Silence’s pay jumped to $90,106, a raise of $5,518 over 2017.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen saw a hike of 22 percent over 2017, pushing his pay to $113,124, a raise of $20,328.
County Attorney Molly Hicken is the highest paid county employee. Hicken received a raise of $10,100, a 9.3 percent increase which raised her pay to $118,352.
Public Health and Human Services Director Alyssa McIntyre, who was promoted to her supervisor position in 2018, saw her salary increase to $85,322.
MIS director Rena Rogers’s pay went up 16.2 percent to $99,819, a raise of $13,944.
Valerie Marasco, director – Office of Emergency Management & Public Information, got a raise of $13,624, bringing her salary to $74,880, an increase of 22.2 percent.
All told, the raises for department heads totaled $181,737. The average hike in pay for hourly workers was around $4 to $5 more per hour than it was in 2017.
According to the Keystone Study that compared Cook County wages to other counties in the region, the 2018 hike in pay for Cook County employees brought a majority of them to par with the rest of the region at 100 percent of the weighted average – with some positions still compensated slightly lower.
“The County must attract and retain qualified employees to deliver necessary services. Cook County’s wage scale is now directly in line with County averages. Cook County is fortunate to have many dedicated and experienced staff working hard to support community through quality public service,” wrote Valerie Marasco in a news brief explaining the increase in pay.
The county’s payroll for 2018 totaled $7,155,721.13. The average hourly pay was $29.79. There were 115.49 full time employees on the 2018 payroll.
The labor contract is for three years.
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