DuPage to examine employee benefits

Facing rising costs associated with providing salaries and benefits to county employees, the DuPage County Board is going to explore whether reforms could be made to help save taxpayers money in the future.

The board on Tuesday established a committee on human resources that will assess the “economic sustainability” of the county’s total benefits package and recommend changes.

While another panel was created earlier this year to address rising health care costs, county board Chairman Dan Cronin said there is a need to “re-evaluate” DuPage’s entire benefits structure.

“Every unit of government, especially local government, now realizes that some of the benefits offered to public employees are too costly, too burdensome, and create too much of a disparity between those who get the benefits and those who pay the bill,” Cronin said.

Input from county employees and DuPage business leaders will be sought to ensure personnel policies fairly compensate county staff while reflecting normal practices in the private sector, officials said.

The review comes as DuPage is dealing with 10 percent increases in health care insurance costs and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund contributions. Cronin said the county needs to “right size” its personnel expenses “to prepare for a continuing decline in economically sensitive revenues.”

The ad hoc committee, which will be chaired by board member Jeff Redick, has been asked to review pension benefits offered to both county employees and elected officials.

Other areas expected to be analyzed include the county’s salary structure, overtime policies and “special compensation,” such as vacation time, sick days and other benefits.

“The purpose is to contain costs and to ensure our taxpayers that county employment policies are no more lucrative than what they receive from their employer,” Cronin said.

Cronin said he wants the panel to make its initial recommendations in the next few months so the ideas can be part of the 2012 budget.

One issue several board members hope to address sooner is whether DuPage should give pay raises to employees in July. County workers haven’t received raises for two straight years.

Board member Jim Zay is suggesting a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for employees making less than $100,000 a year. “I don’t need a committee to tell me that we need to give a raise,” he said.