DuPage workers getting raises of 1.5 percent to 4.5 percent

Nearly 2,000 DuPage County employees will be getting raises ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 percent on June 2.

Almost all county employees -- except those who may be on some type of disciplinary notice -- will receive a 1.5 percent pay hike. Department heads then have the ability to determine which employees deserve a merit raise on top of the wage increase. Merit increases max out at 3 percent, though.

"We want money spread out," said county board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom. "We don't want it just going to favorites. We have found when you put a cap on it, it's more equitably distributed to a larger number of employees."

The county board voted 15-1 today to allocate the funds for the raises.

More than $2.1 million will be distributed to the various county departments to cover the raises. That's enough to cover 3.5 percent pay hikes for every employee in those department, said Fred Backfield, the county's chief financial officer.

County employees making less than $70,000 a year were eligible for 2 percent merit increases the past two years, he added. Those employees account for more than half of the county's staff.

Board member James Zay was unhappy with the larger portion going to merit increases.

"I'd like to see a more cost-of-living increase like we've been doing," he said. "I've talked to employees and heard some complaints who think it's unfair that so much goes into the merit pool."

Board member Grant Eckhoff attempted to increase the raises for the second time in as many meetings, but failed. He'd hoped to increase the overall total to 4 percent and raise the cap on merit as well, but the initiative failed 11-5.

Board member Brien Sheahan was in favor of making the pot bigger for employees.

"We've got a real crisis with retention and recruitment," he said. "This will help."

Schillerstrom said the county is commissioning a "comprehensive study" of the county's pay schedule to see how it stacks up against neighboring counties as well as the private sector. He said the report would be due back in time for the 2009 budget hearings.