ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lehigh County Board of Commissioners has introduced further extensions to wage increases to assist with "critical labor issues," but assure the increases still are temporary.
The county-run 911 Communications Center, jail and Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation all have faced persistent staffing shortages in recent years.
And to help combat that, the wage increases were put in place to assist with recruitment and retention.
The temporary wage increases all were introduced in July 2022 and have been extended at a rate of about every six months with some alterations, but remain assuredly temporary, according to the legislation.
The bills to extend the raises were up for its first reading Wednesday and will be voted on at commissioners' next meeting on July 24.
County officials say the costs are covered by current budget allocations.
For the 911 Communication Center, an additional $200 compensation will be given to operators, supervisors, trainers and staff schedulers who put in a full 40 work hours in a week.
'Unprecedented workforce issue'
The legislation states it is in order to solidify staffing levels throughout the week to maintain minimum staffing during each of three shifts throughout a day.
"This is a critical morale issue."Lehigh County General Services Director Rick Molchany
"This is a unique and unprecedented workforce issue that is affecting all industries, but especially critical to the 24/7 operations of 911" the bill says.
"Our call volume exceeds 450k calls to our communication center, or nearly 1,300 calls per day.
"Having staff reductions of ~29% place us in position to mandate overtime. Mandating overtime is a morale concern, and our efforts are to stimulate staff to volunteer for extra shifts. Permanent compensation plans are being developed."
Premium for weekend nights and holiday shifts, and the implementation of 12-hour base shifts also have been instituted with staff consent.
In the Department of Corrections, $200 weekly is also to be given to employees who work a total of 40 hours in a week, delivered at $5 per hour.
"This 40-hour work week [requirement] allows people who might take a sick day early in a week to turn around and say, 'I'm also going to come in on a shift, because that bonus plan is so valuable to me,'" General Services Director Rick Molchany said.
"And it eliminates us having to mandate somebody else for overtime. This is a critical morale issue."
'Given us perhaps an edge'
A letter attached from Director of Corrections Janine Donate states that while there have been "several years" of intensive recruitment efforts, numerous vacancies remain, with 39 positions open for corrections officers.
"I believe in part that this temporary wage compensation has allowed us to bolster our recruitment efforts, has given us perhaps an edge in attracting candidates," Donate said.
"That being said, the retention is a statistic that we continue to work on. 24/7 operations is difficult to staff and manage in general. For us, we do a lot of balancing of our staffing."
Cedarbrook Senior Care and Rehabilitation staff are getting a different deal, with a $40-$80 bonus for licensed nursing staff picked up during an "urgent staffing need."
"These are services vital to our community. So it's very important to have this as an option in order to retain and recruit."Commissioner Sheila Alvarado
In April, Cedarbrook staff stated they were optimistic it could meet new increased staffing regulations while contracting out one-third of the nursing workforce to an outside employment agency.
Cedarbrook Administrator Jason Cumello said the rate was infrequently used, but comes into play primarily on holidays.
It also would continue a $3-per-hour, flat-rate bonus being delivered to any staff giving direct care or services to an active COVID-19 positive resident.
The bills were unanimously recommended by the Committee for Administrative and Human Resources.
"These are services vital to our community," Commissioner Sheila Alvarado said. "So it's very important to have this as an option in order to retain and recruit."
The three extensions begin on July 19 and July 20 and all end on Jan. 31, when county commissioners would once again have to consider an extension.
