“effective immediately,” Walker suspends merit raises, retention pay hikes
Time to poop on workers again!
That 1% raise was the first in several years!! The merit system not working--exp. in corrections. People are NOT notified when to apply, what is needed to complete application and people suck up to supervisors. Many unfilled guard positions are open but not will just be eliminated!
Scott Walker's administration suspends merit raises, retention pay hikes for public employees
February 13, 2015 8:15 am • By Mary Spicuzza | Wisconsin State Journal
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Merit raises and retention pay increases for state workers — including some UW System employees — have been suspended by Gov. Scott Walker’s administration.
The announcement about the raise suspensions, “effective immediately,” was made in a Feb. 5 memo to state agencies’ human resources directors.
It’s unclear how many employees will be affected. Under Walker’s 2013-15 budget, most state workers received a 1 percent pay increase each fiscal year.
The freeze affects merit pay raises, known as Discretionary Merit Compensation, and increases aimed at retaining workers, known as Discretionary Equity or Retention Adjustment Programs. Other raises are not affected.
“We suggest that agencies cease accepting or processing any additional requests because the suspension is anticipated to continue for the remainder of this fiscal year,” wrote Gregory Gracz, director of the Office of State Employment Relations.
The current fiscal year ends June 30.
“This is another slap in the face of workers by the Walker administration,” said Marty Beil, executive director of AFSCME Council 24 Wisconsin State Employees Union. “It shows more disdain from the Walker administration for the working men and women of the state.”
Beil said there aren’t many people “screaming about it” because morale is so low that workers weren’t expecting any merit raises.
University of Wisconsin faculty, academic staff and appointees will not be affected, but UW System spokesman Alex Hummel said the freeze will apply to classified employees, including custodians, administrative assistants, information technology workers, accountants and food service workers.
He said there are about 10,100 UW System employees considered classified staff, but not all will be affected because the types of pay raises put on hold are not automatic.
“It was a tool that we would use to reward and retain,” Hummel said.
Cullen Werwie, spokesman for the state Department of Administration, said the announcement went out to all state agencies last week in an effort to help balance the budget.
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