OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County recently received the findings of a wage and salary analysis that was done in 2023. The study compared the compensation paid to its employees in over 300 job titles to that paid in nearby competing counties, other counties in the state of similar size and budget and the private sector.
“Like many employers throughout the nation, the county is experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining employees ever since the end of the pandemic,” said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup. “To find out how much of a role compensation may be causing this, we contracted with a firm specializing in this type of study.
“The wage and salary results are very complex with no simple solutions but will be very helpful as a guide as we make future decisions about pay,” he continued. “It’s important to provide competitive wages to attract and keep talented employees to serve the public well, without overburdening our residents and businesses with high taxes.”
The study was conducted by Burke Group of Rochester, NY. The firm was selected through a competitive process, began its work last June, and filed its wage and salary report Dec. 12. The county is still waiting for a benefits analysis. The firm considered external competition, internal equity and the hierarchy of county job titles.
Data from 14 other counties were used as a basis of comparison to examine compensation at the starting, middle and senior levels. Reports are segregated by labor unit and subdivided by grade levels within each unit. Reports were also prepared for management personnel and elected offices. Each report includes the firm’s recommendations to improve the county’s competitiveness in attracting and retaining employees within each labor unit.
“The data shows that while some job titles are compensated appropriately, many are below 90% of the peer market for that title, especially starting pay, which is ideally what they should be,” said County Administrator Phil Church. “Complicating the matter is some titles that are in the same pay grade are compensated below the peer market while others are fine or above. The data suggests we need to focus attention on starting pay rates and grade structures.”
Since the pandemic, the Oswego County Legislature has approved several measures designed to improve employee hiring and retention. These included increasing pay for particularly hard-to-recruit positions such as caseworkers and attorneys, waiving civil service test fees, modernizing recruitment methods on social media and negotiating favorable compensation agreements with two of the county’s five unions and management personnel.
The Legislature included $2.3 million in its 2024 budget to fund potential compensation adjustments resulting from the study. Work will begin early in 2024 to interpret the data in context with the upcoming benefits analysis and develop options for the Legislature to consider.
For more information, contact the County Administrator’s Office at 315-349-8235 or the Oswego County Human Resources Department at 315-349-8209.
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