SF 76: STATE PERSONNEL SYSTEM - 1997 General Session

SF 76 authorized the Personnel Division of the Department of Administration and Information to design and implement new state employee compensation and classification systems.

As introduced, SF 76 also repealed current statutes requiring the State of Wyoming to administer a "uniform" and "equitable" pay system.

SF 76 allowed each agency to establish its own compensation policies, which could include compensation options such as increases for performance pay, additional skills or knowledge, additional duties, or reclassification or promotion; temporary salary adjustments; team-based bonus payments; add-on base pay; retention increases; and salary surveys.

Proponents of SF 76 argued that its primary purpose was to provide agencies more authority and responsibility in the compensation, classification and selection of their employees. They said this flexibility was needed to make adjustments more quickly and to be able to move employees within a pay band without the lengthy reclassification processes required by current law.

Opponents of SF 76 argued that the Legislature needed to review the proposal carefully to make sure it preserved the elements of equal pay for equal work and fairness for all state employees, not a select few.

Opponents pointed out that one agency might be able to offer its employees more (either in base pay or add-ons) than another agency simply because of legislatively-directed budget allocations, although the employees were performing the same work.

The House amended SF 76 three times. The first amendment required the state to administer an "equitable" pay plan. The second amendment required the Personnel Division of the Department of Administration & Information to report to the Joint Appropriations Interim Committee all rules, plans, and designs pertaining to the plan before its implementation.

The third amendment delayed implementation of any new compensation or classification plan until July 1998 to allow sufficient time for analysis by the Legislature and state employees.

SF 76 passed the Senate, 27-2 (1 excused). Senators voting against SF 76 were: Keith Goodenough (D-S28, Casper) and Jayne Mockler (D-S8, Cheyenne). Sen. John Vinich (D-S25, Hudson) was excused.

After lengthy debate in the House, SF 76 failed 27-33.