Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Sandoval proposes state worker cost-of-living raises

Gov. Brian Sandoval is proposing to give state workers a 3 percent cost-of-living raise over the next two years.

The Assembly Ways and Means Committee introduced the Sandoval plan late Friday; it calls for a 1 percent increase starting in July and 2 percent more in July 2016.

The raises in Assembly Bill 489 also would include higher salaries for unclassified employees such as doctors and heads of state agencies.

The total cost of the plan would be $36 million over the next two years.

The governor also has proposed eliminating the mandatory unpaid six days the workers were forced to take off. The cost-of-living increases were stopped and the furloughs were started when the economy nose-dived along with tax revenue to the state.

The 3 percent increase is for classified workers who are covered by civil service protections. There also are unclassified workers, usually the top administrators who can be fired at any time.

The bill does not include pay to staff members of the governor’s office, the Nevada Supreme Court or the Legislature. Those are set by the elective officials.

Most of the higher salaries in the unclassified are in the medical field.

The highest-paid unclassified employee would be the chief medical officer, at $215,809 a year. The person in that job is in charge of all medical programs. The statewide psychiatric medical officer would earn $207,000, and the coordinator of mental health programs would make $189,601.

Among the highest-paid unclassified workers would be senior psychiatrists, at $176,902 a year. There is also a provision for psychiatrists who are called back to earn between $60 and $100 to provide 24-hour coverage at mental health hospitals.

Earning $155,624 starting July 1 will be the state dental health officer, medical epidemiologist and senior physician.

Also near the top are the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission, at $149,729, and the two members at $139,222 each.

Salaries for many attorneys in senior positions are $140,000 a year, and many department directors would be pegged at $127,000.

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