Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 120
06/09/2008 08:30 AM House RULES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Adopt New Personnel Policy to Comply with Hb 417 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RULES STANDING COMMITTEE
June 9, 2008
8:33 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative John Coghill, Chair
Representative John Harris
Representative Anna Fairclough
Representative Craig Johnson
Representative Ralph Samuels
Representative Beth Kerttula
Representative David Guttenberg (via teleconference)
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
ADOPT NEW PERSONNEL POLICY TO COMPLY WITH HB 417
- ADOPTED
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
No previous action to record
WITNESS REGISTER
SKIFF LOBAUGH, Human Resources Manager
Personnel Office
Legislative Administrative Services
Legislative Affairs Agency
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Explained the personnel policy that would
comply with HB 417.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR JOHN COGHILL called the House Rules Standing Committee
meeting to order at 8:33:12 AM. Representatives Coghill,
Harris, Fairclough, Johnson, Samuels, and Kerttula were present
at the call to order. Representative Guttenberg (via
teleconference) arrived as the meeting was in progress.
^Adopt New Personnel Policy to Comply with HB 417
8:33:29 AM
CHAIR COGHILL announced that the only order of business would be
consideration of the new personnel policy, regarding longevity,
to comply with HB 417.
8:33:38 AM
SKIFF LOBAUGH, Human Resources Manager, Personnel Office,
Legislative Administrative Services, Legislative Affairs Agency,
explained that as a result of the passage of HB 417 a new
personnel policy related to longevity is necessary. In the
past, the legislature had a longevity policy that was based on
years of service once an individual was beyond F step. The
amount of time to pass through steps J-M varied. For instance,
to move from K step to L it took five years of service and to
move from L to M it took four years of service and then one
remained at M step. Under HB 417, the aforementioned portion of
the statute was eliminated and the regular salary schedule
extended by 3.75 percent. Therefore, under the new proposed
personnel policy to move from step K to L it takes two years and
continues in the same fashion for the subsequent steps. The
aforementioned is found in AS 39.27.011(h), which will only
apply to the legislative branch if the committees responsible
for policy over legislative employees adopt such a policy.
8:35:29 AM
CHAIR COGHILL clarified that the House Rules Standing Committee
performs the hiring of all staff and thus this is one of the
committees that has to adopt the aforementioned policy. Each
committee with hiring authority will have to adopt this policy
as well, he noted.
8:36:12 AM
MR. LOBAUGH, in response to Representative Johnson, explained
that the salary schedule does begin with steps A-F and then
skips to steps J through M. If this proposed personnel policy
is adopted, effective July 1, 2008, the new salary schedule will
have steps that proceed to step Z. Basically, it's a 3.75
percent increase every two years [in the longevity steps].
8:36:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS inquired as to how long takes to get to
step M under the [existing] salary schedule.
MR. LOBAUGH responded that it would take roughly 20-21 years.
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS posed a scenario in which an individual
worked for the state for 35 years, and asked how much of an
increase that individual would receive.
MR. LOBAUGH answered that an individual [in longevity steps]
would receive an increase of 3.75 percent every two years.
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS surmised then if that individual worked an
additional 10 years, that individual would receive an increase
of 15 percent. He asked if the 3.75 percent is based on the
individual's new salary.
MR. LOBAUGH said that it's based on the adopted salary schedule,
AS 39.27.011. He clarified that an increase in the salary
schedule is separate from step increases.
8:38:26 AM
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS then inquired as to what other committees
hire employees.
MR. LOBAUGH said that there are two distinct hiring
authorizations. The statute AS 24.10.200 refers to House and
Senate employees, which are hired by the House and Senate Rules
Standing Committees that make the rules for those legislative
employees hired whether during session or the interim. Those
employees hired under AS 24.10.210 are the permanent interim
committee employees, who include the employees of the following:
Legislative Finance Division, Legislative Affairs Agency,
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, Legislative Council,
Joint Armed Services Committee, Administrative Regulation Review
Committee, and Select Committee on Legislative Ethics.
REPRESENTATIVE HARRIS related his understanding that each of
those committees have to take action on this matter.
MR. LOBAUGH replied yes.
8:40:22 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS informed the committee that the Joint
Armed Services Committee recently had a meeting to address this
subject. The Legislative Budget and Audit Committee and
Legislative Council will also meet on this matter in an upcoming
meeting, he related.
8:40:45 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS moved that the committee adopt the
printed House & Senate longevity personnel policy effective July
1, 2008. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
8:41:25 AM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Rules Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 8:41:28 AM.
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