Pay Raises For All County Employees Approved By Pasco Commission

PASCO COUNTY, FL — Thanks to the Pasco Board of County Commissioners, Pasco County government's 581 employees received an early Christmas gift.

In an effort to attract and retain employees, the commission approved pay increases and job reclassifications recommended by Pasco’s Human Resources Department.

“Our pay and class study is key to retaining team members and attracting new employees,” said Pasco County Commission Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey. “Pasco County is committed to creating a better future for our community, and there’s no better way to do that than by investing in the right people.”

Human resources worked with all county departments and hundreds of team members during a months-long Classification and Compensation Study to review position equality internally and competitiveness within the local economy externally.

In September, the commission unanimously approved salary increases for team members as part of the annual budget process, which went into effect Oct. 1. The increases include front-line workers from multiple departments including fire rescue, public transportation and corrections.

The Classification and Compensation Study resulted in the following average pay increases:

• 14 percent for team members making less than $30,000 a year
• 12 percent for team members making $30,000 to $40,000 a year
• 10 percent for team members making $40,000 to $50,000 a year
• 6 percent for team members making more than $50,000 a year
• 10 to 15 percent increase in starting pay for most positions

“This is our third pay and class study since 2016, and the biggest bump we’ve seen to date,” said Pasco Human Resources Director Barbara Hitzemann. “With our competitive pay and a fantastic benefits package, we encourage anyone looking for a meaningful career serving in local government to consider joining our team.”