County To Publish Employee Salary Database

UPDATED (4:27p.m.)—The salaries of Baltimore County government employees has long been held to be a matter of public record, but starting Friday, 7,800 general county workers will find their pay published online—courtesy of their employer.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz announced Wednesday afternoon that he intends to publish the names, hire dates, salaries and job titles in an online database on the county government website.

Ellen Kobler, a spokeswoman for Kamenetz, said the effort is part of fulfilling the county executive's promise for transparent and accountable government.

"Moving forward, there will be even more transparency and documentation of county government and what we do," Kobler said.

The database, to be published July 1 on the county's human resources website page, will cover police, fire and other general government employees. Employees of the Baltimore County Public Schools system, library system and Community College of Baltimore County, will not be included.

The database will include the names, dates of hire, job titles and base salaries of employees as of July 1. Overtime will not be included.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced a similar database on June 21. That database includes gross salary from July 1, 2010 to May 24, 2011. It also includes overtime, furlough reductions or other pay adjustments. Contract employees are also included. Compensatory and leave time are not included, in accordance with state law.

Having the county government publish salaries of its own employees is an unusual move even though the figures are typically released upon request.

In the past, some media organizations have been the target of complaints from employees who suddenly found their salaries published and available to the public.

Kobler said the county did not forewarn employees of the publication of the data.

"County employees understand that their salaries are public record," Kobler said.