According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the Wisconsin state employee pay raises authorized in Gov. Tony Evers’ budget, signed in July, are still awaiting legislative approval, so state workers have not received the 4% pay boost due to activate this summer.
A legislative employment relations committee has yet to take action since receiving the proposed compensation plan from a state agency on July 31. With committee approval, state employees will receive 6% pay bumps over the next two years as well as back pay to July 2, when the budget called for the pay raises to take effect. The committee can also modify the plan, which proposed a 4% raise in the first budget year and 2% in the second. Evers’ budget set aside $221 million for the raises.
Some state employees, including public defenders and assistant district attorneys, have already seen pay raises through Evers’ budget, but for most state employees, further action is required.
Beyond the 6% raises for state employees, the proposed plan would provide Department of Corrections guards with a $33 hourly wage, up from the current $20.29. Guards would receive back pay to July 2, with $4 subtracted in extra hourly wages that guards used to receive as bonuses but are now permanent additions to their wages.
