CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Employees of Kanawha County agencies will receive a one-time bonus next month as well as a pay raise in January following a vote by the Kanawha County Commission.
The body last week agreed to increase the salaries of 425 full-time employees, in which all employees will receive a 4% boost. The commission also agreed to a temporary increase that differs between agencies; members of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office will receive $3,000, employees of the Kanawha County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department will receive $2,000, and other employees will receive $1,000.
The raises that will go into effect in January will cost the county around $1 million, while the one-time increases have a $700,000 price tag.
Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper said the raises are the results of savings stemmed from the county moving its health insurance coverage to the state-operated Public Employees Insurance Agency.
“That pays about 80% of it,” he noted.
The commission agreed earlier this year to move away from self-insured Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, citing rising health care costs.
Carper added the one-time increase is due to repayment from the federal government.
“I don’t think the county will ever be in the position to do this again. Not ever,” he said.
The commission invited county elected officials to discuss the raises, in which they appeared virtually because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“You’ve been kind enough to give us, with this approximately 4% raise, about 8.2% in raises for county employees in about the last three years, which does not include the $500 you gave us to cover insurance costs on the health insurance,” Sheriff Mike Rutherford said. “We deeply appreciate it. It’s very, very kind for you to do that.”
The one-time increase will go into effect by mid-December.