Seward County Detention Center Director Sara Stenger sought some assistance aimed at recruiting and retaining corrections officers from the Seward County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2.
One proposal involved hiring bonuses for two new employees while the other would offer double-time pay for current employees called back to cover shifts they were not scheduled to work.
The commissioners approved on a 4-1 vote the $5,000 hiring bonus for the two positions that have been vacant for more than 90 days, but said Stenger would have to return to the board if additional hiring bonuses are to be offered.
Commissioner Darrell Zabrocki opposed the bonuses saying they have not proved effective.
The jail now has 14 corrections officers in addition to Stenger, Deputy Director Andrew Truslow and newly hired Programs Sergeant Jessica Cain. When filled, the two new hires would bring the corrections officer count to 16.
But one of the 14 corrections officers is now on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which can be up to 12 weeks, and two others have FMLA leaves coming up, she told commissioners.
Stenger asked the commissioners to approve the hiring bonus that would be spread over two years, so a new hire would receive the bonus in two installments of $2,500 at the end of year one and year two.
Stenger has funds available in her personnel budget for the current fiscal year but would need additional funds for the second half of the bonus next fiscal year.
Truslow said the Detention Center employees average two to two and a half years on the job.
“It is a taxing job,” he said. “We really struggle to get applicants who are qualified to come in.”
But the commissioners were less comfortable with Stenger’s request for “callback pay” for regular employees who are asked to cover full or partial shifts outside their scheduled work time.
The staff works on a “Panama schedule” of rotating 12-hour days, and the shifts they are called back for may be all or part of a 12-hour segment. Most are already working some overtime hours each pay period, which compensates them at 1.5 times their normal pay.
Callback pay would mean they would be paid double their wage for all or part of the time they fill in unexpectedly, Stenger said, and would be offered at the director’s discretion to provide incentive and appreciation for staff.
“We really don’t have much in options right now,” she said, noting that other counties have used callback pay for detention center staff.
County Human Resources Director Roxanne Knutson said callback pay could be used in other county departments, too.
“We wanted to start here because the need is more urgent,” she said,
Commission Chair Misty Ahmic said a policy is needed.
“If it has to do with pay, it is going to have to be countywide,” she said.
County Attorney Wendy Elston agreed, saying the policy consideration should include “all 24-hour operations” in the county that involve essential employees, which would also include the sheriff’s office and 911 communications center.
“It sounds like a good idea, but it needs a little more work,” she said.
Commissioner Raegan Hain, who is liaison to the jail, also endorsed creating the callback pay plan.
“We have had some hard conversations about this,” she said. “These are not easy calls to make.”
Zabrocki said he appreciated that the pay would be used for people who are coming in to do extra work, but he did not favor the callback pay approach.
“We have a history of running with an employee deficit,” he said.
No action was taken, but Stenger, Knutson and Elston are to collaborate on a draft policy to present to the commissioners regarding the callback pay.
The jail facility can serve up to 58 inmates, but currently houses 33 inmates with two or three additional “weekend” inmates who have been sentenced jail time on weekends to allow them to maintain jobs.
Of the 33, eight are there for local charges but also have federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds on them, which means they could be held here longer than their local charges require while federal courts process their cases or transfer them elsewhere, Stenger said.
It is unusual to have the center at capacity because of jail standards around accommodations for different classifications of inmates, which could include gender or the types of charges they are facing.
In other action on Dec. 2, the commissioners:
Voted to close the courthouse on Dec. 24, as well as the planned closing on Dec. 25.
Approved surplus property disposal requests from the Detention Center.
Deferred discussion of the Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD) interlocal agreement and bylaws to the Dec. 9 meeting.
