Staff Pay Plan Announcement

Dear Corrections Family:

I am very excited to tell you about the big plan announced in Governor Parson’s State of the State Address: The Governor recommended a 3% cost-of-living pay raise for all Missouri state employees. Plus, the Missouri Department of Corrections plans to consolidate the two prisons in Cameron and use the money we save to give an additional retention pay raise to employees with two or more years of continuous service. 

Here are the main things you need to know:

• This pay increase is the biggest in the department’s history.
• There will be no employee layoffs in this process.
• The changes will improve staffing levels statewide and help ensure safety.
• This will not require additional offender releases.
• No other prison consolidations are planned.

I want to make sure you understand the plan. Please take a moment to read this email.

Here are some details:

How the Pay Plan Works

We are very excited! While the plan must be approved by the Missouri General Assembly before it can go into effect, the Governor’s support is a big step. If approved, the pay plan will help us fill open job spots and keep good employees. There are two parts.

1. The first part of the raise is a 3% cost-of-living increase for all state government employees. We hope higher wages will attract new staff. The Governor recognizes the need to increase wages to attract and retain state employees. All state employees will receive this increase starting January 2020.

• The second part of the raise is an additional 1% retention increase, based on the induction rate of each class, for every two years of continuous Department of Corrections employment, up to 20 years. We plan to use the money saved through the consolidation of two prisons for retention raises for our employees. We hope that rewarding experience helps us keep our best staff. Only DOC staff would receive this retention increase. It would apply to all DOC staff except executive-level employees, starting January 2020.

These new increases would be in addition to the recent pay increases for corrections staff.

• In July 2018, custody staff received a $350 annual pay increase.
• In January 2019, all state employees received a $700 annual pay increase.

Please note:

• The 3% cost-of-living adjustment would be applied to each employee’s actual salary and would also increase the class induction rate (by 3%) for all department job classes.
• The retention increase would be applied to the induction rate for the class, not the actual salary of the person in the job.
  • For example, if the induction rate for a job is $25,000 and the employee actually earns $25,500, the 1% increase for every two years is based upon the $25,000, not the $25,500.

This might seem a little confusing, so below are a few specific examples:

• A Corrections Officer I with 4 years of experience who makes $31,288, which is the current class induction rate, would receive:
  • The 3% cost-of-living adjustment based on their actual salary of $31,288, for an increase of $939, plus
  • 2% retention increase (1% for every 2 years or services) of the new class induction rate (which went up by 3% due to the cost-of-living adjustment to $32,227), for an increase of $645,
  • Bringing the total increase to 5.06%, or $1,584.
  • The new salary would be $32,872.
• A Maintenance Worker II with 9 years of service who makes $30,280, which is the current class induction rate, would receive:
  • The 3% cost-of-living adjustment based on their actual salary of $30,280 for an increase of $908, plus
  • 4% retention increase (1% for every 2 years or services) of the new class induction rate (which went up by 3% due to the cost-of-living adjustment to $31,188), for an increase of $1,248. Note: The retention increase occurs every 2 years, so this employee would receive another 1% increase upon completing their tenth year of service.
  • This brings the total increase to 7.12%, or $2,156.
  • The new salary would be $32,436.
• A Probation and Parole Officer II with 20 years of service who makes $41,116, which is above the current class induction rate of $37,624, would receive:
  • The 3% cost-of-living adjustment based on their actual salary of $41,116, for an increase of $1,233, plus
  • 10% retention increase (1% for every 2 years of service) of the new class induction rate (which went up by 3% due to the cost-of-living adjustment to $38,753), for an increase of $3,875
  • Bringing the total increase to 12.42%, or $5,108.
  • The new salary would be $46,224.

If approved, the retention increase will be ongoing. This means that the longer you stay with the DOC, the higher your salary will be. This ongoing increase is capped at 20 years. The retention increase is for continuous service only. If you left the department and then returned, only the years you have worked since returning would count.

How We’re Getting the Money

This pay plan costs $35.1 million. Where is the money coming from? We got creative. It costs a lot to give a meaningful raise to each member of a department with 11,232 positions. For example, the most recent increase for the DOC cost the state approximately $6 million. So we looked for ways to be more efficient with the money we have. In the past year, the prison population has dropped, thanks to new policies. This means we can consolidate two of our 21 adult institutions and take one offline without causing crowding in other prisons. We have two prisons in Cameron: Western Missouri Correctional Center (WMCC) and Crossroads Correctional Center (CRCC), and both already have some empty housing units. We plan to convert half of WMCC to maximum-security status and move as many offenders as possible from CRCC to WMCC. CRCC would go into caretaker status. This consolidation would provide $20.6 million a year toward the pay plan. We have found other savings in the department’s budget to direct another $7 million toward the pay plan, and the Governor and his team have identified an additional $7.5 million in the state budget.

How We Can Keep This Up

Public safety remains a priority for the department. We have analyzed prison population trends, and we are confident that the statewide prison population will stay at this lower level. We have also started many new initiatives that help people succeed while in the community without compromising public safety. Right now Missourians who return to prison from probation or parole make up about half of our prison population. We have plans in place to help reduce that number.

Why Crossroads

It just makes sense. It’s very hard to staff two large facilities in one small community. Both WMCC and CRCC have faced staffing challenges, which causes overtime, fatigue and stress. Moving as many offenders and staff as we can to WMCC would help us to save money and reduce the staffing shortage without causing a lot of disruption for staff, offenders or families. Plus, offenders will have more access to programming and activities at WMCC, which helps support safety and rehabilitation.

What this Means for Crossroads Staff

There are no staff layoffs in this process. Many employees can move right across the street to WMCC, and some may choose to fill vacancies in other facilities. A separate message is being sent to CRCC employees later today explaining the process. Administrators from Central Office are on site at CRCC today and tomorrow to talk with staff and answer questions.

Where We Started and Where We’re Going

Since I became the department’s director two years ago, my executive team and I have been trying to find ways to raise the salaries of all DOC employees. In my first meeting with Governor Parson after he took office in 2018, we discussed pay for our staff. During that meeting, it was obvious that the Governor appreciates the critical role you play in public safety. He knows how challenging this profession is, and he understands the need for pay raises. I couldn’t be more grateful for his support or more proud to serve in his cabinet. I am also thankful to members of the General Assembly who have expressed support in the past for wage increases, and I am looking forward to working with them on this pay plan. I especially want to thank the members of my executive team who have worked hard to develop the largest pay plan in DOC history.

This was not easy. We have faced tough challenges and made hard decisions. This is also not final. Governor Parson and the department have recommended the pay plan, and now it goes to the General Assembly for action.

I want you to know that I appreciate you and what you do, and I never take it for granted. I know the jobs are challenging and demanding. I know that many of you work overtime and are tired. My team and I want you to be safe and know that you are appreciated. Our hope is that this pay plan will show our commitment to you and appreciation for you and your experience and that it will attract new employees and improve staffing — all of which helps you do your jobs more safely. 

Thank you for all that you do, and please be safe.

Sincerely,

Anne. L. Precythe
Director of Corrections