Bradley County Courthouse building in Cleveland, Tenn.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Bradley County officials are seeking advice on the best way to create a uniform salary system for county employees.
On Monday, the county’s compensation study panel will meet with Gary Hayes, a consultant with the County Technical Assistance Service.
“Gary Hayes has had a lot of experience helping other counties do what we are trying to do, and I think he can help us avoid some stumbling blocks,” said Terry Caywood, chairman of the study panel. “We are short-handed, and we will take any free advice we can get.”
One of the driving forces behind the committee’s work is the possibility of implementing a merit pay program for county employees.
To do that, the county must adopt a comprehensive salary grade system that matches pay with the level of responsibilities and requisite training among different occupations, panel members said. All Bradley County departments thus far have been relatively free to develop their pay and benefits programs, creating a fragmented system.