A new collective bargaining agreement for Lake County’s corrections officers includes a pay raise this year and set increases for the next three years in a new deal approved Tuesday by the county council.
Corrections officers will receive a 7 percent pay increase this year, bringing the starting pay for a correctional officer to $48,270, up from $45,112, effective retroactively to Jan. 1, according to the collective bargaining agreement.
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Starting pay for probationary officers will climb from $40,572 to $43,412. Correctional sergeants will start at $54,638, which is up from $51,964 while lieutenants will go from $53,470 to $57,213. Deputy wardens base will start at $59,397, up from $55,511, while assistant wardens will be paid $62,001, up from the current $57,945. The salaries reflect starting base pay and apply to the department’s union officers.
The pact must next be ratified by the Lake County Board of Commissioners before it goes into effect. The commissioners’ next meeting is Aug. 17.
County officials say the pay increases will help level the playing field and bring the salary more in line with other area correctional facilities, a move they hope will make it easier to attract and retain workers in a highly competitive job market. Currently, the jail is short 47 correctional officers from being fully staffed, councilman Christian Jorgensen, R-St. John, who was on the committee negotiating the contract, said.
“The amount of overtime and wear and tear on the officers is just dangerous and not sustainable,” Jorgenson said.
Understaffing at the jail was a problem even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which was mentioned in numerous reports during the jail’s 9 years under federal oversight, which ended in December 2019.
The county was unable at this time to address scheduling changes sought by the union due to the employee shortage. Jorgenson said the safety of officers and detainees is jeopardized when the department is short staff. He is hopeful the gradual pay raise will help.
“We are hoping to attract the talent we need,” he said.
Council President Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, said corrections officer positions are difficult to fill. Many who seek a job in law enforcement use a corrections officer position as a stepping stone to a more visible role such as police officer. Attracting talent, especially in the current job market, has been a challenge. The pay increase will hopefully help, Bilski said.
“It’s a nationwide problem. We really have our work cut out for us,” Bilski said.
Lake County Jail Warden Todd Wasmer said the collective bargaining agreement solidified pay increases for merit officers for the next three years. The pay increases in the new contract should help with hiring and retaining workers by making the county jail highly competitive in the corrections job market.
Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. said he has been working in raising pay for corrections officers since he took office.
“When I first took office, correctional officers were earning way below the living wage at around $33,000 a year. I placed an emphasis on these officers because of the high level of responsibility required for the position,” Martinez said in a statement.
“I’m appreciative of each and every Lake County Council member who voted and approved the contract. It’s a success not only for the sheriff’s department, but also for our correctional officers and the county as a whole,” Martinez said.