By Corrections1 Staff
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Neb. — A Nebraska county board approved a contract offer that would raise CO pay by 22 percent in an effort to address a critical staffing shortage.
On Tuesday, the Douglas County Board voted 6-0 in favor of an offer that would raise starting pay for COs in the county from $17.35 an hour to $21.25, the Omaha World-Herald reports. Additionally, current employees will receive a 3 percent raise under the offer.
The offer is meant to address the critical staffing shortage at the Douglas County Jail. Staffing shortages has led to mandatory overtime that officials said is approaching crisis levels.
Leaders of the union, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 8, will support the offer, which they see as a short-term fix that still doesn’t resolve long-term problems.
Union president Lt. Dave Aldrich said the higher pay will at least attract new hires.
“It helps get people in the door, but it doesn’t help keep those who have been there long term,” Aldrich said.
Aldrich added that attrition and overtime remains a problem at the jail.
The union will submit the contract offer to their membership for a vote within two weeks.