Raises approved for health department employees

Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency board members last week approved a pay raise for its employees, retroactive to Oct. 1.

As a result, the agency’s employees will receive a 5 percent pay increase.

Meanwhile, health officer Rebecca Burns received a three-year contract beginning Jan. 1, with a salary starting at $100,000 a year.

Finance director Theresa Fisher said the state provided its employees raises of 5 percent, part of a new three-year collective bargaining contract. Fisher said raises are necessary to keep existing talent, and have the ability to recruit new and qualified employees.

A Workforce Development survey of the nine health departments in southwest Michigan showed that 53 percent worked for their agency for less than five years. For the local, three-county agency, the rate was 74 percent, Fisher said.