Lawrence City Commission to consider pay increases for city employees

City of Lawrence leaders will soon consider a new pay plan that would provide more than $400,000 in pay raises for city employees beginning next year.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission will receive a study of the city’s compensation plan that was conducted by McGrath Human Resources Group. The report indicates that a significant number of city employees are underpaid when compared to their peers in other cities. Commissioners will then consider authorizing an amendment to the city’s 2019 budget to increase employee pay.

Some money was budgeted for raises in 2019, but making the pay changes recommended by the study would require an additional $254,621, according to a memo to the commission from the city’s human resources division. In the memo, the human resources division recommends making the pay increases and says that if the city wants highly qualified workers, it needs to pay competitive wages.