Charges of who gets which perks have been flying like cannonballs as hundreds of county workers lose their jobs - and the truth is, the county’s benefits package for workers is pretty sweet.
All workers - from executives to grunts - get reimbursed $3,000 a year for educational and professional advancement.
The county pays 95 percent of health benefits for all full-time employees (and 75 percent for their dependents).
Elected officials have 100 percent of their health benefits paid for - and that means 100 percent for dependents, too.
“The county’s benefits coverage appears relatively generous in this day and age, notably the health care (and payment) plan, the dental plan, and the educational and professional reimbursement plan,” said David Lewin, the Neil H. Jacoby Professor of Management, Human Resources & Organizational Behavior at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management in an email.
“Alternatively, the lack of a merit pay plan for executive managers and a rather limited merit pay plan for administrative managers are rather ‘poor’ features of the overall benefits package.”
Of course, the higher up you are, the better the package; It’s good to be king. But isn’t it always?
To see a chart of what Lewin saw - and what we’re about to discuss - click here on benefits-comparison. (Thanks to the county for providing this easy-to-look-at spreadsheet.) Note, however, that none of this includes the defined benefit pension plan that furnishes some county retirees with 80 or 90 percent of their salaries in retirement; we’re waiting on details of that from the county.
And now, to the meat of things. Some highlights:
- For electeds, the county:
- pays 100 percent of their health plan premiums.
- provides $125,000 worth of accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
- provides $125,000 worth of life insurance.
- furnishes $4,500 a year in “optional benefit plan.”
- contributes 8 percent of their bi-weekly salary into a 401 a retirement account.
- provides a $765 a month car allowance, or use of a county car.
- Electeds get no paid leave (sick or vacation time), no overtime, no merit pay, no short- or long-term disability.
- pays 100 percent of their health plan premiums.
- For executive managers, the county
- pays 95 percent of health plan premiums, and 75 percent for employees with covered dependents.
- provides $125,000 worth of accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
- provides $125,000 worth of life insurance.
- furnishes $4,500 a year in “optional benefit plan.”
- provides short- and long-term disability coverage for 60 percent of salary.
- contributes 4 percent to 6 percent of bi-weekly salary into a 401 a retirement account.
- paid leave totaling 170 hours.
- Executives get no overtime, no merit pay.
- pays 95 percent of health plan premiums, and 75 percent for employees with covered dependents.
- For other managers, the county:
- pays 95 percent of health plan premiums, and 75 percent for employees with covered dependents.
- provides $100,000 worth of accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
- provides $100,000 worth of life insurance.
- furnishes $3,500 a year in “optional benefit plan.”
- provides short- and long-term disability coverage for 60 percent of salary.
- offers paid leave totaling 90 hours.
- Managers are eligible for merit increases and special pay (for bilingualism, etc.). They get no auto allowance or overtime. Some get 3 percent of bi-weekly salary contributed into a 401 a account, but only those grandfathered in.
- For Average Joe Worker, the county:
- pays 95 percent of health plan premiums, and 75 percent for employees with covered dependents.
- offers paid leave totaling 40 to 80 hours.
- offers other leave of approximately 41 hours.
- contributes to supplemental benefits - such as disability insurance, life insurance and dental- per the union agreement. For example, the county contributes 30 cents per hour to the Union Trust Fund for employees represented by Orange County Employees Association. The union furnishes the benefits.
- offers merit increases, special pay, overtime.
- Average Joe Workers get no optional benefit plan, no auto allowance, no 401 a retirement account.
The union’s comments and analysis are posted separately here.
More Watchdog:
- In OC, $41,000 up front for ‘free and fair’ election
- Are elections purposefully avoided at Irvine Ranch Water District?
- Union executive’s paycheck rivals that of county supervisors
- Employee union at center of county tussle saw fortunes rise
- The Pink Slips Cometh
- Did OC Supervisors really need $326,000 remodeling project?
- Horns will lock over county layoffs
- On county layoffs and budgets and crystal balls
- ‘Preferential treatment’ helped military charity’s fortunes to skyrocket
- UCI study: ‘Egregious example of wasteful spending’
- AIG burns through bulk of bailout billions
- Before he was on D.A.’s staff: Spitzer was lawyer for indicted Broadcom billionaire
- Nuclear regulators: Concerns over San Onofre remain
- Generosity waned in OC even as incomes grew, IRS figures show
- Amnesty International: Tasers too lethal for police use
- County workers get 800 job cuts, supervisors get remodels
- Victimized twice? State crime victims program spends oodles on itself
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Seems like the leadership in OC is taking the path of the rest of America. The fat cat executives stuff their pockets and the workers get laid off and lose their homes, cars, and dignity. Voters remember !!
I have a private sector job/career and I don’t find these gov benefits that shocking– We get way better benees…….
this is so stupid, these benefits: most are not utilized, ie life insurance and disibility insurance. The county pays a set fee for group insurance, which is very low. The insurance companies get fat off of policies, that seldom get used and it is the Insurance company that pays out if the policy is activated.
The real solution is to cut gov by 50 percent or more, Thus lower taxes needed to support it and feed this back into local economy to creat jobs.
Ask Nik if his son Justin (an Admin Mgr II at ROV) likes his benefits. Hits home doesn’t it.
I once submitted a form for my “educational advancement” and it got denied…i wonder if they spent the money instead….anyways i paid for my class and i loved it….
For the “average Joe” county work is pretty much the same or lower than the average private sector job. Wow! what a deal working for the county…..LOL
The State is broke and the government is after more taxes from us average joes and these lazy, stupid county workers get these kind of benefits and pay for the rest of their lives. Unbelievable. It is time to get rid of all of these fat cats. Let the State and county go broke, fight any tax/fee raise and when there is no money then maybe things will change. Say no more, enough is enough.
So lets see, .30 cents per hour H&W payment to OCEA to buy benefits from OCEA (they are an insurance company and self-deal) times 14,000 members times 80 hours a pay period times 26 pay periods = $8,736,000 in cash payments from the county to OCEA every year. Makes the $4 million OBP managers get seem like chump change. Chop at the top indeed!
need to cleanup this article. what in the world is a “401 a”?
so your average joe county stiff gets “paid leave” + “other leave” totalling what, 81-121 hours a year (2-4 weeks)? I think in lay speak this called vacation & sick time, but it certainly is above average for the private sector, which is probably around 2.5 weeks, due to those that give sick time, and those that don’t.
and this is BEFORE holidays. everyone knows there are more government holidays than everyone else, except banks? AND the county kicks in 30 cents per HOUR per employee to the union???
no wonder we’re broke…. and it’s not because of any silly car allowances, merited or not!
Having both public and private sector career time, i can say that it can be good in both places, and frustrating in both. There is no such thing as job security.
I’m public sector now and the benefits aren’t fantastic. While you’re seeing what is paid percentages of premiums, our actual out of pocket portions and co-pays isn’t very good. Sure, they pay a good portion of our premium, but it’s not top of the line coverage by any means.
As for tuition reimbursement, it is and will continue to be denied if the classes are not related to your position and work duties. It’s not a freebie - it’s professional development for your line of work. They are very stingy with this benefit - rightfully so!
People shouldn’t comment or discuss that which they know nothing about.
‘nuf said
I agree with Hope and Grace that people “shouldn’t comment or discuss that which they know nothing about.” Unfortunately, not having all of the facts doesn’t stop most people from pointing fingers and making wild allegations.
All of the OC government employees will need the bail
out to live in comfort. The salaries will not need to
be great but the benefits would be outstanding
and match to executives in private businesses
No wonder Cal Governor screams for HELP
Cut all the benefits and make them pay for it
We should lay off many of them to pay for the benefits
So, the UNION and OC employees should work
out the deal
How about looking into County Supervisor pay? Not only do they get a full-time salary of six-figures, they also get paid each time they go to meetings at places like OCTA. Since when do other companies pay their employees a full-time salary PLUS a stipend every time they go to a meeting? Seems like a waste of tax-payer dollars. I don’t know how much it is for each of those places but I’m sure it adds up quickly!
Hey Mr. Smith Too, why don’t you really break it down. How can you say we, the OCEA members get more than OCMA? per capita, OCEA gets $624 per employee. How does that compare to each manager getting $3500 to $4500? We don’t get to use the money for child care or other things. Big difference when you compare apples to apples!
You keep referring to OCEA as an insurance company, that’s funny, it’s acting more like a true union unlike the other who can’t match the power of OCEA like OCMA. At least Nick fights for our people. What has yours done?
Children and the elderly, the destitute and mentally ill, the ones who cannot fight back or defend themselves. The BOS’s and the county managers see an easy target. They will keep their perks: car allowances, county paid retirements, pay increases they voted to defer with the understanding they will negotiate for retroactive increase. The people who will pay the most are the disadvantaged. Children and the elderly will suffer with the mass layoff of social workers. We can make a change, we can vote for a different Board of Supervisors when their terms are up.
Instead of bashing salaries, why not look at real duplication of services and wasted expenditures? Let’s look at the number of paid holidays, audit departments, and on and on…
Hope and Grace: I do not want to debate the issue of the reimbursement, but I can tell you for a fact you are wrong. The tuition reimbursement is used for many things related to professional requirements in addition to providing the employee an avenue to obtain more education so they can promote or prepare themselves for further advancement in the county.. What I have found is that my agency actually hired someone in to a management position who had zip for education, then paid for all of his schooling to obtain a degree……….That would describe more of my view..But I go to a college to take a class to obtain more education just so I can apply for a higher position, I get denied my miserly $200 reimbursement….Moral of the story: oh crap, there isn’t one…
I am an Orange county employee. The information you published about our benefits is “INCORRECT”
#1. HEALTH PLAN – for the general employee population is wrong. You stated: “For full-time employees, the County contributes 95% of the health plan premium and 75% for employees enrolled with covered dependents.” Orange County contributes 95% if we chose CIGNA or KAISER HMO only. If we decide on a PPO our monthly payments exceeds my take home salary! Also Retired employees have to pay $612 a month for CIGNA or KAISER “HMO” How can anyone retire at that amount!
2. Short & Long Term Disability – I only receive $900 a month for short term disability. I have NO ability to receive long term disability as I am over age 60!!! Standard Insurance, our Long Term Disability insurance company, will NOT insure anyone over age 60. You also need to know that we do NOT qualify for SSI or SSDI because Orange County Health Care Agency does not take out contributions to social Security which brings up another problem.
I have worked 20 years prior to working for Orange County and I will lose all the social security that was taken out of my paycheck if I take my retirement from Orange County. However; all Federal and State employees will receive both their government retirements and social security. I have worked for Orange County 22 years and if I retire today, I might take home $1,400 a month in retirement and then have to pay $612 for medical insurance leaving me less than $800 a month to live on.
AFTER WORKING 40+ YEARS, IF I RETURE, I WILL BE UNDER THE POVERTY LEVEL!!!
oh i forgot:: the mention of the 30 cents per worker is a fund to administer a disability program since the county does not participate in the state’s disability program…the 30 cents is covered by the federal legal statues and has to be paid by the county. I believe private sector employers pay into the states (or approved) disability program along with the employee..
BS and Tom Jonson said it best..county jobs are not all that! unless you’re management!
In Orange County, education does NOT necessarily mean a promotion. I have a Ph.D. degree and working for low wages. Yes, you need to be in management in order to make good earnings.
Years ago the benefits were very good for Orange County Employees, thus the county could keep the wages low. In current years, the wages have NOT increased and the board of supervisors have been taking away our benefits.
Dave and others do not understand what happens when you cut the government. A good example is as follows:
Years ago, I worked for both Orange County Alcohol services in the DUI program. Because we are a non-profit agency, our clients paid on a sliding scale, based on ability to pay and the over-all cost to Orange County tax payers was very low due to our low overhead. The average employee had a Masters Degree. I also worked for School 10 when it became privatized. This is a organization to make money. The cost to tax payers is double; the staff has a lower education. An example of individual therapy was collecting money. Needless to say, I felt it was so unethical, I quit after 3 months.
Another example is that Orange County over-sees private enterprises and tries to keep them honest. An example of this is, the over pass from the 55 freeway south to the 405 freeway south had to be closed due to such poor construction. A private company picked up the contract to build that over-pass. As a result, trying to make a lot of money, the cement along with other components was substandard causing the over-pass to possibly collapse on the 405 freeway. When Orange County checked the structure, it was closed until the company built it to the specs created by Orange County. If you do not have the government to keep private enterprise honest, it could be a real problem. Well everyone knows that now. Look at what happened to Wall Street!!! If the Federal Government was doing its checks and balances with Wall Street, we would NOT be in this problem.
Why are you working for the county for such “low wages” if in fact you have a Ph.D? Good grief, am I supposed to feel sorry for you…..
Hey \guys - do not believe that you will get rich on an average public employee position. That is a nonsense! You need to be in the management to enjoy most of benefits mentioned above. And to get there is not necessary as easy as it can be in a so-called private sector.
Whoever put stick in the middle of the issue is the one who wants to cover the obvious: most of so-called private sector gods, in search for the maximum of personal gain, outsourced U.S. jobs to China, India, Mexico, and other third world countries. They were so greedy that they made U.S. public to believe that working for a decent wage with a comprehensive benefit package is a luxury they don’t deserve.
Now, I have nothing against the Chinese or Hindus, or Mexican at all. They do deserve to make a decent living too, but the point is that outsoursing jobs has had nothing to do with bringing anyone else’s standard of living up, except for those who are on the top of pyramid.
Can’t imagine the future of my teenage sons.
Well, not only job outsourcing is to blame. We let such monsters as Walmart to grow. Part-time positions, minimum benefits if any, minimum wage and “hey, be happy for what you get” cannot be dismissed as well.
Working for a decent wage with a comprehensive benefit package is a luxury we don’t deserve.
Wow, that is great salary and benefit, compared to regular workers salary on salarylist.com Public officials involved again this time!
I worked for The County of Orange for 26 years, simply as an ‘average Joe’. I and my coworkers worked our behinds off. There was too many days we didn’t get a break and/or lunch. Sometimes we didn’t get paid for working through our lunches. Separate from that, for many years we gave The County an average of four hours a week of OT without being paid (because our bosses didn’t know we were doing that). And we had to work OT because we couldn’t get our work done in 40 hours. And I and my coworkers did all this because, for years and years, our salary wasn’t equal to what we would get paid in the private sector and yet we received good benefits, including a very good retirement.///To obtain a government job, I and my coworkers went through more than one interview (I went through three interviews) and a written test that was far from easy. We often had to have more than just a HS education (some college or a college degree, plus certain certificates), and we had to have a certain level of innate intelligence. It is not our ‘fault’ nor the fault of the government that we got our jobs. AND we Average Joe city, state and county workers are not the reason the state of California is in the trouble it’s in. What you read in the newspapers is not necessarily 100% true.///I and my coworkers earned our salaries, our benefits and our retirement.///If you think our jobs were and are so great and so easy (after all, we all were and are so “lazy”) why didn’t you apply or why haven’t you applied for a government job? To fault government workers because they are taking care of themselves and their future is just plain stupid and petty.///Just wait until the cutbacks and layoffs have settled — and you have to stand in line for even more hours to get your basic and legal needs met. Maybe then you’ll understand a little better.
This is a comparison with OCEA only. How about the other labor groups such as SEIU, AFSCME, OCMA, etc? Not everyone belongs to OCEA although they are a very big association that represents various positions/classifications.
SEIU is no longer associated with the County of Orange Employees.
For the record there are 12 paid holidays on the county calendar for 2009.
Benefits for us low level workers USED to be much better than they are now, as a previous poster stated - over the past few years our benefits are being lessoned and we are paying more. even with the HMO plans. Cigna copay for office visit is 15. Prescription copays are 10/20/40. One office visit for bronchitis cost me $75 last year.
Many people in the private sector with the same benefit options get a much better deal. Less out of pocket for premium and their deductibles are much lower.
Dont even get me started on what’s covered and what’s not - including prescriptions.
All County employees should petition to join OCEA. Where are all the other unions in this? We haven’t heard a peep from them. Members of AOCW, AFSCME, and OCMA should join OCEA. Strength in numbers!
The “grunts” may get $3,000 per yaer in educational benefits, but they sure as hell can’t take the money up front like the managers!
Face it,….managers and executives are screaming and throwing a fir because they have been caught with thei hands in the taxpayers pockets and their attempts to deflect will fail!
Maulk need to update his resume along with these board of supervisors members….lets see……lie liberally, deflect all culpability, wreak havoc, cheat and steal, don’t play well with others, and self centered …….anyone want to hire these clowns????
I have been reading these stories and have alot to get off my chest! So here is goes…..
95% of our healthcare premiums are paid but we still have co-payments. I went to the doctor the other day with a simple illness (nothing critical or life ending)and my copays (office visit and prescriptions) were over $60. I am so lucky that I do not have to take regular medicine because our copays are $10 to $40 per medicine. My payroll deductions for myself and 2 dependants are over $100 each pay period.
We also don’t get Social Security when we retire and we pay into our retirement throught the county. We can pay with payroll deduction into deferred comp to help with retirement. But the county contributes nothing.
As for our dental, vision, life insurance and long term or short term disability we pay for that too in our union dues. Almost $50 per pay period. The county doesn’t provide anything toward them.
I don’t think we have has many perks as some people think we have. Maybe way back when the county benefits were great, but not so much now. A relative of mine who does not work for the county has way better “perks” than I. She also can go to school and as long as she gets a C or better she too can get education expenses back. We like her have to prove that we went to school and got a good grade to be paid back. They don’t just hand us the money. I and alot of my coworkers have not taken advantage of the tuition reimbrusment becasue of family and home obligations. I read somewhere on ocregiter.com that we all seemed to get that money. We don’t. Only those of us that are fortunate and able to have the time to pursure a higher education.
In my dept. we don’t work any overtime. In the 15 years I have worked for the county we have only worked overtime or gotten mileage pay rarely. I think overtime twice and mileage once.
Another thing….most of us have no problem with the furloughs as long as the BOS can prove to us that there is no money and they are really needed. that is why the union wanted to go to court today to force the board to show that there is no money. Oh and a lot of people blame undocs for the economy…..but we don’t and they dont make the rules. the goverment does. We just follow the rules they tell us too. I am a county worker and I live paycheck to paycheck just like alot of other people that live and work in this county, state and country. I am not rich because I have a county job. Now if I was promoted to management that would be another story, but I have not or wanted to be management. I actually like to help people and take pride in knowing that because of the work I did today children were able to get the services they needed to be healthy. I would like to say to the BOS and the public that most of us are willing to take the furloughs….just prove to us that the money is not there. Maybe if you were not getting all the perks (car allowances, remodels, and the such) we could believe you on your word but we can’t. So just prove to us all that it is necessary and we will gladly do whatever we can to help our fellow cowokers in keeping jobs by limiting layoffs and helping the county residents in need.
The difference in the rank and file’s education allowance is that they have to document actual expenses to get it while management’s optional benefit is in cash with no documenatation necessary. they spend it on whatever they want.
And all things considered…in addition to what everyone else has said clairifying how mislead the public is on our ‘benefits’… here’s what Financial says the policy for Tuition Reimbursment is: 1) fill out a form outlining the courses you want to take explaining how they are related to the performance of your position. 2) Estimate the total tuition associated with those courses. 3) get Supervisor’s approval and Division/Director’s approval. Without these, you will NOT be reimbursed. 4) PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE COURSES. 5) go to school and get a C or better grade. 6) submit for reimbursement with all docs and grades. 7) wait 6 weeks for money to come on a paycheck. They don’t make it easy, you’re out of pocket for quite a while, who has ‘extra’ right now on our salaries?
Your facts are dead wrong. Jesus. What shoddy, crappy reporting you guys are doing. You can’t even manage to report wages and benefits properly.
I’m a worker for the County of Orange, and I am telling you flat out that this is incorrect, and your facts are WAY off. WAY OFF.
Get it right.
The OC Register can dish it out but can’t take it? Get called out for being bad, inaccurate reporters and you hold up my comments in “moderation queue” for hours. Oh, how you make me laugh…not.
Dodie has exsplained herself and like many county workers, they can’t retire with a county pension, Why? Because the average county worker does not work 30 years and recieve 90% pay, thats what Moorlach wants you to believe. Retires are paying thru the nose for health insurance when retired 600$ plus a month comes out of 2500 a month county retirement….wow Dodie living high on the hog!
“Many people in the private sector with the same benefit options get a much better deal. Less out of pocket for premium and their deductibles are much lower.”
bzzzzzzzzzzzzt. last 3 companies I was with, inclusive of where I work now: all PPO, I had to pay a good part of part of premiums out of my paycheck, and $15 copays. same prescription and other benefits you’re describing. it’s a relatively high standard, and any greater benefits would simply be fleecing the people of OC to pay for them.
“They don’t make it easy, you’re out of pocket for quite a while, who has ‘extra’ right now on our salaries?”
then don’t go… it may be time consuming and strenuous to wait to be reimbursed, but they also don’t make it rocket science. imagine paying that out of your pocket w/ no reimbursement program, like the general public
Teri Sforza has not responded to one single worker who has told them they are wrong in their fanciful facts. In fact, from start to finish, the OC Register has misreported and misrepresented the true facts of the entire fiasco, serving as lap dogs for Mauk, Moorlach and their corrupt crew.
What I want to know is, how much are the BoS and Mauk paying your reporters to work as Public Relations lap dogs for them? Corruption, lies and spin. Man, what a joke.
The OCR trying to stir up jealousy and resentment agauinst gov’t employees. I’m shocked, SHOCKED.
All these benefits are obviously quite lavish on their own, but keep in mind this DOES NOT INCLUDE THE OCERS PENSION PLAN THAT GIVES THESE EMPLOYEES 60 - 100 PERCENT OF THEIR HIGHEST YEARS PAY AT THEIR RETIREMENT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES PLUS COST OF LIVING INCREASES!!!
I really, really must add here that people get the government they deserve. So either do something or stop whining, and remember that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
Having said that, working for government is not like working for McDonalds - one can’t just plug people into jobs, particularly in middle management that oversees and directs much of the real work. There is often much institutional knowledge that goes away when valuable employees retire, and such knowledge cannot be measured as a “merit” factor. It just is what it is.
Government benefits may seem “lavish” to today’s worker, but who is to blame for that? Look in the mirror, if you dare, because you have elected individuals who have a disdain for government and its employees, who see little value in public service other than to enrich themselves (the last eight years ring any bells?); and who aid and abet corporate greed that ships good jobs overseas. These are the same representatives who subscribe to a philosophy that seeks not to reward competence, but those who are of the monetary elite, who attend their country clubs, and whose children all attend the same (private) colleges.
To show scorn for average workers who, I can assure you, live middle-class lives, is not only mean-spirited and petty, but grossly misdirected.
OC Taxpayer? You are DEAD wrong. Maybe OCERS does. We caseworkers don’t. We get NO retirement benefits, save the money we are mandated to pay in. Also, the county doesn’t want to have to obey federal law, so we don’t pay into Social Security, like most workers do, so all we have is what WE, the workers, save.
Get your facts straight, Scooter.
By the way, this reporter’s “facts” are pure fiction. PURE FICTION. What horrible reporting. Shame on the OC Register. I always knew you were biased to the right, but man, I didn’t know you were Mauk and Moorlach’s pets.
Just to re-state what has been stated on 2 points:
One:
We do not “get” $3,000 for professional and educational advancement. This is strictly a tuition reimbursement program with very strict eligibility requirements. The employee must pay all expenses out of pocket and then submit certain paperwork for reimbursement- IF the county agrees that this will benefit the county, such as social work or counseling, for example. We may not pursue our acting degree, although with all of the BoS and Mauk drama lately, one might think so! If the county does not agree- No reimbursement. If your paperwork is not correct- No reimbursement. This is a great benefit to be sure, but one that benefits the county and agency in the long run. We do not by any means “get” $3,000 the way apparently the managers GET their bonuses or whatever Mauk chooses to call it.
Two:
If you join the county employment later in life, and have worked another job previously, surprise! You do not just get the benefit of your true social security (which by the way you have paid into for years as had your employer) AND county pension (which by the way is a huge portion taken out of our paycheck-). There is something called a government pension off-set which reduces your social security by a majority of the amount, no matter how many years you previously worked outside of the county. Even if you have very little county pension. We do not all retire with full pay after 10 years or at 55 years of age as many previous “rumors” of stories might lead the public to believe.
There are great benefits for working for the county, but there is more to it than meets the eye of the average sensational newspaper story. But I do comment the Register for much of the accurate reporting on this issue- both sides.
All workers - from executives to grunts - get $3,000 a year for educational and professional advancement? Grunts? lol.
Mr. Sforza, why don’t you publish it like it really is. You make it seem as if we get $3,000 a year on top of our salary - and the thruth is; we have to pursue higher education that is job related to the county agency your work for. It has to be approved by the elected/appointed official. you have to maintain at least a C average on every class. We, grunts pay for our education, and THEN get reimbursed up to $3000.
Don’t make it seem to the public as if we get $3000 a year on top of our salary.
Geez, does the register hire just anyone now a days?
We need to urgently pass a county-wide measure that controls the pay and perks for all the higher ups working in the County of Orange Government, from the CEO thru the BOS and down to the Adminstrative mangers.
If they don’t think they get paid too much, unlike what the taxpayers believe we need to immediate start a signature drive that controls their compensation and rids them of perks.
There is a special election in early 2009 so lets do it.
I would say given the current economic conditions and all these stories in the OC REgister regarding the pay and perks of these so called public servants, the OC voters would wait in a hour line just to sign a petition to put this measure to the voters.
Let’s do it … All these Water district execs, county execs, BOS need to cut it out the fat and since they are not willing to cut their pay and their fellow cronies, we need to do it.
If they don’t like it, too bad. They all can try their hand in the private sector or file for unemployment.
JUST CUT THE FATCATS PERKS AND LET THEM HAVE FURLOUGHS FOR 2 WEEKS LIKE THE SOCIAL WORKERS…SSA IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO WORK! BAD MANAGEMENT AND POOR PLANNING UNLIKE HCA. COMBINE THE WATER DISTRICTS, AND GET RID OF THE CAR ALLOWANCES! NO MORE FREE GAS EITHER!