Primary Department: Institute of Forensic Sciences
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Luis A. Sanchez, M.D.
Secondary Department: Choose an item.
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable):
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval to spend currently allocated funding to provide 2% salary adjustment to Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS) employees as a means of encouraging staff retention and an increase in labor funding for subsequent fiscal years.
end
Background and Discussion: As one of his last official acts as Executive Director, Dr. Sanchez would like to provide a minor salary adjustment of 2% to all HCIFS employees. Most HCIFS employees require specialized education and several months or years of in-house training to become competent in their position with the ability to work independently. Once employees reach that stage, they can easily transfer the skills they've acquired at HCIFS and their resulting position certification to a neighboring medical examiner's office or crime laboratory. Based on feedback received at exit interviews, most HCIFS employees resign to accept positions at nearby government offices that offer lower caseloads and higher pay (sometimes much higher). To remain competitive, meet rising costs of living, and to ensure HCIFS staff know they're valued, periodic salary adjustments are required. The last across-the-board adjustment for HCIFS employees was given in mid-2023. Since that time, there has been an increase in staff attrition. ...
Click here for full text