Primary Department: County Administration
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Jesse Dickerman, Interim County Administrator
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Policy
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
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Request for approval of amendments to the Harris County Employee Minimum Wage Policy.
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Background and Discussion:
Adopted on March 27, 2025, the Employee Minimum Wage Policy sets a new wage floor of $20/hour for all employees paid directly by Harris County-including full-time, part-time, and temporary staff, regardless of funding source. Future adjustments shall be recommended by the Office of Management and Budget and informed by the MIT Living Wage Calculator.
The Office of County Administration requests approval of the following amendments to the Employee Minimum Wage Policy:
1. Clarify that intern positions are considered short-term, educational positions and are not included in this Policy's definition of a County Employee, AND
2. Authorize case-by-case exemptions in limited circumstances, when approved by the Human Resources & Talent Department and the Office of Management and Budget. Examples of when exemptions may be requested include cases where higher wages could impact participation in a program with income-based eligibility.
Expected Impact:
The proposed amendments to the policy will provide clarity on which positions are included in the definition of a County employee and allow for exemptions in limited circumstances.
Alternative Options:
Commis...
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