Associated Press - 01/22/2007
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota's Senate unanimously approved a 4 percent state worker pay increase for each of the next two years after defeating a proposal to insulate the raise from higher health insurance costs.
"When times are tough, we have asked (state employees) to understand," said Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "And, now, today, when times are good, it is our job to understand, and to respond."
When coupled with a $10 million salary pool, intended to remedy pay disparities among state jobs, and increased health insurance costs, the package boosts spending for state employee compensation by $80.3 million over two years.
North Dakota government workers are not required to pay a share of their health insurance premium, which is expected to cost $658 monthly per policy during the 2007-09 budget year. That is an increase of 19 percent.
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