Burlington Council Receives Update on Non-Union Staff Compensation

At our Jan. 9 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability (CSSRA) Committee meeting, we received an update from our Human Resources Department regarding compensation for the non-union staff positions at City Hall. At our Council meeting on Jan. 24, we unanimously approved the below motion:

• Receive and file human resources department report HR-01-23 providing an update on non-union compensation.

In 2020, the City staff began the process of updating our non-union compensation program for full time and part-time staff that involved two phases: Job Evaluation Program Update; and Re-focus on Performance Based Compensation. Both phases provide updates to the non-union compensation program that will assist in and support the City’s attraction and retentions strategies now and into the future. The staff report describes the purpose and outcomes to date of each phase.Below, please see links to the staff and presentation:

• Staff report: HR-01-23 Non-union Compensation Update
• Staff presentation: HR-01-23 Appendix A Compensation Update

To watch the staff presentation and discussion at committee, please click/tap the link.MY TAKE:This is the wake up call that staff has been warning us about. It brings home the need for some adjustments that need to be made. We can no longer continue to operate with the level of vacancy we have at City Hall because -- as we heard from staff in their presentation -- that costs our organization money. The data is staggering.We’ve seen in the community what that means and the significant aggravation and cost it can cause — people can’t get their applications processed in due course, as one example. It creates a negative customer experience for our community.We need the best people to deliver the best service and that comes at a cost. Though it is a tough cost for us in a tough budget year, it is a wake up call that we cannot afford to ignore.