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A resolution requesting that the Human Resources Department study the use of the Consumer Price Index for determining cost of living adjustments for employees of the Metropolitan Government and the policy and practice of modifying step positions and step increment dates during pay plan implementation and requesting the Civil Service Commission create policy based on the results of the study.
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WHEREAS, Metropolitan Government employees deserve to be paid competitively and have their salaries reflect the cost of living in Nashville and Davidson County; and
WHEREAS, historically, cost of living adjustments (“COLAs”) for Metro employee wages have been based on internal calculations and have not been tied to the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”); and
WHEREAS, basing COLAs for Metro employees on CPI provides an objective measure of the appropriate increase in wages and a transparent process where employees can expect that their wages will keep pace with inflation; and
WHEREAS, the Human Resources Department received funding in the Fiscal Year 2024 operating budget to conduct a compensation study for Metro employees (the “Study”); and
WHEREAS, the Study should include a comprehensive review of the feasibility and suitability of tying COLAs for Metro employees to the CPI, including a determination of which CPI series is most appropriate for use by Metro; and
WHEREAS, the Study shall also include a review of the policy and the practice of modifying step increment dates and step positions for employees when implementing a new pay plan (sometimes referred to as “slotting” or “reverse slotting”); and
WHEREAS, in addition, the findings of the Study should be shared with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools for its consideration; and
WHEREAS, the Human Resources Department should study the use of the CPI as an objective measure in determining COLAs for Metro employees and, if determined to be beneficial, the Civil Service Commission should adopt a policy to use CPI to provide COLAs for Metro employees.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:
Section 1. The Metropolitan County Council hereby goes on record as requesting the Human Resources Department to study the use of the CPI for determining cost of living adjustments for employees of the Metropolitan Government, how cost of living adjustments have been administered historically, and whether cost of living adjustments are administered appropriately.
Section 2. The Metropolitan County Council further goes on record as requesting the Human Resources Department to study the policy and practice of modifying step increment dates and step positions for employees when implementing a new pay plan (sometimes referred to as “slotting” or “reverse slotting”).
Section 3. The Metropolitan County Council further goes on record requesting that these study areas be part of the compensation study funded in the Fiscal Year 2024 operating budget to be overseen by the Human Resources Department.
Section 4. The Metropolitan County Council further goes on record requesting that the results of the Study be shared with Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Section 5. If the Study determines that the CPI is an appropriate way to determine cost of living adjustments for employees for the Metropolitan Government, the Metropolitan County Council requests that the Civil Service Commission create a policy to tie cost of living adjustments to the CPI.
Section 6. If the Study determines that policy and practice of modifying step increment dates and step positions for employees when implementing a new pay plan is ineffective or detrimental to employee long-term wage growth, then the Metropolitan County Council requests that the Civil Service Commission suspend the practice and consider an alternative policy.
Section 7. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.