For Immediate Release
June 14, 2000
Contacts:          Dale Shelton, Director,
Division of Classification and Compensation  (502) 564-4503
                        Carol Palmore, Secretary          Personnel Cabinet         (502) 564-4460 

Governor Signs Order to Upgrade Low-Paid State Workers

Frankfort, Ky. - Governor Paul Patton today signed Executive order 2000 - 731 to implement improvements in the compensation plan for state employees.  In his State of the Commonwealth message, the governor outlined some of the problems with the manner in which state government pays its employees.  At that time he proposed a bold initiative to reform the current pay system.

While the entire proposal was not funded by the Legislature, Governor Patton did obtain funding to address the most egregious problems.  The Executive Order the governor signed today will implement a new pay schedule with entry-level wages averaging approximately 7.4% higher than current entry-level wages.  In addition, it will move employees who are in pay grades that are three, four, or five pay grades below where they should be up to only two pay grades below where they should be.  The provisions of the Executive Order will also standardize the salary differences between pay grades at 10%.

Governor Patton believes that those employees who provide services to the people of the Commonwealth should be paid a fair wage.  The governor said, “All of these changes will provide the framework for a compensation system that is fair, equitable and more in line with paying employees a salary that is commensurate with the jobs they are performing.”

Within a few days, the Personnel Cabinet will be providing additional information about the implementation of the Executive Order on its web page at www.state.ky.us/agencies/personnel/pershome.htm <http://www.state.ky.us/agencies/personnel/pershome.htm>.

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