Laserfiche WebLink
2023 Coroner Budget Narrative <br />1. Wages/Salary On -Call <br />Request: Increase on -call pay from $0.50 an hour to $6.25 an hour and Decrease investigation <br />pay from $250.00 per investigation to $50.00/$75.00 per investigation. <br />History: Total Deputy Coroner pay would increase slightly but this would be in line with the <br />expected increase due to more deaths caused by county population growth with the existing <br />structure. <br />Redistribute investigator pay by shifting the focus from an estimated number of investigations <br />to a fixed number of hours on call and to provide a more equitable compensation to employees <br />who are available. Each month the on -call schedule is created with time slots for weeknights <br />and weekends. Although duty is offered equally investigator availability varies. With <br />investigation pay having so much weight today an employee who has limited availability but <br />happens to be on call when more deaths occur makes much more than a second employee who <br />is readily available but doesn't happen to have on call duty when deaths occur. <br />Why? <br />To make budgeting easier and more accurate because the amount of on call time is a known <br />constant which can be planned for and to encourage employee availability. <br />2. Wages/Salary On -Call <br />Request: New investigators in training receive $50.00 per investigation and certified <br />investigators receive $75.00 per investigation. <br />History: Compensation for investigations has not changed over the years, it has been one rate <br />regardless of the investigators knowledge, experience, or certification level. In 2022 death <br />investigator certification was legislated creating an imbalance in pay versus required knowledge. <br />Why? <br />As a means of recognizing those Deputy Coroners who have proven their knowledge and <br />experience create two levels of pay with certified investigators receiving a higher pay rate. <br />Certification requires nationally certified medicolegal death investigation training and actual <br />investigation hours. Knowledge and skill are verified with an extensive written examination of <br />current national death investigation standards. <br />3. Capitol Project (not reflected in budget proposal). <br />