Brazos County is rewriting the rules for how it sets pay while it waits for a new salary structure, and county employees would see raises decided by a points formula that leans heavily on time in their current job.
Commissioners Court is asked Tuesday to approve revised Interim Compensation Administration Guidelines that would replace the version the court adopted June 23. The cover sheet lists no financial impact. The court meets at 10 a.m. at the county's Medical Examiner's Office, 3037 E. 29th St. in Bryan.
The guidelines are temporary. According to the document, they stay in force until the county moves to the classification and pay structure that came out of its Compensation & Benefits Study, which is expected in fiscal 2028. Until then, the stated goals are to move underpaid employees toward market rates without creating new gaps between departments.
A points formula for raises
For the current budget year, raises for existing employees would be scored on four factors, with a cap of 40 points:
- Time in the current job, worth up to 40 points on its own. Someone with one to two years in the role earns 18 points, two to four years earns 28, and eight or more years earns the full 40.
- Related work in another county position, up to 8 points.
- Job-related education beyond the minimum, 5 points for one level higher and 10 for two or more.
- Extra licenses or certifications, from 2 points for one up to 8 for three or more.
Each point moves an employee 2.5% of the way from the bottom of the pay range toward a target, which is the range midpoint or the position's budgeted amount, whichever is lower. Human Resources would then offer a band 3% on either side of that number, never above the target.
Nobody's pay would be cut, and an employee already at or above the calculated amount would not get a raise through this process.
For now, HR says it is only processing requests for employees in positions designated for increases of up to 10% that stay under the midpoint. Requests for department heads and anyone outside that group are on hold until a performance evaluation program is in place.
An Oct. 7 email from HR Director Jennifer Salazar to department heads sets a deadline of noon Thursday, Nov. 19, for requests to make the court's Dec. 1 agenda.
