Inside Report for November 6, 2009

• By MARSHA SHULER
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Nov 6, 2009 - Page: 9B

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State government’s personnel agency continues to run television spots trying to woo people to work for Louisiana.

The message: It’s a great place to work, and there are lots of job opportunities out there.

The state Civil Service Department’s Web site boasts that the agency is all about “Recruiting Tomorrow’s Leaders Today!”

While the state courts new employees, government’s existing employees are caught in a vortex of government streamlining, cost efficiency, layoff threats and politics.

The state Civil Service Commission is soliciting public comment on a proposal that would end the longstanding practice of providing 4 percent annual pay raises for employees who meet or exceed job expectations.

The commission is scheduled to vote on the proposition next month.

It’s promoted as a pay-for-performance measure that gives bosses the discretion to give employees more or less than the 4 percent based on their annual job performance ratings.

Agencies can opt to grant no pay raises, even if employees excel in their jobs if it doesn’t fit in with an agency’s “business plan.”

What constitutes a business plan is not spelled out.

The rules remove the withholding of pay raises as an employee layoff avoidance measure. Now, it’s a regular pay plan option.

Current and retired state employees contend political cronyism will thrive and budgets — not job performance — will drive pay.

While Civil Service is dealing with pay, legislative retirement panels are looking at altering state employee pension plans.

The panels have started eyeing the possibility of changing the state’s public retirement system to a plan that no longer guarantees lifelong benefits for state employees.