Residents can voice their opinions on the city’s new incentive pay structure for the Public Safety Department by contacting their city council members.

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Employees of the Columbus Consolidated Government’s Public Safety Department will receive an additional payment based on their level of education, according to an amendment to the city’s new controversial pay plan.

After weeks of previous debate surrounding the topic, city council voted in favor of the incentive pay during their meeting on Jan. 3, 2023.

While the incentive pay does seem more than fair to many, others feel the new pay structure may cause unfair advantages for those with degrees that aren’t directly applicable to their jobs.

The amendment’s two actionable items, which can be found on page 33 of the meeting’s agenda packet, read as follows:

“(a) As of November 12, 2022, all sworn employees of a Public Safety Department who have received or do receive their first associate’s or bachelor’s degree shall receive an educational incentive of $1250 for an associate degree and $2,500 for a bachelor’s degree provided that the combined incentive for both degrees shall not exceed $2,500. The incentive shall be paid as a separate line item and not be included in the employee base compensation.

(b) As of November 12, 2022, no separate educational incentive will be paid for receiving a master’s degree.”

Given the loose wording of the amendment, public safety employees with decades of experience in their specific field of expertise could be missing out on the equal opportunity now afforded to other younger, less-experienced officers. 

According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers are prohibited from discriminating pay based on the age of their employees. 

While the intention of the amendment seems pure, its wording appears likely to create the effect of pay discrimination based on age. 

The arbitrary nature of the amendment appears to — hypothetically — allow a rookie police officer with a bachelor’s degree in, say, culinary arts, to be paid a $2,500 amount not afforded to a veteran officer with 20 years of service who cannot effectively pursue a degree at the current stage of their advanced career.

Since it would not make any sense for the older, more experienced officer to pursue a degree and receive the pay, the city’s “rule change” effectively makes the new incentive pay inaccessible to those older and more experienced officers — even though their experience is absolutely invaluable to the department. 

When measuring the amendment by its effects, the new rule appears to leave veteran officers without the equal opportunity to receive the same equal pay that is now afforded to younger officers who are just starting their careers.

What are your thoughts on this controversial topic? Do you think the incentive pay structure can be improved? Let us and others know on our Facebook page.

Residents can voice their opinions on the city’s new incentive pay structure for the Public Safety Department by contacting their city council members.

Facts are stubborn things — and we’ll keep publishing them, whether city officials like them or not.

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