[Michlib-l] Minimum wage increase responses

Thu Nov 7 15:01:22 EST 2024

Here is the re-cap of responses to my question:
*Small Michigan libraries - *
*How are you handling the raise in minimum wage in February?*
*Are you giving raises to the whole staff or just to those earning below
$12.48?  (Yes, we have one person in that group.)  *
*Giving everyone a 20% raise would be awesome, but would totally blow our
budget.  I'm just looking to see how all of your boards are handling this.*
*Thanks for your wisdom!*

Allegan District Library did a one time wage adjustment across the board
last year.  Not all increases were the same.  I canvased hiring wages in SW
Michigan and then took into account longevity.

We did not feel it was fair to just increase low paying wages, but also
could not increase everyone's pay equally across the board.  All staff have
been affected by today's economy. I sat down with each individual to give
them their pay increase letter if they had questions.

Best of luck.

Pam

Pamela Armstrong

Director

331 Hubbard Street

Allegan, MI 49010

269-673-4625

Fax: 269-673-8661

_________________________________________________

We are a Class 1 library.  We are in the same boat as far as minimum
wage.   The board is meeting Tuesday to look at how badly it is going to
affect our budget and what they would like to do.  The current thought is
that anyone under will be raised $12.48.  We can not raise everyone 20% .
They are looking at how much they can raise incrementally everyone else.
We do not have different positions only clerks and myself the director.
Our staff has been here between 8 months and 10 years.  We are looking at
creating tiers based on library education; CEU’s, Beginners Workshop etc.
But we are limited based on budget.

I would be interested in any responses you receive.

Kelli Lovasz

Director

North Branch Township Library

3714 Huron road

North Branch, MI 48461

810-688-2282

810-688-3165 (fax)

northbranchlibrary at northbranchlibrary.net

_________________________________________________

Since this particular legislation used the inflation rate (.032), we are
using that to give raises to the rest of the staff.  It will be better then
2025 COL and will keep the staff content with the increase in min. wage
across the board.

Amber Alexander

Library Director – MLIS

Presque Isle District Library

181 E. Erie Street

Rogers City,  MI  49779

_________________________________________________

We have 2 full time and 1 part time for our staff. The part time  always
received minimum wage and of course will go up to 12.48 in February. My
Board decided at this past Monday’s meeting that would also give the 2 full
time staff the same 2.15 raise when the new fiscal year starts on April 1.
The 2.15 is the amount minimum wage is increasing and doing the 20% across
board is not doable. Their reasoning was “it’s only fair and they feel the
need to keep some distinction in pay level for positions that have more
responsibility”.

We are a Class 2 library. It will make the budget tight but we can manage
that for FY 2025-26 but don’t know about following years increases.

*BillieJo Bluemer*

Director

*Rauchholz Memorial Library*

*1140 N Hemlock Rd*

*Hemlock MI 48626*

*989-642-8621*

_________________________________________________

I have Circ Desk staff that is at $13 and $15.21, as well as a Library page
at $9.87 who is under 18.  I proposed a 4 % increase in wages, (which we
received last year), and a 6%, knowing that the Board would not accept the
20% increase.  They did not like the six percent.  It was the first view of
the Wage Scenarios, so we will take another look at the next meeting.  I
did get the staff wages increased by $2 the last time (2018) this big
increase in minimum wage was to take place, so I feel okay with where most
of the staff is sitting.

*Karen McKinnon, Library Director*

*Leighton Township Library*

*Education, Information, Recreation*

*4451 12th St PO Box H*

*Moline, MI 49335*

*(616)877-4143*

_________________________________________________

I'm a class III.

As this has happened in the past, everyone's wages get increased the
difference of the old minimum wage to the new. And we're on a schedule to
keep it going every year with the MI Dept of Treasury.

Christian Dunham | Director
Bullard Sanford Memorial Library
facebook.com/vassarlibrary
vassarlibrary.org
989-823-2171

_________________________________________________

I've been slowly raising our hourly staff wages for the past three years
and I finally have our pages (our lowest paid staff) at $12.00.  They were
at $9.87 when I started in 2022.   I've been raising everyone else at the
same time, but at a slower rate.  For February, only the pages will get
bumped up to the $12.48.  The rest will remain where they are for a bit.

*Deb Hemmye*
Library Director
Huntington Woods Public Library
26415 Scotia Road
Huntington Woods, MI 48070
248-543-9720, ext. 686

_________________________________________________

I'm a class 4 (but on the verge of class 3), but also in a similar
situation. We are not doing 20% raises for everyone. Anyone under
(currently have 3 just under) will be raised up, and I'm looking at doing a
5% raise for everyone else (provided the budget allows).

Hope this helps!

Amber Hughey

_________________________________________________

We are a class 5 library. We only have one person who is making less than
$12.48/hr and there is enough money in the PT salary budget to absorb the
increase. That position is currently at $11.70/hr. Our fiscal year is July
1-June 30 so we are only talking about just over 4 months at the higher
rate, which amounts to a few hundred dollars. Everyone else (who has been
here over a year) would potentially get a raise on July 1, 2025. I'm hoping
for 3% but it's too early to determine that.

For my PT salary budget, I budget for a full 52 weeks, but PT staff do not
get holiday pay and they sometimes take days off so there is always a
cushion and we end up not spending it all.

Patty Braden, Director

Romulus Public Library

11121 Wayne Road

Romulus, MI 48174

734-955-4516

www.romuluslibrary.org

_________________________________________________

My board told me to figure that 20% raise for everyone.  I  have three four
(4) people earning below the $12.48.  As  you stated, that would be
AWESOME, but it totally blows our budget without cuts to some other
things.  Time will tell exactly what the board decides to do.

Nannette F. Pretzer, Director

St. Charles District Library

132 S. Saginaw Street

St. Charles, MI  48655

989-865-9371

n.pretzer at stcharlesdistrictlibrary.org

_________________________________________________

We too have staff earning less than $12.48.  My Board is considering giving
everyone above the $12.48 minimum a $1 raise, some staff will fair better
than others.

Kristina Knezic, Director

Berrien Springs Community Library

215 W. Union St.

Berrien Springs, MI 49103

269-471-7074

www.bsclibrary.org

_________________________________________________

Class I library here-

We only have 1 employee below the minimum wage. I will be raising just
their payment. Our fiscal year starts April 1, so the others will get their
raise starting that date instead.

Mary Gallup

Director

Clinton Township Public Library

100 Brown St. Clinton MI 49236

*Thank you all for your responses!*
-- 
Perri Saunders, Director
White Pigeon Township Library
102 N. Kalamazoo St., P.O. Box 399
White Pigeon, MI 49099
269-483-7409
*p.saunders at woodlands.lib.mi.us <p.saunders at woodlands.lib.mi.us> *

*Brighten the corner where you are.*
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