Bristol, Va. leaders considering one-time city employee bonus
BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — The Bristol, Virginia City Council voted on a first reading Tuesday to approve an ordinance for a one-time 1.5% bonus for all city employees and officers.
City Manager and Attorney Randall Eads said during Tuesday night's council meeting that the bonus is intended to make up for city workers who didn't qualify for a 3% raise recently approved by the Commonwealth.
Eads said only employees who are included in payroll plans by the Virginia Compensation Board qualify for the pay raise. He said that he thinks around five city employees' salaries are not grouped in funding plans by the Virginia Compensation Board. Rather, they're paid outright by the city and wouldn't qualify for the 3% raise all other city employees are receiving.
The one-and-a-half percent bonus would be based on each employee's salary as of June 30, for comp board employees and not.
Eads said the staffwide bonus would go to around 340 employees, costing the city $220,000. He added money will come from the current FY-25 positive variance money from the local lodging tax.
The ordinance's first reading was approved 3-1, with Councilman Michael Pollard voting no. The ordinance's second reading takes place on June 24.
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