Pay equity issue still unresolved

The status of Hubbard County pay equity compliance remains in limbo.

Heritage Living Center board members met Tuesday to discuss bylaw changes to bring the county into compliance with state pay equity demands.

In 2006, the state ruled Hubbard County was not in compliance with pay equity standards due to differences in health care plans between county employees and workers at the county-owned nursing home.

The county has until July 31 to prove compliance.

Heritage director Kurt Hansen said Ecumen lawyer Kathleen Brennan reviewed past bylaw changes and completed a tentative revision.

Brennan obtained a copy of bylaws from Sunnyside Nursing Home in Becker County, but has not met with state officials to determine if similar bylaw changes will be sufficient, Hansen said.

The state ruled Sunnyside Nursing Home operationally separate from Becker County while the county retained ownership of the property.

Hansen said Brennan remains in contact with Faith Zwemke, pay equity coordinator for the Department of Employee Relations (DOER). Brennan plans to continue to seek a meeting with Zwemke to discuss the revisions and demonstrate an orderly transition process.

Ecumen vice president of operations Janet Green asked whether changing the bylaws to language similar with Sunnyside would cause trouble for Becker.

"That's one of the points of discussion she (Brennan) wants to have with them," replied Hansen.

"Why would you single out a county for noncompliance when you have other counties in the past that have proven and demonstrated separation through the use of a separate board of directors? I think that's a legitimate question to ask," Hansen said.

While it is important to be considerate of other counties, the urgency of the situation requires Hubbard act out of its own interest, added social services director Daryl Bessler.

"We're kind of at do or die," agreed commissioner Cal Johannsen.

Johannsen asked when Sunnyside and Becker County changed to their current relationship.

A Becker County human resources person estimated the change occurred at least 10 years ago, said Green.

The Heritage board then discussed the best procedural method to change the bylaws by the end of July.

County commissioners have two regular meetings left to alter Heritage bylaws before the county must submit a new pay equity report to the state.

Brennan verbally acknowledged an awareness of the timeframe, explained Green. A bylaw approval should be submitted to the board by the July 18 meeting.

Hansen said DOER may grant the county a couple weeks of extra time if they rule the county worked in good faith to comply.

"She (Brennan) is going as fast as we are able to go," Hansen affirmed. "Now she is to the point where we want her to be, and that is, awaiting a conversation."

The board authorized chairman Dick Devine and Hansen to review the document. If county attorney Don Dearstyne rules Brennan made substantive changes, the Heritage board will reconvene to discuss and reapprove the bylaws.

Hansen pledged to contact members of the Heritage board when further developments occur.