Proposed Merit plan change opposed by state employees

A proposed pay plan met protest Tuesday from a parade of state employees who said it lets cronyism, favoritism and budget issues decide pay raises rather than on-the-job performance.

The new system would give state agency officials greater flexibility in deciding — within ranges — what, if any, pay raise each employee would receive each year. No pay increases would have to be granted.

Shirley Coody, an assistant warden at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, brought 2,172 protest letters signed by employees of five state prisons.

Coody and others, including former longtime state corrections chief Richard Stalder, suggested guaranteeing specific merit-pay increases based on employee performance ratings: 4 percent for “meets expectations,” 5 percent “exceeds expectations” and 6 percent for “outstanding” performance.

The seven commissioners could vote as early as today on the proposal.