A boost in pay and retention bonuses for prison workers has caused a spike in applications and increased retention of those already employed, Idaho’s top prison official said.
Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt told the Legislature’s Criminal Justice Reinvestment Oversight Committee on Friday that the agency has received more than 130 applications and that some officers who planned to leave are staying.
Corrections facilities have been staffed at 79%, leading to 16-hour shifts for officers. That could change with an influx of new workers.
He has previously said that the pay Idaho offers correction workers isn’t competitive with surrounding states. He said the Snake River Correctional Institution in Ontario, Oregon, pays its new correction officers $22.64 an hour.
New correction officers in Idaho will receive $19 an hour, up from the previous $16.75. New hires will also get $1,500 bonuses and be eligible for $1,500 yearly retention bonuses during their first five years.
Current employees will see hourly raises ranging from $.75 for wardens to $2.25 for correction officers starting Sept. 5th. Also, on Oct. 15, all current correction officers will receive a one-time retention bonus of $1,500. (AP)
