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UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING <br />TO: FROM: <br />ERMU Commission Mark Hanson - General Manager <br />MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: <br />September 9, 20255.4 <br />SUBJECT: <br />Wage & BenefitsCommitteeUpdate <br />ACTION REQUESTED: <br />None <br />DISCUSSION: <br />A Wage & Benefits Committee (WBC) meeting was held on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, to <br />receive and discuss employee requests. Also on the agenda was an update on Minnesota’s new <br />Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) requirements going into effect January 1, 2026. This update <br />is presented only as information at this time. <br /> <br />Staff representatives made the following employee requests for WBC consideration: <br /> <br />1. 2026 COLA Calculation: When determining a 2026 cost of living adjustment (COLA), staff <br />requested the addition of the 0.5% from North St. Paul's additional step in 2025 to the 2026 <br />metro average calculation. The impact of North St. Paul's step adjustment was not included <br />in the 2025 COLA. Staff representatives requested that the COLA be applied to all ERMU <br />employees. <br /> <br />2. Policy Adjustments for Consideration: <br /> How accrued sick leave is paid out when employees separate/retire <br /> Whether on-call (standby) pay should be increased <br /> Whether the compensation time accrual/usage cap could be increased <br /> <br />Please see the attached 2025 Staff Proposals to Wage & Benefit Committee for staff's complete <br />requests. <br /> <br />Based on staff requests, the following information will be researched and provided to the WBC: <br /> Confirmation of how the 2025 COLA was calculated. <br /> History and dates of on-call pay increases at ERMU. <br /> Workforce demographics (age, years of service) and analysis of how reducing years of <br />service requirements for sick leave conversion to Health Care Savings Plans at <br />retirement would impact ERMU and employees. <br />______________________________________________________________________________ <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />83 <br />