The Missouri Legislature's Joint Interim Committee on State Employee Wages is learning more about what consultants can offer, so the state can get some help improving state workers' total compensation.
In two meetings this month, committee members have heard presentations from four consulting groups on how they might approach a study of state employee salaries and benefits - and the possible complications such a study would face. But, state Rep. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, said Tuesday, a decision to hire a consultant - or to do something else - still must be made.
Several of the consultants talked about how they would look at what Missouri government already is doing, and see if there are ways to consolidate the present pay plan by consolidating the more than 1,000 job titles Missouri now has, or reducing the pay levels on the current pay grids.