County and union negotiators discuss EMS issues Tuesday. From the left: Levy County Department of Public Safety Director Mitch Harrell, County Labor Union attorney Wayne Helsby, County Coordinator Wilbur Dean, IAFF union member Jimmy Jones, IAFF President Katy Graves.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Officials from county government won support from a labor union Tuesday to give pay incentives to Emergency Medical Service paramedics and EMTs in an effort to retain existing employees and attract new ones.

            They hope the additional lump sum check of $4,000 for paramedics and $1,000 for EMTs will help avoid struggles the county experienced retaining paramedics during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

            “As you know we struggled to retain paramedics throughout the COVID Pandemic and this incentive would give us another tool to retain current and recruit new members for a minimum of two years of service to the county,” said Levy County Public Safety Director Mitch Harrell.

            County Labor Attorney Wayne Helsby will draft a Memorandum of Understanding to give paramedics and EMTs the bonus money if they agree to work for the Levy County Department of Public Safety for two years. Existing paramedics and EMTs would also get the incentive money.

            Harrell said employees who receive the incentive pay but don’t stay for the full two years would be expected to repay a portion of the money based on the number of months left in their agreement. The incentive pay isn’t part of the labor union contract.

            County Coordinator Wilbur Dean said the lump sum incentive pay would be distributed to employees as a separate check rather than trying to merge it with their regular pay. He said it would be too difficult to calculate hours if the incentives were merged with regular pay.

            When Helsby submits the Memorandum of Understanding, the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF), headed by President Katie Graves, will submit the agreement for approval to the membership. When the union approves the MOU, the county commission must vote to approve it.

            Graves and Vice President Jimmy Jones met with Dean, Helsby, Harrell and DPS Administrative Assistant Alicia Renaudo at the Levy County Annex Building cafeteria.

            The group agreed that new paramedics would need medical director clearance after six months on the job to get the incentive money and new EMTs would simply need six months on the job.

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Levy County and IAFF Local 4069 Negotiations Meeting Tuesday, December 1, 2020; Posted December 1, 2020