8.2 SR 11-18-2024The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional service, and community
engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity
Request for Action
To
City Council
Item Number
8.2
Meeting Date
November 18, 2024
Prepared By
Joe Stremcha, Business Services Director/Assistant
City Administrator
Item Description
Northbound Liquor Staffing
Reviewed by
Cal Portner
Joe Stremcha
Tina Allard
Action Requested
Approve, by motion, a change to our authorized full-time staffing count for Northbound.
Background/Discussion
At the October 21, 2024, Regular Work Session, staff outlined the challenges we are having staffing
Northbound Liquor with the current mix of part-time and full-time staffing. The Council asked for further
information regarding the costs associated with regular full and part-time employees.
Based on the raw wage/benefit for 2,080 hours, a full-time employee will cost $30k-$50k more (between
Steps A and E). This is primarily the cost of health insurance benefits. Wage steps are a little higher and they
do accrue sick and vacation time. Part-time employees are eligible to accrue and use ESST leave per state law.
We generally get more longevity from full-time, reducing our recruitment, onboarding, and training costs.
New hires take approximately 20-25 hours of technical (HR/PD) and managerial staff hours from recruitment
to training time per hire.
Due to their longevity/commitment, full-time employees can typically tackle higher-level tasks and flex work
into periods of higher need, which reduces demands on other full-time and management staff.
Over the past five years, we recruited, interviewed, backgrounded, hired, and trained 33 part-time employees
at Northbound, of whom 10 are still employed. Estimates vary, but the hiring process costs about $4,000 per
employee.
Financial Impact
An annual increase of $30-50k for an additional full-time liquor store employee with a significant reduction of
future part-time recruitment, onboarding, and training expenses.
Mission/Policy/Goal
Meet changing needs - agile
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Attachments
None
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