Montana state government salary
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This page describes the compensation, salaries, and benefits that Montana's public employees receive from state and local government.
[edit] Elected officials' salaries
| Office | '10 Salary | Current Official |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | $100,121[2] | Brian Schweitzer |
| Lieutenant Governor | $79,007 | John Bohlinger |
| Secretary of State | $79,129 | Linda McCulloch |
| Attorney General | $89,602 | Steve Bullock |
The salary of Montana's governor ranks 42nd among U.S. governors' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. governors is $128,735. The median salary earned by U.S. governors is $129,962.[3]
[edit] Legislators' salary
Montana state legislators make $82.64 per day.[4] Legislators also receive a per diem of $103.69 per day.[4]
They are not allowed hold multiple government jobs while in office. A bill, HB 145, would make this more restrictive by prohibiting a legislator from being employed local, federal, judicial or a state agency while in office or from being an independent contracter.[5]
[edit] Judicial salaries
| Position | '09 Salary | Current Justice |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | $115,160 | Mike McGrath |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | James Nelson |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | Beth Baker |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | Patricia O'Brien Cotter |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | James Rice |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | Michael E. Wheat |
| Associate Justice | $113,964 | Brian Morris |
The salary of Montana's chief justice ranks 50th among U.S. chief justices' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. chief justices is $155,230. The median salary earned by U.S. chief justices is $151,284.[6]
The salary of Montana's associate justices ranks 50th among U.S. associate justices' salaries. The average salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $151,142. The median salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $145,984.[6]
[edit] State and local employees
According to 2008 Census data, the state of Montana and local governments in the state employed a total of 79,153 people.[7] Of those employees, 46,560 were full-time employees receiving a net pay of $161,277,671 per month and 23,534 were part-time employees paid $19,716,027 per month.[7] Nearly 50% of those employees, or 39,280 employees, were in education or higher education.[7]
Gov. Brian Schweitzer's administration and three major state employee unions, included the largest Montana Public Employees Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employee (MEA-MFT), tentatively agreed to a 4 percent raise during the 2012-2013 biennium for state public employees.[8] The raises are expected to cost the state $21.6 million, if it is approved by the Montana Legislature.[9]
- See employee salary information at the Montana Policy Institute's site
[edit] Census workers
10 Montana census workers attended a "lessons learned" meeting in Vegas, which was bill at $90,000 total cost.[10]
[edit] State employee benefits
[edit] Insurance
The State of Montana has developed a comprehensive group insurance benefits program including medical plan options with prescription drug and vision exam coverage, dental plan, an employee assistance program (EAP), life insurance options, flexible spending account options, and long term care insurance. The current state contribution covers the cost of the employee's "core" medical, dental and basic life insurance; employees may obtain optional coverage for his or her self or eligible dependents at additional costs.[11]
[edit] Retirement
There is no mandatory retirement age for state employees. Membership in the Montana Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) is mandatory for most state employees and begins on the first day of employment. Mandatory contributions to PERS are tax deferred and may not be refunded for any reason before termination of covered employment.[12] Employees contribute 6.9% of their salary [13] The state contributes 7.035% of the employee's salary.[13]
The State of Montana deferred compensation program is a voluntary supplemental retirement program authorized by Internal Revenue Codes and Montana law. The program allows employees to defer, through payroll deduction, specified amounts of current income pre-tax before state or federal taxes are calculated. The amount deferred, and any resulting investment income, is not taxable until the employee begins receiving the money, usually at retirement.[14]
During the BP oil spill in 2010, Montana made $92,000 buying and selling BP stock, which contributed to 6/100ths of 1 percent of the Montana pension plan.[15]
[edit] Paid time off
New employees earn 15 days of vacation, 12 sick days, 10-11 holidays (depending on election cycle).[16] Employees who have been employed by the state for longer than 10 years can earn 18 days of vacation per year, and increases for time of service up to 24 days of vacation earned per year.[17] Part-time employees earn time on a prorated basis.[17]
State employees receive the follow paid holidays[18]:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King Day
- Lincoln's and Washington's Birthday
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
- State General Election Day
[edit] Unused vacation leave
Annual leave accrual is tied to the length of employment, but caps at 384 for the longest tenured employees, who are then paid out at a full hourly rate when they leave their job.[19] There is not a cap for sick leave which may be accumulated and is paid out for 25 percent of the hours are paid out at the employee's current hourly rate.[19]
In 2010, 13,000 public employees have accrued funds through unused sick and vacation leave. The top ten employees have a combined 3,200 hours of sick leave, and two employees expect pay outs of $82,000 and almost $70,000.[19]
[edit] Public v. private sector
Montana reported an increase of 0.06 percent of resident living in poverty in 2009, up to 15.1 percent from 14.5 percent in 2008.[20]
[edit] Additional reading
- Public employee salary
- See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard
[edit] External links
- Montana Government Jobs Information
- State Budget Solutions, Montana
- Montana state employee directory
[edit] References
- ↑ The Council of States Governments The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11
- ↑ The Council of State Governments The Book of States 2010 Table 4.3
- ↑ ‘‘The Council of State Governments,’’ “The Book of the States: 2008”
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 National Conference of State Legislators 2010 Legislator Compensation Data
- ↑ Montana Watchdog, Bill to prohibit lawmakers from taking state jobs to be revised, Jan. 13, 2011
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The National Center for State Courts, "Judicial Salary Resource Center" as of Jan. 1, 2010
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 2008 Montana Public Employment U.S. Census Data
- ↑ Montana Watchdog, State employees make case for higher pay to House committee, Jan. 31, 2011
- ↑ Montana Watchdog, Governor, unions propose plan for 4 percent raise in 2012-2013, Nov. 10, 2010
- ↑ Watchdog, 10 Census workers from Montana attend $90,000 Vegas meeting, Sept. 28, 2010
- ↑ Health and Life Insurance
- ↑ Retirement
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 [1]
- ↑ Deferred Compensation
- ↑ Montana Watchdog, State reports profit in sale of some BP stock, investment official says, July 23, 2010
- ↑ Salary and Benefits Overview Information
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Vacation
- ↑ Holidays
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Watchdog, Looming payouts raise questions about Montana unused time off policy, Oct. 25, 2010
- ↑ Montana Watchdog, More Montanans fall below poverty level in 2009, Census Bureau study find, Sept. 30, 2010
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