Commission examines EMS wages, intermittent status and paramedic pathways

Staff reviewed ambulance and EMS positions and said several full-time EMT and paramedic roles are already at or near maximum steps on the proposed matrices. The county has a mix of intermittent and full-time EMS staff; staff recommended applying step and grade placements first to full-time positions and leaving intermittent employees unchanged unless the commission decides otherwise.

Commissioners noted that intermittent employees are not normally eligible for regular longevity and asked whether years worked as intermittent staff should count toward steps if an employee converts to full time. Staff left that policy question to the commission. The group also discussed paramedic certification as the primary route to higher pay: basic EMTs can move to paramedic and then to supervisory ranks that carry higher grades and steps.