Study recommends classifying chief deputies as FLSA-excluded; council given two pay options

Consultants told the Scott County Council that chief deputies for elected officials meet the FLSA exclusion and recommended reclassifying them as excluded rather than exempt. The presentation cited Indiana Code 36-2-16-4 in support of that interpretation and offered two implementation options for chief deputy pay.

Laurie said the county could tie chief deputy salaries to either 85% of the elected official's current salary or 85% of the external elected official salary, and provided spreadsheet costs for each option. "So the cost to option 1 is $8,034," Laurie said, and she provided a higher cost figure for option 2 in the spreadsheet. Council members asked for clarity on how those ties would affect future elected official salary changes and how they would be reflected in the salary ordinance.

The consultant recommended drafting ordinance language that would specify classification and pay linkage; the presenters offered to prepare ordinance drafts for council review. No formal vote or ordinance adoption occurred at the meeting; council members scheduled further consideration at the next official meeting.