Rhode Island state government salary
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This page describes the compensation, salaries, and benefits that Rhode Island's public employees receive from state and local government.
Elected officials' salaries
| Office | '10 Salary | Current Official |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | $117,817 | Lincoln Chafee |
| Lieutenant Governor | $99,214 | Elizabeth H. Roberts |
| Secretary of State | $99,214 | Ralph Mollis |
| Attorney General | $105,416 | Peter Kilmartin |
| Treasurer | $99,214 | Gina Raimondo |
Legislators' salary
Rhode Island state legislators receive an annual salary of $13,089.44.[2] Legislators do not receive a per diem.[2]
Judicial salaries
| Position | '10 Salary | Current Justice |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice | $167,644 | Paul Suttell |
| Associate Justice | $152,403 | Francis Flaherty |
| Associate Justice | $152,403 | Maureen McKenna Goldberg |
| Associate Justice | $152,403 | William Robinson |
| Associate Justice | $152,403 | Gilbert V. Indeglia |
The salary of Rhode Island's associate justices ranks 21st 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.[3]
State and local employees
Thousands of state workers will see a 3-percent across-the-board raise on Jan. 2 and another 3-percent raise in mid-June.[4] The last raise for state employees was 2.5% in July 2009.[4] The state budget office has calculated that the two raises will cost the state an extra $12,051,000 in the current budget year, and $24.5 million more next year.[4] That estimate does not include the cost the state will incur when salaries automatically increase for state employees as they reach certain benchmarks in their careers, called longevity bonuses.[4]
The governor negotiated a settlement with the Rhode Island State Troopers Association that gives 183 members of the state police with two rounds of retroactive 3-percent pay raises. The first of the two raises is retroactive to April 25, 2010, and the second, to April 24, 2011. Prior to this, the last time the troopers’ received a raise was May 1, 2008, and it, too, was 3 percent.[5]
To avoid layoffs, state employee unions agreed to 12 unpaid work days, for which their members could be compensated later in either cash or extra paid days off. The final four will be reflected in the paychecks they receive on the third Friday of every month from January 2011 to April 2011.[4]
According to 2008 Census data, the state of Rhode Island and local governments in the state employed a total of 59,761 people.[6] Of those employees, 47,755 were full-time employees receiving a net pay of $225,221,773 per month and 12,006 were part-time employees paid $12,127,083 per month.[6] More than 55% of those employees, or 33,310 employees, were in education or higher education.[6]
A 2009 Rhode Island Salary Survey includes: [7]
- State senator: $14,089
- Legislative proofreader: $35,713
- Bus driver, RIPTA, first year: $28,600; top tier: $47,674
- DOT bridge safety inspector: $52,267
- DOT semi-skilled laborer: $35,629
- Michael Lewis, director Department of Transportation: $130,000
- W. Michael Sullivan, director DEM: $130,152
- Howard Boksenbaum, chief state library officer: $67,735
- Allan Fung, mayor of Cranston: $80,765
- James E. Doyle, mayor of Pawtucket: $90,992
- David Cicilline, mayor of Providence: $131,000
In 2007 the Ocean State Police Research Institute compiled data of public employee salaries that can be found here
The state of Rhode Island employee pay scale can be found here.
Quasi-Public Agency Salaries
In 2011 a news report revealed that 67 employees of the state's quasi-public agencies earned more than $10,000 annually. Quasi-public agencies are created by the General Assembly but legally separate from state government. [8] The three highest-paid quasi-public employees listed all work for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation,
- President and CEO Kevin Dillon, who made $283,131 in 2010.
- RIAC General Counsel Peter Frazier, who made $183,895 in 2010
- RIAC Chief Financial Officer Brian Schattle, who made $183,831.
- Former RIPTA General Manager Alfred Moscola, who made $183,561.
- Rhode Island Housing's Richard Godfrey earned $175,000
- The Economic Development Corporation's Keith Stokes earned at $169,477
- The Narragansett Bay Commission's Raymond Marshall, at $168,841
- The Resource Recovery Corporation's Michael O'Connell at $160,329.
- Student Loan Authority's Charles Kelley earned $151,849
- Quonset Development Corporation's Steven King earned $150,475
- The Convention Center Authority's James McCarvill, at $148,440.
After the investigation many of the agencies told reporters their employees' salaries are not paid with state tax dollars. For example the airport's revenue comes from parking charges and other fees, and Rhode Island Housing gets funding from the federal government.
Teacher Salaries
| Beginning Teacher Salary | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| $38,466 | $58,407 |
State employee benefits
Paid days off
Holidays State employees receive the following 11 paid holidays[10]:
- New Year's Day
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Victory Day
- Columbus Day
- Election Day
- Veterans' Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Sick leave Each state employee working a 40 hour week earns 15 sick days per year, which can be carried over each year to a maximum of 125 days.[11]
Vacation Vacation time is accrued each pay period. It takes one year to accrue your total number of vacation days.[11]
| Years of Service | Total Vacation Days |
|---|---|
| 0-5 | 10 |
| 5-10 | 15 |
| 10-15 | 18 |
| 15-20 | 20 |
| 20-25 | 26 |
| OVER 25 | 28 |
Personal Days Each employee shall be granted four personal days per year.[11]
Insurance
Medical The State of Rhode Island’s medical plan is a PPO that includes prescription coverage[12] that is administered by UnitedHealthcare (UHC).[13] The amount of the employee's coshare varies depending on the employee's salary, and ranges from 15-25%, and the biweekly coshare amount for individual medical coverage ranges from $34.73 to $57.89.[14] The state pays $231.54 biweekly for individual coverage.[15]
Vision Vision insurance is also available to employees who elect to participate.[16] The biweekly coshare amount ranges from $0.48 to $0.80.[14]
Dental State employees may participate in the Dental Insurance PPO.[17][18] The biweekly coshare amount ranges from $2.06 to $3.46.[14]
Life Employees may purchase basic and supplemental life insurance through payroll deduction and employees are responsible for the full cost of both.[19]
Additional Employees may elect to purchase (through payroll deductions) short term disability insurance and/or cancer insurance.[20]
Retirement
Most Rhode Island state employees and certified public school teachers participate in the Employees Retirement System of Rhode Island.(ERSRI).[21]
State employees generally contribute 8.75% of their salary per year.[22][11] For state employees, the state contributes an actuarially determined percentage of the member's salary. In 2007, the rate was 18.4%.[22]
All members with 10 or more years of service are eligible for retirement on or after age 60 if they have credit for 10 years of service, or at any age if they have credit for 28 years of service.[22]
A Deferred Compensation Plan allows employees to accumulate tax-deferred savings for retirement. Employees can elect automatic payroll deductions, subject to the annual maximums. The maximum for 2009 is $16,500 ($22,000 for employees age 50 and over). The state offers plans from three providers.[23]
Other benefits
- Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts allow employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related or care-related expenses.[24]
- Employee Assistance Program offers trained counselors to provide professional assistance with a wide range of issues.[25]
- Group Legal through which employees may purchase pre-paid legal services.[26]
Disclosure
The Providence Journal conducts a continuing report of Public Payroll in Rhode Island.
The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition Foundation's new independent transparency site, www.themoneytrail.org, has begun posting state employee salary information online.
The Ocean State Policy Research Institute has posted the second year of statewide payroll data on the Transparency Train Web portal [1] . Each city, town and school district payroll is also online.
See also
External links
- Rhode Island State Employment Opportunities
- See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard
- State Budget Solutions, Rhode Island
- Searchable database of the Rhode Island State Payroll for 2010 from Watchdog New England: http://nuweb9.neu.edu/watchdognewengland/rhode-island-state-payroll-2010/
References
- ↑ The Council of States Governments The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 National Conference of State Legislators 2010 Legislator Compensation Data
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The National Center for State Courts, "Judicial Salary Resource Center" as of Jan. 1, 2010
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Providence Journal "R.I. state employees will get 2 raises in 6 months in 2011" Dec. 1, 2010
- ↑ The Providence Journal "Pact gives R.I. troopers two 3-percent raises" July 13, 2011
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 2008 Rhode Island Public Employment U.S. Census Data
- ↑ Rhode Island Island Monthly, The Salaries, 2009
- ↑ WPRI, Target 12: RI's Hidden $100K Club, May 20, 2011
- ↑ [2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z%20TO%202012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00Z
- ↑ Calendar - Holidays
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Benefit Summary
- ↑ Plan Summary
- ↑ State Employee Benefits Medical
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Insurance Co-Shares
- ↑ Health Insurance Rates
- ↑ Employee Benefits Vision
- ↑ Dental insurance highlights
- ↑ Employee Benefits Dental
- ↑ Life Insurance
- ↑ Disability and Cancer Insurance
- ↑ ERSRI Home Page
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 ERSRI Annual Report 2007
- ↑ Deferred Compensation
- ↑ Flex Spending Accounts
- ↑ Employee Assistance Program
- ↑ Group Legal
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