Calendar quirk added $2.2 million to City of Kelowna payroll last year

EXTRA PAY PERIOD HITS PAYROLL BUDGET EVERY ELEVEN YEARS

KELOWNA – A trick of the calendar means the City of Kelowna had to add $2.2 million to its gross payroll in 2015, giving most staff a one-time bump in pay of about 3.8 per cent.

Director of human resources Stu Leatherdale says it has nothing to do with leap years but organizations that pay bi-weekly must cover an extra pay period every 11 years.

“Because of how the calendar landed there were 27 pay periods for 2015,” Leatherdale explains. “All other years are 26 pay periods so annual earnings will go down across the board next year. ”

The pay bump has pushed some employees onto the list of employees who make more than $75,000 annually, but Leatherdale says, depending on other factors such as overtime and vacation payouts, some people may drop off the list next year.

The city’s annual remuneration and expenses report says 113 management level employees made at least $75,000, up three from 2014.

There are 115 firefighters on the list, up eight from 2014 while an additional 41 unionized city workers were added for a total of 140.

The extra pay period wasn’t the only thing pushing wages upward.

Management and Canadian Union of Public Employees staff also received pay increases of 2 percent ($260,000) and 1.5 per cent  ($587,000) respectively.

A 2.5 per cent pay increase plus retroactive pay to Kelowna firefighters cost the city $2.35 million in 2015.

Mayor Colin Basran earned $62,743 during his first full year in office with an additional $31,228 non-taxable allowance. He was also covered for an additional $20,874 in other expenses.

Councillors earned just over $22,000 in 2015 with an additional $11,100 non-taxable allowance.

City manager Ron Mattiussi was the top paid staff member last year, earning just over $285,000.

The city paid out $68 million in wages and benefits in 2015.

To contact a reporter for this story, email John McDonald or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.