Agency Heads to be Evaluated, Could Receive Salary Boost

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The leaders of South Carolina’s public agencies could see a boost in their paychecks next year. The Agency Head Salary Commission decided Monday to evaluate most agency heads for potential performance raises. Those ineligible include directors who have returned to work after retiring. The panel’s chairman, Senate President Pro Tem Hugh Leatherman, says it’s an issue of fairness. Agency directors have the discretion to give their employees raises of up to 15 percent for various reasons, including performance and additional duties, as long as their budgets can cover them. Last fiscal year, about 19,000 of the state’s 50,000 state employees received such a raise, for a total increase of roughly $60 million. The budget that started July 1 provided all employees making under $100,000 a one-time bonus of $800.