Byron Decoteau, Louisiana State Civil Service Director
After Baton Rouge TV station WBRZ reported three State Civil Service employees received significant pay raises in a span of a few years, the leader of the division appeared before Senate Finance to answer questions. Byron Decoteau, who received a $20,000 pay increase within a month said the pay raises were given under the optional pay rule.
“While those payments are not typical, they are made within the executive branch agency and they are allowed under our rules because our commission realizes many people are stealing your employees,” said Decoteau.
Decoteau said applications for state employment have decreased 52% in the last two years and the raises were in order to keep knowledgeable employees. Decoteau defended the raises to Senator Bodi White who asked if they received job offers to leave.
“I know that they were recruited from other individuals and each individual circumstances these individuals were in a high-level role within my department earning less than what their subordinates made,” Decoteau.
State Civil Service chief operating officer, Nicole Tucker, her pay increased 100% by $34,000 over a six-year period and Deputy Director Chris Deer’s pay increased by $43,000 in a matter of three years. White also said that the Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne was not aware of the raises.
“I don’t know if any other department where the people, whether they’re assistants or the rank and file, those percentages of what you just said of about five or six years is over 100%,” said White.
New Orleans Senator Jimmy Harris also informed the committee that Civil Service is not the only agency giving large pay raises. Harris said Flood Protection Authority-East has double the salaries of some unclassified employees.
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