January 23, 2015

Question

Laura Stone (AZ)

I am sure this is old ground, but want to make sure that I’m reporting this consistently:

If a library has contract workers, do we count them in the number of employees (250-253)? I know we don’t include them under staff expenditures under operating (350-351); I’m listing them under “Other Operating Expenditures (357).”

If we’ve discussed at length already, and someone can provide me with the Wiki link, that will work too!

Happy Friday, All,

SDC Comments

Jamie McCanless (WI)

We tell our libraries to include only those positions funded in the library’s budget (per the federal definition) in the number of employees. If the cost of contract workers is not included in staff expenditures, they don’t sound like funded positions and I wouldn’t include them in the count of staff.

Katrice Stewart (FL)

I disagree to some extent.  If we read the narrative for operating expenditures immediately above definition 350, there is discussion regarding “funds being supported by expenditure document at the point of disbursement…”.

We have several libraries who do operate with a fair amount of contract / temporary staff as well as LSSI staff.  The root of question #350 is how much is paid for salaries and wages for all library staff.  I do not think they particularly have to be included in the staff expenditures budget. 

I’ve told our libraries to include temporary / contract workers as well as LSSI.  Otherwise I think we are painting a very distorted picture of what is really happening.  To not include these staff is significantly understating the cost of labor to run the library.

Just my 2 cents …

Ann Reed (OR)

We ask LSSI to report these costs even though from the City/County level they are a contractor.   We are big on the “even if other people pay, include the cost if it keeps the library running” school of thought.

Katrice Stewart (FL)

Thanks, Terry, for your thoughts.  Unfortunately our definitions do not specifically define staff, so I again disagree to some extent. If I have a library who, because of budgetary conditions, cut 10 positions back in the lean days but now, because of a growing budget, are able to use a temporary staffing company, say Kelly Service, to hire temporary, contract staff to carry out the basic functions of the library, then they should absolutely be included because that is what the intent of this question is.

Susan Mark (WY)

So we update our two-question survey to three:

Did you have stuff?

Did people use it?

Did someone get paid to make this all happen?

Jamie McCanless (WI)

The definition of paid staff does read “Include all positions funded in the library’s budget…” so if a contract worker’s position is included in the budget then, sure, include it in paid staff and staff expenditures. If the position is not consistently reported in staff and staff expenditures, both staff and salary/wages data are skewed.

Katrice Stewart (FL)

I agree whole-heartedly. 

Laura Stone (AZ)

This makes sense to me, too. It also allows us to more accurately gauge staffing levels.

Terry Blauvelt (MO)

When I relook at this topic, per the definition we are actually collecting the number of paid positions vs. number of paid staff, which isn’t always the same thing.

Ann Reed (OR)

Ah, (suffering excess of sugar I think)…

4. How can I get money out of this?

Nicolle Steffen (CO)

In Colorado we do not count contractors as employees (aka staff). Because of the restrictions put on “true” contractors (read IRS regulations) they are not regular employees.