Vaughn proposes keeping workers through five years and paying to retain
Vaughn proposes automatic raises at six and 18 months, citing ACS as a model, and argues paying to retain costs less than replacing workers, noting FDNY EMTs top out under $60,000 while firefighters earn nearly double.
We urge the committee to treat retention as one of the best investments the city can make, and we propose four priorities.
First, keep people through their first five years.
There are some examples that ACS has offered a model worth testing around providing automatic raises at six and 18 months, which is a critical window when a lot of people leave.
And the city can measure whether these retention tools are working and expand the ones that do.
The second is recognizing that paying to retain workers costs less than paying to replace them.
This principle is borne out in functions like emergency medical services,
You have FDNY EMTs topping out at less than $60,000 after five years, while firefighters are earning nearly double.
So many EMTs leave for the firehouse or for similar jobs in the private sector.
These departures are costly.
EMS union leaders estimate that training a new EMT costs roughly $42,000.
And IBO found that EMS overtime rose more than 40% as attrition grew, with every 100 vacancies keeping about 27 ambulance tours off the street each day.
But investing in retention works.
I noticed that you talked about 911 call operator, police communications technicians.
When they won pay increases a few years ago, as well as overtime limits and compressed schedules, delayed calls fell by over 40%.