CLARION, Pa. — Three part-time correction officers for the Clarion County Jail were hired Tuesday morning at a meeting of the Clarion County Salary Board, and an additional corrections officer was transferred to part-time status.

All three of the new officers where hired at $10.00 per hour and limited to 29 hours per week in the vacant positions.  Hired were Alex Fitzgerald, Garrett Hildebrand, and Kimberly Bell.  Chris Carroll was transferred to part-time status at a rate of $12.75 an hour.

Clarion County has approximately 17 full-time officers, but often uses part-time officers to cover what might be considered overtime hours.  However, the County limits them to 29 hours per week because of provisions in the Affordable Health Care Act that might subject the County to fines if the part-time employees are not provided health care insurance.

Director of Human Resources Trish Douglas explained that no full time employees were eliminated because of the Affordable Health Care Act, but the County could face fines from the IRS if insurance is not provided for people that work more than 29 hours a week.

“The last union contract the Commissioner signed gave the first shot of overtime to the part-timers, and we pay part timers $10.00 an hour,” said Douglas.  “Before that contract, it was based on seniority and whoever had more seniority could bid on the overtime.  The highest paid officer is at $17.23 per hour, and when you’re paying them to work additional hours, it’s time and a half. Under the new contract, we can bring them in at $10.00 an hour and save the County a considerable amount of money.”

“The problem came up with the Affordable Health Care Act. We can’t work them any more than 29 hours a week.  We’re trying to juggle the contract and the health care issue.”