Manatee County Workers Forced to Give Raises Back

Career ladders are meant to go up, not down. But, that’s not the case for some Manatee County employees who recently discovered the raises they thought they’d earned were given in error.

The employees took part in the county’s “career ladder” program, which tasked them with completing a host of safety and skills training courses in order to earn a raise. Some workers who took advantage of the program saw their raises go into effect in January, but were told in June the county was taking the cash back and bumping them back to their original pay levels, according to WFLA.

Landscaper Donny Combs was told his near $1 an hour raise will now have to be paid back.

“They say I owe $618.45,” Combs told the station, adding that he’ll have to pay back some of the money and give up vacation time to cover the cost.

The county, WFLA reported, said the employees hadn’t fully completed the requirements of the program.

Read WFLA’s full story here.

What are your thought on this? Should Manatee County honor the raises it granted? Should the workers have to pay back the cash? Tell us by commenting below!