Boone County is trying new strategies to fill the gap in its workforce — particularly in the jail.
The county is planning a job fair to fill positions for deputy jailers and for nurses needed in the jail’s medical unit, and they are poised to move quickly with the hiring process to alleviate symptoms beyond jail operations.
For years, economists have been projecting the loss of the Baby Boomer generation from the workforce, but COVID-19, a dip in the economy, and higher demand for remote work have created “the perfect storm” in Lori Zombek’s eyes.
Zombek is the director of human resources for Boone County, meaning every hire or termination makes its way across her desk. Lately, the county has had to make adjustments due to more than a dozen open positions at the Boone County Jail.
Jail Lt. Chris Gunkel said a handful of openings were caused by retirements, but other workers had to leave due to a lack of childcare options during the height of the pandemic or other COVID-related reasons.
Without enough deputies operating the jail, full-time employees began receiving double pay for overtime work and part-timers took on more hours to fill shifts. The county closed the inmate work camp to free up deputies, too, resulting in more trash buildup along roads or fewer collections for recycling. That, in turn, has put more pressure on the public works department, Zombek said, and it’s all because the jail is among the industries experiencing a staffing shortage.
Although the county has made moves to make the positions more attractive, Zombek recognized that working in corrections is not an easy sell.
“Part of our failure to attract right now is that it is an onsite, 24/7, weekend, holiday position, and there are so many remote, stay-at-home, work-from-home positions. So, for a lot of families, they realized that may be a better option … but of course, in a jail, you have to be onsite,” Zombek said.
The job fair is scheduled for Wednesday, July 13, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, July 16 from noon to 4 p.m., at the jail, which sits at 3020 Conrad Lane in Burlington.
The county recently increased salaries by 6% and is now offering $19 to $20 an hour for deputy jailers, plus higher pay for night shift and a $1,500 retention bonus. For nurses, pay ranges from $31 to $33 an hour and shifts are open for days and nights.
Correcting stigmas in corrections
Nurses on duty at the jail said they see inmates in the company of at least one deputy, so they are never alone with them. They said working in corrections can be fast-paced at times, so a calm demeanor, flexibility and quick thinking are key traits for the jail’s medical staff.
Gunkel said applicants will be given a tour of the jail so they can see for themselves what it might be like to work there.
“During this job fair, we are going to let people see the facility, tour the facility, see what it’s like to be inside and work in there,” Zombek said. “You know, we’re not going to hide it from them. We will make sure that everybody sees the work environment and is aware of what the facility looks like.”
And when it comes to safety concerns, Gunkel said the facility is “as maximum security as you can get” for a county jail. Gunkel recently gave LINK nky a tour of the jail. While films may create a jail of bars lining a corridor with inmates accosting a passing guard, Boone County Jail has white painted brick, and the halls are lined with controlled doors, observation windows, and a central guard station that sees everything. Built in 2005, the Boone County Jail is often used as a model for other correctional facilities, he said.
Although a job in corrections isn’t remote work, Gunkel said the team at the jail “can do most of the job from behind a closed door,” but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good communicators.
“You really need to be a people person,” Gunkel said. “Someone who can listen to anyone and treat them with respect.”
On the tour, he added that facilitating that culture is part of what drew him into corrections, along with the flexible schedule. He originally worked at the jail part-time while he was in school. As his classes eased up, he picked up more shifts, and 14 years later he’s now a lieutenant at the jail and he finds his passion in serving the public through his work.
He said one part-time employee only works Sundays and has diligently worked Sundays-only for the last eight years, so he said it can be a good option for part-time work.
Zombek said interested applicants need to be 21 or older, a high school graduate and eligible to work. She said they can fill out an application online and use the job fair on Wednesday or Saturday as a standing interview time. She added that attendees should be prepared for an interview and tour of the jail.