California state senate raises employees pay year after layoffs

The California state Senate is giving all its employees pay raises just one year after laying off several dozen employees due to financial problems.

A memo obtained by The Associated Press says the raises are possible because of the “prudent and necessary cuts” last year.

They include 4 percent cost-of-living increase for employees who are paid less than about $150,000 a year. Those paid up to $178,000 get 2 percent raises, and those with even higher pay get 1 percent increases.

The memo dated Monday says these are the first raises in nearly eight years.

Senate officials declined to say how much the increases will cost.

The Assembly is not giving across-the-board raises this year and hasn’t since 2007. Assembly employees can get merit raises.