Town To Issue 1-Time Payment To Employees To Help Ease Inflation Woes

EAST HAMPTON, NY — East Hampton Town officials are set to issue one-time payments to employees to help offset the impacts of inflation, the town board said Thursday.

The payments will be made to help reduce economic stress and retain employees as the rising prices for food, gas, and other living expenses prove daunting, officials said.

The town “understands that the 2022 inflation spike may negatively impact employee recruitment and retention efforts,” according to a resolution being voted on by the town board Thursday.

Most full-time and active East Hampton town employees, as of September 10, will be eligible for a

supplemental payment to be issued this fall, town officials said.

Not eligible for the supplemental pay are elected officials, appointed board members, members
of the East Hampton Town Police Superior Officers Association bargaining unit, and the chief
of police, the town board said.

The resolution also said that “due to extraordinarily high inflation, the buying power of a worker’s take-home pay has declined due to the increased cost of daily living expenses.”

“Rising prices for essentials due to inflation have strained the budgets of our town employees,
who continue to provide the essential services needed by East Hampton residents,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc. “The town, like many other employers, is experiencing difficulties finding and retaining members of our workforce. We value our employees and acknowledge the economic stresses that they are currently experiencing.”

With contract agreements already currently in place with the town’s collective bargaining units,
town officials have opted, in light of the impacts of inflation, to voluntarily issue the one-time
supplemental payments, officials said.

Payments will be based upon the number of hours an employee works. Those regularly scheduled
to work 40 hours a week will receive $2,500, minus applicable taxes and withholdings; those
regularly scheduled to work 38.46 hours per week will receive $2,403.90, less taxes and
witholdings; 35-hour a week employees will receive $2,187, minus taxes., and 30-hour-per week employees will receive $1,875 minus withholdings, town officials said.

The cost of the supplemental payments, an estimated $660,000, will come from surplus funds, town officials said.