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Luzerne County Children and Youth has made progress filling caseworker vacancies, county Manager C. David Pedri told council last week.
				&rdquo;We just had our monthly vacancy review, and I&rsquo;m pleased to report that we are down to only 11 caseworker openings! As you know, only a couple of years ago we had over 40 openings causing extremely heavy workloads and difficult situations,&rdquo; Pedri wrote.
				Pedri credited the agency and human resources department for concentrating on recruiting and retaining caseworkers &mdash; a challenge statewide largely due to low compensation and the high on-the-job stress of investigating alleged child abuse and neglect. The positions are primarily covered by state and federal funding.
				The county&rsquo;s vacancy county is now &ldquo;down to a much more reasonable number, allowing us to better serve the children in need,&rdquo; Pedri told council.
				To help with recruitment, county officials had increased the caseworker starting salary in 2018. The more experienced &ldquo;caseworker 2&rdquo; position currently starts at $37,821, while compensation for the entry-level &ldquo;caseworker 2&rdquo; job begins at $31,474.
				Caseworker job openings are advertised on the human resources section at <a href="https://www.governmentjobs.com/CAREERS/LUZERNECOUNTY" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.luzernecounty.org</a>.
				Hirings
				The county hired 17 new employees last month, including two Children and Youth caseworkers and seven 911 telecommunicators, according to the newly posted July personnel report.
				Patrick Callahan and Robert Cochran were hired for caseworker 1 positions at $16.14 per hour.
				The new 911 telecommunicators hired for $15.65 per hour: John Dennis Jr., Samantha Durning, Gregory Kaspriski, Marc Labar, Erika Luton, Kevon Moore and Amanda Oliveras.
				The remaining new employees, with their positions and hourly pay: Melissa Foley, court law clerk, $38.68; Kimberly Franks, drug and alcohol case management specialist, $20.66; Donna Fromel, human services fiscal officer, $23.08; Michael Genoble and James Pilger, road/bridge equipment operators, $14.42; Crystal Jennings, human services budget analyst, $19.49; and Morgan Kaschak and Zachary Zelenski, deputy sheriffs, $15.49.
				Departures
				Four employees retired last month: road/bridge equipment operator Andress L. Derby, aging agency clerk typist Sherlene Long, mental health/developmental services budget analyst Vincenza Palmiter and aging agency part-time senior center manager Nancy Restaino.
				Seven workers resigned: emergency management planner Gregory Freitas, 911 telecommunicators Edwin Henriquez and Jared Whittaker, Children and Youth caseworker 2 Mallory Lynn Kane-Liller, prison corrections officer Kyle Mummert, road/bridge equipment operator William Okuniewski and deputy sheriff Anderson Glaude.
				Four terminations also were reported: prison corrections officer Cynthia Morganti, assessor&rsquo;s clerk Kelsey Polanowski, deputy sheriff Christopher W. Smith and 911 telecommunicator April Taroli.
				Job changes
				Four workers switched positions due to internal merit hires.
				The employees, their new jobs and hourly pay: Amanda Nicole Biros-Gilmer, district attorney administrative assistant, $17.97; Nancy Kaminski, district attorney clerk typist, $14.91; Justin Paul Richards, court law clerk, $36.68; and Dawn McQuiston, drug/alcohol case management specialist, $20.66.

Luzerne County making progress filling Children and Youth caseworker vacancies