Senate Bill 2987

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION FOR LICENSED SOCIAL WORKERS EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to realign salaries of state employed social workers so that their salaries are in alignment with the national salaries for social workers and qualified social workers will be attracted to the State of Mississippi. Based on a national study of licensed social workers conducted by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Center for Workforce Studies, the southern region has the lowest salaries. The survey found that the median salary for licensed bachelor level social workers, Thirty-three Thousand Six Hundred Twenty-eight Dollars ($33,628.00); licensed master social workers, Forty-six Thousand Eight Hundred Forty-five Dollars ($46,845.00); and licensed Ph.D. social workers is Fifty-eight Thousand Three Hundred Ninety Dollars ($58,390.00).

SECTION 2. (1) Any person employed by the State of Mississippi who possesses a social work license at the bachelor's level, Licensed Social Worker, shall receive compensation in an amount not less than Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00).

(2) Any person employed by the State of Mississippi who possesses a social work license at the master's level, Licensed Master Social Worker and Licensed Certified Social Worker, shall receive compensation in an amount not less than Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00).

(3) The State Personnel Board shall adjust the Colonel Guy Groff State Variable Compensation Plan in a manner that will effectuate the provisions of this section.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.