I worked for Snohomish County for 18 years at Evergreen District Court and I must defend the court clerks’ recent 2.9 percent cost of living raises for the following reasons:
First of all, the contract was probably signed over a year or two ago, before the recession, and the cost of living increase was never as high as 2.9 percent. The 5 percent raise only applies to new hires and only lasts for five years. I never received a signing bonus — that’s a new one.
What the public does not understand is that the clerks take a lot of verbal abuse and have a heavy work load. I cannot print the names I have been called by the public and then been written up by my supervisor for hanging up on defendants after being called filthy names.
Believe me, the clerks earn their pay and they do not make big bucks. The reason the clerks stay on the job is because they love their jobs. Sometimes there are kids who learn their lessons and come into court and say, wow, I won’t do that again. It makes your day.
These clerks deserve their pay no matter what pay raises they get. They work really hard. I know. I have been there.
Donna Furiak
Everett
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