Q Does the county have the authority to increase the salaries of its employee’s mid-year to pay for insurance premium increases?

A A governing authority may adopt an ordinance authorizing an increase in salary for its employees to offset the cost of the group insurance premium. However, any such increase in expenditures must be kept within the amounts budgeted in the county’s approved budget for that fiscal year pursuant to Section 19-11-15, subject to budget revisions made pursuant to Section 19-11-19. (Attorney General’s Opinion to Barber, October 25, 2019)