Who are the highest paid state employees? Here's what we found in the data.
The Burlington Free Press has compiled lists of the Top 10 earners among state workers for total compensation and overtime pay for both 2020 and 2021. You'll find the lists below.
Gov. Phil Scott came in 7th on the list for total compensation in 2020, and 9th for total compensation in 2021. Chief Medical Examiner Steven Shapiro topped the list in both 2020 and 2021.
Total compensation is comprised of total pay plus total benefits. On the list for overtime pay, we've shown regular pay in parenthesis.
Total benefits include the state's contribution to retirement and social security, and where applicable to health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance, according to Beth Fastiggi, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Human Resources.
Fastiggi said in an email that retirement and social security benefits are pay-based, so vary by pay, as do life and long-term disability insurances. She said the state pays 80% of health insurance and costs vary by plan and by coverage level. Coverage for a family in the most expensive plan is more than $27,000 annually.
How much did they make?: FY2020 Vermont Employee Salaries and Overtime Pay
How much did they make?: FY2021 Vermont Employees Salaries and Overtime Pay
There is a category of "other pay" included in total compensation that covers items such as shift differential, standby, clothing allowance, annual leave payoff (upon retirement or reduction in force), one-time lump sum payments, etc.
"In departments where there is a considerable amount of shift work, these numbers will be higher," Fastiggi said.
And finally, on the subject of overtime pay, Fastiggi said that certain areas of state government, such as corrections facilities or the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital, operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week and often overtime is required to ensure all of the shifts have enough staff on hand.
"We also have a number of state police who work large amounts of overtime hours and that's based on not only staffing needs but whether or not they are investigating a particular case," Fastiggi said.
You can view overtime use by department in the workforce report, table 51, page 58.
2020 Total compensation
Steven Shapiro, chief medical examiner: $318,647.
Elizabeth Bundock, deputy chief medical examiner: $311,939.
Jonathan Strenio, private secretary, Vermont Health Access: $251,818.
Matthew Birmingham, colonel, Vermont State Police: $242,849.
Paul Reiber, chief justice, Vermont Supreme Court: $241,983.
Karen Carroll, associate justice, Vermont Supreme Court: $238,886.
Phil Scott, governor: $235,692.
Michael Harris, superior judge, Caledonia Superior Court: $233,212.
Thomas Devine, superior judge, Chittenden Superior Court: $233,184.
John Treadwell, superior judge, Vermont Superior Court: $233,146.
Searchable Database: Vermont Employee Salaries and Overtime Pay in FY2020
2020 Overtime pay (regular pay shown in parenthesis)
Bob Arkley, correctional facility shift supervisor: $72,436 ($75,335).
Jonathan Stone, correctional officer I: $49,729 ($42,485).
Stacia Anderson, PSAP emergency communication dispatch: $49,705 ($42,401).
John Kaveny, PSAP emergency communication dispatch: $48,790 ($59,026).
Elizabeth Dyer, PSAP emergency communication dispatch: $46,081 ($62,680).
Jeffrey Atwood, correctional officer I: $45,271 ($59,414).
Joseph Murtiff, correctional officer I: $45,026 ($53,673).
Michael Liff, correctional officer II: $41,504 ($59,405).
Ryne Haskell, RN III -CSN (evening), Department of Mental Health: $41,009 ($74,909).
Nathan Wielosinski, correctional officer I: $39,839 ($46,579).
2021 Total compensation
Steven Shapiro, chief medical examiner: $330,791.
Elizabeth Bundock, deputy chief medical examiner: $329,404.
Patsy Tassler Kelso, state epidemiologist: $274,430.
Jonathan Strenio, private secretary, Vermont Health Access: $258,287.
Matthew Birmingham, colonel, Vermont State Police: $247,151.
Paul Reiber, chief justice, Vermont Supreme Court: $244,235.
Karen Carroll, associate justice, Vermont Supreme Court: $241,170.
William Cohen, associate justice, Vermont Supreme Court: $238,063.
Phil Scott, governor: $237,066.
Thomas Devine, superior judge, Chittenden Superior Court: $235,358.
Searchable Database: Vermont state employee salaries and overtime pay in FY2021
2021 Overtime pay (regular pay shown in parenthesis)
Jonathan Stone, correctional officer II: $65,683 ($58,434).
Michael Liff, correctional officer II: $62,163 ($58,437).
Bob Arkley, correctional facility shift supervisor: $61,397 ($79,490).
Grace Winters, nurse supervisor (night), Department of Mental Health: $54,593 ($102,904).
Patsy Tassler Kelso: state epidemologist: $51,937 ($154,162).
Jeremy Cornwall, correctional facility shift supervisor: $51,123 ($66,152).
Brad McCormack, correctional officer II: $48,134 ($68,931).
Kyle Jacobs, correctional officer I: $47,277 ($46,921).
Scott Paul Brumenschenkel, nurse supervisor, Department of Mental Health: $47,100 ($97,965).
Ryan Haskell Bostic, nurse supervisor (night), Department of Mental Health: $46,620 ($88,120).
Contact Dan D’Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Highest paid: Who are the top 10 highest earning VT state workers?
