Harris County Frontline Pay Raises Advance in Proposed Budget

Harris County commissioners approved a measure supporting Harris County frontline pay raises for employees who deliver mental health and disability services. The funding would increase wages for 222 employees at The Harris Center for Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

The employees serve residents with complex behavioral health and support needs. However, they are not Harris County employees. Therefore, they were excluded from the county’s new $20 hourly living wage policy.

Harris County Frontline Pay Raises Extend Living Wage

Commissioner Lesley Briones led the effort to extend the $20 minimum wage standard to Harris Center workers. The measure won approval during a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday.

The proposal also includes a 6% raise for all Harris Center employees, according to United Workers of Harris Center Local 6154.

“One job should be enough to live on,” Briones said. She added that the budget prioritizes essential services and working families.

Keena Pace, executive director of The Harris Center, said the investment recognizes the value of employees’ work. The organization provides behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disability services across the region.

Brian Kelley, secretary-treasurer of United Workers of Harris Center Local 6154, welcomed the 6% increase. He said the raise would help employees afford the region’s rising living costs.

Budget Supports Worker Training and Safety

The proposed budget includes several other investments intended to support working families. One is Apprenticeship Advantage, a workforce program that has served more than 1,800 people.

County officials said the program’s trades participants have achieved a 100% job placement rate. It connects residents with training for skilled jobs and pathways toward higher-paying careers.

The proposal also funds inspectors and staff responsible for enforcing the county’s Workplace Safety Policy. Commissioners approved positions supporting the policy earlier in 2026, according to Harris County meeting records.

The policy requires site-specific safety plans and inspections for county-funded projects. It also calls for heat illness prevention measures and paid 10-minute breaks every four hours. Workers may stop working when they identify unsafe conditions.

Jennifer Hernandez, government affairs director for IUPAT District Council 10, said the funding would help ensure meaningful enforcement. She said strong safety standards benefit workers and taxpayers.

Employees Gain a Formal Workplace Voice

Another budget item would implement Harris County’s Consultation Policy for 5,691 eligible employees. Commissioners Court adopted the framework in August, and it takes effect Oct. 1, according to the Harris County Office of County Administration.

The policy allows eligible workers to elect a consultation agent. That representative can participate in discussions involving workplace rules, job conditions and grievances.

Jozette Dowdell of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said county workers helped develop the policy. She said employee participation can improve county operations.

Hany Khalil, executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, said the combined investments address wages, safety, job security and employee representation.

Together, the proposals would direct more county resources toward frontline workers and the services they provide.