Beginning this year, Issaquah city administrators will see lower pay for entry level colleagues and a reduction in the sick leave they can keep. In exchange, they’ll see a little more money in their health plan coffers and their union will be able to give input on business related to the city’s health plan.

The city of Issaquah recently renegotiated its contract with the Issaquah Administrative Staff Association through 2016.

The City Council on Feb. 2 approved a contract with the ASA following a private executive session. According to a publicly released draft version of the contract, the agreement covers regular full-time employees of the city, employees who work multiple positions that add up to 40 hours a week and regularly scheduled part-time employees who work more than 20 hours a week.

Under the new agreement, entry level employee pay will be scaled down 5 percent below the current pay schedule.

Employees also will be able to hold on to less of their sick time, the maximum holding amount dropping from 1,280 hours to 960. The lesser amount adds up to 120 sick days, which would take 10 to 15 years to earn under employees’ sick leave schedule.

However, the city’s contribution to employees’ Health Reimbursement Account will rise $50 per year in the contract, to $1,100 and $1,150.

The union also will be able to participate in the Health Care Advisory Committee, an employee group that weighs in on health insurance benefits and the self-funded medical plan.

The ASA president and three administrators negotiated the new contract with elected officials.

“The city would like to thank the negotiating team for their good work and the union for their good work on a daily basis,” Human Resources Manager Debbie Mills said.

The contract was the first labor agreement of the year for the city. Negotiations are expected to be complete Tuesday on the city’s new contract with the Issaquah Police Support Services Association.