State Employee Union Cites Audit Showing Pay Crisis Behind Government Vacancies
Union analysis of state auditor’s report reveals low pay is driving over 8,800 long-term government job vacancies across North Carolina.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The State Employees Association of North Carolina released a new analysis Wednesday showing that poor compensation is the leading cause of thousands of vacant positions in state government, backing up their claims with data from State Auditor Dave Boliek’s recent report on workforce shortages.
The union’s dashboard compiles findings from Boliek’s January report on long-term vacancies, revealing that 8,845 positions had been vacant for more than six months as of last August. This represents approximately 11% of the state’s total workforce.
Low Pay Identified as Primary Factor
According to the auditor’s findings, more than a third of the long-term vacancies were attributed to low compensation, making inadequate salaries the number one cause of unfilled positions across state government.
“State Auditor Dave Boliek’s report shows what we have long argued: North Carolina’s vacancy problem is a pay problem,” said SEANC Executive Director Ardis Watkins. “The auditor himself recommends that the state bring salaries in line with neighboring states and appropriate additional funds where vacancy rates are high.”
The dashboard’s release comes just days after Republican lawmakers announced a budget framework that includes an average 3% pay raise for state government employees, with higher increases planned for areas Boliek identified as especially underpaid.
Budget Constraints Blocking Additional Positions
SEANC’s analysis indicates the vacancy crisis isn’t entirely due to chronic understaffing issues. The dashboard shows that roughly 3,000 positions are legally blocked from being filled because the state has been operating without an enacted budget.
The data also reveals some positive movement in filling vacant roles. In the eight weeks following passage of the DAVE Act, which authorized the auditor to investigate government efficiency, 1,181 vacant positions were successfully filled.
Call for Legislative Action
Union leadership is now pressing state lawmakers to address the compensation gaps identified in the audit data. The timing of SEANC’s dashboard release appears strategic, coming as the General Assembly works toward finalizing budget negotiations.
“The question now is whether the General Assembly will act on what the data shows,” Watkins said.
The State Auditor’s office has not responded to requests for comment on SEANC’s interpretation of the vacancy report findings. Boliek’s original January report recommended bringing state salaries in line with neighboring states and appropriating additional funding for departments experiencing high vacancy rates.
