Charlotte Observer Logo

State braces for worker exodus | Charlotte Observer

×
  • E-edition
  • Customer Service
  • Advertise
  • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Databases
    • Education
    • Election
    • Politics
    • Nation/World
    • Special Reports
    • North Carolina
    • South Carolina
    • Corrections
    • Columnists
    • Retro Charlotte
    • Your Schools
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Sports
    • Carolina Panthers
    • Charlotte Hornets
    • That's Racin'
    • High Schools
    • College Sports
    • Charlotte Knights/MLB
    • Other Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Inside the Panthers
    • Inside the NBA
    • Prep Insiders
    • Scott Fowler
    • Tom Sorensen
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • RNC 2020
    • Business
    • Banking
    • Stocks Center
    • Top Workplaces
    • National Business
    • What's in Store
    • Development
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Living
    • Religion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Family
    • Home & Garden
    • CLT Style
    • Travel
    • Living Here Guide
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • I'll Bite
    • Kathleen Purvis
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Arts/Culture
    • Events
    • Movie News & Reviews
    • Restaurants
    • Music/Nightlife
    • Television
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Rewards
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Kevin Siers
    • Letters
    • Submit an Op-ed
    • Submit a Letter
    • Viewpoint
    • All Blogs & Columns
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • O-Pinion
    • You Write The Caption
    • Taylor Batten
    • Peter St. Onge
  • Celebrations
  • Obituaries
  • TV Listings

  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Virtual Career Fair
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Place an ad
  • Mobile & Apps

  • MomsCharlotte
  • Carolina Bride Magazine
  • South Park Magazine

Local

State braces for worker exodus

By Tim Simmons - (Raleigh) News & Observer

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 16, 2008 12:00 AM

Despite consecutive years of across-the-board pay increases, North Carolina is struggling to attract and keep quality workers. Coming baby-boomer retirements will highlight gaps in pay and benefits between the state and private sectors, according to a N.C. Office of State Personnel report last week.

If the state doesn't keep up, government services will decline, economists and demographers say. To cope, the state might have to offer more pay and better benefits and try a more creative approach to recruiting.

“The private sector has an advantage, because it has deeper pockets,” said Jim Johnson, a UNC Chapel Hill business professor who studies the effects of demographic changes on the workplace. “If the gaps get too big, the private sector will just cherry-pick employees in areas that are hard to hire and the overall community suffers as a result.”

Dana Cope, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina, knows that government workers are an easy target when complaints about taxes and service arise. He understandably disagrees with that view but said regardless of what people think, increasing the gap between private and public sector jobs won't solve anything.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

“No matter where you are across the country, government and bureaucrats get a bad rap,” Cope said. “But our goal is still to provide quality service to taxpayers — and that costs money.”

More specifically, it costs about $11 billion a year to cover the salaries and benefits for about 120,000 state employees.

Taxpayers pay for a small army of field inspectors, office clerks, data processors, engineers, teachers and a host of other jobs. And those workers aren't getting any younger.

About 35 percent of the state's work force is older than 50. The average age since 1987 has jumped to 48 from 36.

The challenge of attracting younger workers is most obvious when the state competes for young college graduates, Cope said.

A private entry-level accountant job has an average salary of $46,070, the state personnel report says. Starting salary at the state level is $38,598.

The gap is similar for other jobs for new college graduates. An entry-level job as a personnel analyst for the state earns 35 percent less than a similar job in the private sector. A registered nurse earns 29 percent less. A social worker makes 15percent less.

  Comments  

Videos

Rookie USA Kids Fashion Show features celebrities in Charlotte

Owners HQ shoe showcasing event at Mint wows fans

View More Video

Trending Stories

After multiple attempts, Charlotte council member Braxton Winston gets served

February 15, 2019 11:29 AM

That trendy CBD product in your smoothie? Adding it is illegal, NC officials say

February 15, 2019 11:56 AM

Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

February 15, 2019 08:40 AM

In Charlotte, Dave Chappelle makes more transgender jokes — and makes no apologies

February 15, 2019 01:47 AM

Mel Watt misused federal post, tried to ‘coerce’ worker into relationship, report says

February 15, 2019 04:02 PM

things to do

Read Next

The other big Duke-Carolina game: Will the Daily Tar Heel or The Chronicle prevail?

Local

The other big Duke-Carolina game: Will the Daily Tar Heel or The Chronicle prevail?

By Jane Stancill

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 15, 2019 07:16 PM

The college basketball rivalry between Duke and UNC has spawned a healthy competition — and collaboration — among two college newspapers. The Daily Tar Heel at UNC-Chapel Hill and The Chronicle at Duke are teaming up to produce a joint edition on Feb. 20.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Charlotte Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE LOCAL

How a 1984 sneaker deal for Michael Jordan evolved into a $3-billion empire

Local

How a 1984 sneaker deal for Michael Jordan evolved into a $3-billion empire

February 15, 2019 04:25 PM
Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

Local

Largest tribe in East called NC home for centuries. Feds say it’s not Indian enough.

February 15, 2019 08:40 AM
Stanley, a rare white rhinoceros, has died at the NC Zoo at a ripe old age

Local

Stanley, a rare white rhinoceros, has died at the NC Zoo at a ripe old age

February 15, 2019 05:29 PM
Teen charged in Rock Hill sexual assault found driving woman’s stolen car, police say

Crime

Teen charged in Rock Hill sexual assault found driving woman’s stolen car, police say

February 15, 2019 08:51 AM
After multiple attempts, Charlotte council member Braxton Winston gets served

Politics & Government

After multiple attempts, Charlotte council member Braxton Winston gets served

February 15, 2019 11:29 AM
‘Please hurry:’ Gun stolen from Rock Hill shooting victim’s house, police say

Crime

‘Please hurry:’ Gun stolen from Rock Hill shooting victim’s house, police say

February 15, 2019 03:52 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Charlotte Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Photo Store
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story