New York State Boosts Pay to Retain and Recruit Government Employees

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced significant pay increases for 2,100 employees across 46 state agencies on Thursday, November 7th, as part of a strategy to attract and retain talent within New York State’s public sector. This increase applies to those in professional traineeships, which are entry-level positions that offer training while developing essential skills. Affected employees will receive either a 5.7% or 11.6% raise based on their job classification, with entry-level positions now offering annual salaries ranging from $49,363 to $58,247.

 Governor Hochul emphasized the importance of maintaining a strong and capable public workforce to deliver the high-quality services expected by New Yorkers. Hochul highlighted the broader goal of ensuring long-term stability and quality within New York’s state services, saying, “Every New Yorker deserves a strong, stable, and equitable state government. We count on our state workers to deliver the vital services we rely on every day.” 

She continued, “These pay increases will allow us to retain and attract our state agency and government employees, so that we can continue our mission to bring the highest quality support New Yorkers expect and deserve, now and into the future.”

 The pay adjustments are expected to impact roles in high-demand departments, including Health, Transportation, Environmental Conservation, and Mental Health, among others. Employees under these programs generally advance to higher salary brackets after two years based on their performance, with career paths progressing to roles earning between $65,000 and $83,000 annually.

 The state has also been actively promoting career pathways in government through the NY HELPS program, which waives civil service exam requirements for several open positions. More than 18,500 positions have been filled through this initiative, reflecting the state’s effort to streamline hiring processes to counteract the challenges of a competitive job market.

 Timothy R. Hogues, New York’s Civil Service Commissioner, expressed support for the changes, stating that the adjustments aim to bring state salaries in line with private sector expectations. He said, “New York State is looking for the best and brightest to join in a rewarding career in public service. To better align with jobseekers’ expectations and to assist State agencies in an ever-increasingly competitive labor market, New York State is increasing the traineeship salaries to attract and retain more candidates to assist state agencies in fulfilling their hiring needs and provide the public with valuable and necessary services.”

Wayne Spence, President of the Public Employees Federation, acknowledged the raises as an essential step toward addressing chronic understaffing issues within the state’s workforce saying, “We commend the Governor for continuing to invest in the State workforce and recognizing the value of competitive salaries as a recruitment and retention tool. These pay increases are a good first step toward bringing State salaries in line with the private sector and retaining and recruiting highly skilled public servants.”

In addition to salary increases, Governor Hochul has invested in job search assistance through collaborations with the Department of Labor, providing resources and career guidance. With these measures, New York aims to secure a well-prepared public sector workforce to support state operations.