To retain workers in high-demand state government fields, a little-noticed fund provided pay raises this year to nearly 3,500 employees that totaled more than $7.5 million, according to the Raleigh News & Observer.
Gov. Pat McCrory’s office announced the salary raises in January but the administration didn’t release a full list of employees who received the extra money until this month.
The increases came amid a pay freeze for the vast majority of the 85,000 state workers, who received just one raise in the past five years at 1.2 percent. A roughly $1,000 pay hike is part of current negotiations as state lawmakers look to finalize the budget for the next fiscal year.
A News & Observer analysis of the new data shows the pay hikes averaged 4 percent, or $2,500.
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