SENATE MEMORIAL 21

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2017

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE STATE PERSONNEL OFFICE TO STUDY COMPENSATION FOR STATE WORKERS AND PROVIDE A LONG-TERM ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT JOB RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT.

     WHEREAS, qualified workers are the backbone of state government, and fair compensation is needed to retain qualified workers; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico state personnel office creates an annual compensation report that details the results of the state's annual compensation survey and a review of the state's total compensation structure; and

     WHEREAS, the state personnel office's 2015 Classified Service Compensation Report provides an analysis and comparison of specific classification levels and shows New Mexico to be at market for most general classifications, but behind actual market averages in many hard-to-recruit and -retain classifications for critical occupations such as corrections, information technology and health care; and

     WHEREAS, the report also notes that the average salary levels for selected benchmark classifications fall more than fifty percent behind market indices, significantly affecting the state's ability to attract, retain, engage, motivate and compensate employees; and

     WHEREAS, revenue shortfalls in the past few years have restricted the state from establishing and maintaining its competitive position in the marketplace, attracting and retaining high-quality employees and addressing the need for a salary structure adjustment that may occur when funding becomes available; and

     WHEREAS, a long-term analysis is needed to better address the classified employee pay grades and salary structure in relation to similar government jobs within the region; and

     WHEREAS, how to best provide a level of stability for state employees through compensation needs to be studied; and

     WHEREAS, when funding becomes available, across-the-board pay increases approved by the legislature in the past may no longer provide the best solution to address the pay inequities in state government; and

     WHEREAS, the identification of job skills needed by the state employee workforce would provide an opportunity for state institutions of higher learning to craft curricula to provide the needed training;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state personnel office be requested to study state employee compensation and propose a compensation structure that brings state employee pay grades in line with salaries paid for similar jobs within the region; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state personnel office be requested to provide a long-term prognosis of the state's ability to retain, attract and compensate quality employees; and  

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state personnel office be requested to work with state universities and colleges to determine what skills and qualifications are needed for state employment positions and to help craft curricula to address those job needs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the state personnel office report its findings and recommendations to the appropriate legislative interim committee no later than December 1, 2017; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the director of the state personnel office, the secretary of higher education, the public education department, the presidents of New Mexico's post-secondary educational institutions and the legislative finance committee.