AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Auditor reported turnover at 22.7% of classified, regular full- and part-time employees for fiscal year 2022.
Exit survey resources reported, for the first time since 2008, people quit their State job usually for better pay and benefits (28.8%). Retirement (18.7%) and poor working conditions/environment (14.2%) rounded out the top three reasons. But only 5,057 of the 26,281 people completed the State employee online exit survey, the audit report shows.
“Summary of reasons given for the Better Pay/Benefits category included: Can’t sustain home and family with the current salary and would need to work a second job; agency cannot keep up with the cost of living; pay scales have not changed as the cost of living has continued to increase,” the report shows.
Data released in the report shows 47 full-time custodial workers made less than $20,000 a year. Another 5,632 people made between $20,000 and $29,999 a year in their full-time State position.
Outgoing employees cited heavy workload leading to burnout, not being allowed to take time off, inadequate training and lack of resources as reasons for selecting the Poor Working Conditions category.
Agencies with highest turnover rate with 1,000 or more employees:
- Juvenile Justice Department (45.8%)
- Department of Criminal Justice (32.5%)
- Health and Human Services Commission (29.0%)
- Department of Family and Protective Services (28.9%)
- Department of State Health Services (21.2%)
Highest turnover by occupation (excluding those with fewer than 100 employees)
- Food Service Worker
- Direct Support Professional
- Psychiatric Nursing Assistant
- Correctional Officer
- Child Protective Services Specialist
- Custodian