The Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA) sued the state of Alaska on Tuesday, accusing officials of illegally withholding a crucial salary study. The lawsuit, filed in Anchorage Superior Court, demands the study’s release and claims the state altered its methodology to conceal unfavorable results.
The Alaska Public Employee Salary Study lawsuit targets Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration, alleging it changed the study’s standards after receiving negative findings. The Alaska Legislature commissioned the survey in 2023 to determine whether state employees’ salaries remain competitive.
It was scheduled for completion by June 30, 2024, but state officials have yet to release the results. State agencies have struggled to fill vacant positions, leading unions and lawmakers to question whether salaries have kept up with inflation.
Many suspect wages have fallen behind the private sector and out-of-state competition, worsening workforce shortages in critical public services. The Dunleavy administration, however, claims the study is incomplete and cites ongoing data requests as the reason for the delay.
ASEA’s lawsuit contends that officials deliberately revised the study’s criteria to make state salaries appear more competitive. Historically, Alaska assessed salaries using the 65th percentile, meaning 35% of similar private-sector wages exceeded state pay.
The lawsuit states that after initial findings showed most state salaries were misaligned with this benchmark, the state shifted to a 50th percentile model. This adjustment lowered the standard and skewed the results to favor the administration’s position.
The union argues that modifying the study’s parameters violates the legislature’s original $1 million funding allocation, making it unconstitutional. AESA asks the court to order the state to release the research and reinstate the 65th percentile standard.
The lawsuit also seeks an injunction to prevent further alterations. Judge Ian Wheeles has been assigned to the case but has not scheduled a hearing. The Alaska public employee salary study lawsuit awaits a formal response from the state, which the Alaska Department of Law is still reviewing.
This news article was originally published by Alaska Beacon.
