Governor Mike Dunleavy’s administration postponed the Alaska salary study’s release, which was initially expected in June 2024, due to missing data. Officials classified an early draft in June, making it inaccessible to legislators and the public.
The study, funded with $1 million in 2023, was supposed to shape budget decisions and address recruitment challenges. State agencies currently face a 16.6% vacancy rate, which disrupts essential services like food assistance processing.
Ashley Carrick, a Fairbanks Democrat, led a Thursday hearing to question why the Dunleavy administration delayed the report. She emphasized its importance in determining fair wages for public employees.
Paula Vrana, Commissioner of the Department of Administration, confirmed that the study would be released in late March, nine months behind schedule. The Alaska salary study delay means lawmakers can not use its findings to adjust the upcoming budget.
Heidi Drygas, the union director, noted that the new release date comes after the mid-March deadline for contract negotiations. “If the point of the salary study is to inform wages for state employees and our collective bargaining agreements are three years old, then getting that information after our wage information is due to the Legislature is not very helpful,” said Drygas.
Vrana explained that the study did not reflect employee pay raises approved last year for about 1,200, which required updates. However, legislators questioned why the administration had classified the initial report instead of sharing it.
Representative Ky Holland, an independent from Anchorage, asked why the state couldnt release a preliminary version and add updates later. Officials also excluded data on temporary recruitment bonuses that significantly boost pay for hard-to-fill roles like troopers and correctional officers.
Carrick stressed that bonuses affect wages and should be considered. Despite mounting concerns, administration officials have not committed to releasing a draft before the final report in March. Lawmakers worry that the delay in the Alaska salary study will hinder efforts to improve pay and staffing levels across state agencies.
This news article was originally published by Anchorage Daily News.
