Senate committee hears state workforce update; DMV launches multi‑phase pay overhaul to tackle turnover

Director Lawson of the Virginia Department of Human Resource Management told a Senate committee in Richmond that the commonwealth’s classified workforce totaled just under 57,000 employees at the end of fiscal year 2024 and that the agency is focused on recruitment, retention and compensation adjustments.

“Just under 57,000 as of the end of fiscal year 24,” Director Lawson said, and noted the workforce count includes classified and wage employees but excludes contractors. Lawson said overall turnover and vacancy figures are within public‑sector industry standards but vary widely by agency.

The presentation quantified recent pay increases and the remaining gap with the private sector. Lawson said the commonwealth provided a cumulative 15% increase to state employees over the past three fiscal years — 5% in July 2022, 2% in December 2022, 5% in July 2023 and 3% in July 2024 — and that the average state salary now lags the private sector by about 13%, down from an earlier 25% lag.

Lawson also reviewed recruitment and vacancy metrics the agency tracks, noting a roughly 22% average vacancy rate across the workforce and a 2% increase in turnover from fiscal year 2023. Telework participation rose about 1% compared…