Job Security with the State of Texas HHS (employment, salaries)

[Lostandold]

Hello everyone, I recently got a position with the state of Texas HHS as a IT project manager. I am currently employed with another private organization, and although I like the job, there is quite a bit of instability. Due to that I applied to the state of Texas and I got the job and I have accepted the fact that my pay will be cut by 25%.

In the current environment, does anyone foresee a chance of the state of Texas HHS eventually doing an RIF? The reason I ask is because I would rather be laid off and take my severance if there’s no real job security with the state of Texas.

My main question I guess is, does anyone here work for the state of Texas and feel like their employment is at risk during economic down turns or do you feel that your job is more secure with the state than with private employment?

[TexasRedneck]

Generally speaking, your job will be quite secure - Texas continues to grow, and is typically understaffed at most agencies, so RIF's are VERY rare. TBH though - a 25% cut would be hard for me to accept, which is why they're typically understaffed.

[Brown Darby]

Originally Posted by Lostandold

Hello everyone, I recently got a position with the state of Texas HHS as a IT project manager. I am currently employed with another private organization, and although I like the job, there is quite a bit of instability. Due to that I applied to the state of Texas and I got the job and I have accepted the fact that my pay will be cut by 25%.

In the current environment, does anyone foresee a chance of the state of Texas HHS eventually doing an RIF? The reason I ask is because I would rather be laid off and take my severance if there’s no real job security with the state of Texas.

My main question I guess is, does anyone here work for the state of Texas and feel like their employment is at risk during economic down turns or do you feel that your job is more secure with the state than with private employment?

I work for Texas HHS and see no sign of a RIF as nearly all programs are understaffed, some more than others. Based on my experience in another state agency and the private sector, this is the most stable, secure I've felt in my career.

[Need4Camaro]

State services in general certainly always seem to be in hiring mode. I get calls pretty much every other week for IT jobs at Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Texas Department of Public Safety and Health. I also get calls fairly frequently for IT jobs at LCRA. I don't know if they fill the positions and receive a lot of turnover or if they are just growing in general. The salaries for those jobs were relatively competitive as well so I am going to assume it is growth.

[Trainwreck20]

When there are reductions, they are almost via the elimination of unfilled positions.

[Lostandold]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

When there are reductions, they are almost via the elimination of unfilled positions.

Just out of curiosity, how common are RIFs of employees

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by Lostandold

Just out of curiosity, how common are RIFs of employees

I worked for the state for 7 years back in the 90s. I don't recall anyone in our agency (which was 2,500 positions) every losing their job due to a RIF. Not that I tracked everyone, but that would have been BIG news. There were occasional 'reductions' a couple times, but they were always accomplished by eliminating positions after someone left or positions that had not been filled for a while.

After I left the state, I went into consulting for many years (25-ish) and just recently decided to change jobs again. The choices were a) return to the state and 'buff' my retirement package but take a (probably) 25% pay cut or b) go into industry and get a 40% pay increase. It did take some looking into - the state jobs can be very low stress relative to industry and I would have more than doubled my retirement pay in just three years of continued state work. The industry job is a ton of traveling and I could be 'let go' at any moment.

The down-side of state work is the damn bureaucracy! And some pretty difficult people sometimes that would have been let-go from industry many years ago but can hang on at the state. Many of the workers when I was at the state were there as a second career (lots of retired military) or had a spouse that made better money and this was just icing on the cake for their finances. A ton of other situations, but a notable number of those.

No one takes a state job 'for the money', but that doesn't mean it isn't a good job for certain situations. For me, it turned into an excellent 'training' program for a career.

[ashbeeigh]

It’s not an RIF or funding you need to worry about. It’s the politics. Just don’t get on anyone’s bad side, stay in your lane, and don’t get involved in anything, and you’ll be fine.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

I worked for the state for 7 years back in the 90s. I don't recall anyone in our agency (which was 2,500 positions) every losing their job due to a RIF. Not that I tracked everyone, but that would have been BIG news. There were occasional 'reductions' a couple times, but they were always accomplished by eliminating positions after someone left or positions that had not been filled for a while.

After I left the state, I went into consulting for many years (25-ish) and just recently decided to change jobs again. The choices were a) return to the state and 'buff' my retirement package but take a (probably) 25% pay cut or b) go into industry and get a 40% pay increase. It did take some looking into - the state jobs can be very low stress relative to industry and I would have more than doubled my retirement pay in just three years of continued state work. The industry job is a ton of traveling and I could be 'let go' at any moment.

The down-side of state work is the damn bureaucracy! And some pretty difficult people sometimes that would have been let-go from industry many years ago but can hang on at the state. Many of the workers when I was at the state were there as a second career (lots of retired military) or had a spouse that made better money and this was just icing on the cake for their finances. A ton of other situations, but a notable number of those.

No one takes a state job 'for the money', but that doesn't mean it isn't a good job for certain situations. For me, it turned into an excellent 'training' program for a career.

+1
My wife worked in the Health Department for 21 years - most as a license program manager before retiring 20 years ago.

[Lostandold]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

It’s not an RIF or funding you need to worry about. It’s the politics. Just don’t get on anyone’s bad side, stay in your lane, and don’t get involved in anything, and you’ll be fine.

Are there challenges to getting promoted?