1. PRESS RELEASE
For release: 3/27/15
Contact: Kate Johanns, TPEA Marketing/Communications Director
kjohanns@tpea.org
W: (512) 476-2691 or M: (512) 922-6214
State employees report struggling to make ends meet on current pay
Biennial survey gauges workforce opinions on salary, health insurance and retirement
The Texas Public Employees Association’s biennial survey confirms that state employees are willing to share the burden of
shoring up the Employees Retirement System pension fund—but many respondents also report struggling to support their
families on their current state salaries.
Over two-thirds of the more than 17,000 active state employees responding to TPEA’s survey said that in order to prevent
benefit design changes, they support increasing the employee contribution rate to ERS when the increase is coupled with a
pay increase. This shows that the Texas House of Representatives proposal announced March 10—a proposal that would
increase the state and employee contributions to 9.5 percent and offset the employee contribution with a 2.5 percent pay
increase—is in line with state employee attitudes.
“State employees are committed to serving their fellow citizens and carrying out the state’s mission at a good value to the
taxpayer,” said Gary W. Anderson, TPEA executive director. “They recognize the value of the pension program and continue to
support it with their own contributions and even a willingness to increase those contributions.”
The survey results also corroborated ongoing concerns about salaries, long a deterrent to attracting and retaining the
state’s workforce. A September 2014 State Auditor’s report found an FY2013 turnover rate of more than 17 percent among
the 11 agencies employing nearly three out of four state employees. In some cases, positions in these agencies paid more
than 20 percent less than comparable positions in the private sector (learn more at www.tpea.org/state-auditors-report-on-
salaries-reveals-considerable-pay-gaps/).
Respondents had an opportunity to provide open-ended feedback. A number of respondents mentioned being eligible for
public assistance despite being fully employed by the state. To measure this more fully, the association will survey state
employees regarding public assistance and compensation in the next few weeks.
“We are concerned about the number of state employees who cannot support their families on their state salaries,” Anderson
says. “It is a sad statement that in too many cases people employed by the State of Texas must also rely on public assistance
to make ends meet.”
About the 2015 TPEA Legislative Survey
The survey was open between Feb. 24 and March 6, 2015, and sent to more than 84,000 state employee email addresses as
well as TPEA’s home email list. It received more than 17,000 responses, representing a 20 percent response rate. We sent the
survey to our home email list this year in order to reach more state employees who lack regular computer access at work. The
survey was also optimized for mobile devices so it could be taken on a smartphone or tablet.
To review additional survey results, visit www.tpea.org/communication/surveys/, and log in using the password TPEA2015.
About the Texas Public Employees Association
Founded in 1946, the Texas Public Employees Association is a nonunion, nonpartisan legislative advocacy organization for
current and retired state employees.
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