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How we do things in Oregon State gov employment

Hey, I work for HR in an Oregon State government and wanted to tell you that if the government can do these things, so can private companies and other states: All state employees (besides management service) are unionized. We have a contract with SEIU 503 which most employee's fall under. Some are with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees trade union. There's bargaining every 2 years and we're beholden to follow it. Pay levels are posted on EVERY job posting, and there is a classification list managed by the Department of Administrative Services showing you the exact amount you'll receive at each step for each job. You are guaranteed a step increase once a year at your current job, and undergo pay equity when you are hired at a different department that matches your qualifications to possibly give you a big boost. We also have cost of…


Hey, I work for HR in an Oregon State government and wanted to tell you that if the government can do these things, so can private companies and other states:

  1. All state employees (besides management service) are unionized. We have a contract with SEIU 503 which most employee's fall under. Some are with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees trade union. There's bargaining every 2 years and we're beholden to follow it.
  2. Pay levels are posted on EVERY job posting, and there is a classification list managed by the Department of Administrative Services showing you the exact amount you'll receive at each step for each job. You are guaranteed a step increase once a year at your current job, and undergo pay equity when you are hired at a different department that matches your qualifications to possibly give you a big boost.
  3. We also have cost of living increases (COLA) that are determined once a year. It will always increase your monthly pay permanently.
  4. Workday, for as god awful a program that it is to use, does keep good track of your PTO accruals. You can use sick days as soon as you start, but vacation can't be used for 6 months, though you start to accrue time when you start.
  5. Oregon is embracing WFH as a permanent change to some jobs. Employee's working from home are issued their own computers, phones, and any other needed office equipment, including chairs.
  6. All jobs are competitive. An external candidate has as much chance to be hired into a position as an internal one. Direct appointments happen but are rare and usually reserved for a special need.

I know HR is usually the bad guy for most companies but I love my job. I'm just admin support but I love the union, and that the contract makes it so I don't have to do shitty things to employee's. Even though I don't have the same contract protections, the State finds it easier to follow the contract for management too so we usually get the same benefits, like when Juneteenth was added as a paid holiday.

None of this is secret, it's all public info. You can see this on all our job postings. It's not perfect for sure, but it might be a good template if you're looking to create some change in the world.

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