An Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover for Fiscal Year 2013
January 2014
Report Number 14-701
Overall Conclusion
The fiscal year 2013 statewide turnover rate was 17.6 percent for classified regular, full- and part-time employees based on 26,430 separations. Those separations include both voluntary and involuntary separations. That was an increase from the fiscal year 2012 statewide turnover rate of 17.3 percent. During the past five years, turnover has gradually increased from 14.4 percent in fiscal year 2009 to 17.6 percent in fiscal year 2013.
Excluding involuntary separations and retirements, the fiscal year 2013 statewide turnover rate was 10.0 percent. That rate, which is often considered more of a true turnover rate because it reflects preventable turnover, remained the same since fiscal year 2012, when it was also 10.0 percent.
The 83rd Legislature directed the State Auditor's Office to identify each state agency that experienced an employee turnover rate exceeding 17.0 percent during the preceding biennium. Eighteen state agencies with at least 50 employees had a turnover rate that exceeded 17.0 percent in fiscal year 2013. Ten of those agencies also had a turnover rate exceeding 17.0 percent in fiscal year 2012.
Voluntary separations, including retirements, accounted for the majority (75.2 percent) of the State's total separations in fiscal year 2013. That was a 2.5 percent increase in the number of voluntary separations since fiscal year 2012.
Several factors may have contributed to the increase in the number of voluntary separations. Specifically:
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, as of October 2013, Texas had the largest increase in jobs in the nation compared to October 2012. According to the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts' Biennial Revenue Estimate 2014-2015, job growth in Texas is projected to outpace the growth in the Texas labor force and result in a continuing decline in unemployment in fiscal years 2014 and 2015.
- Overall, Texas's unemployment rate decreased in fiscal year 2013. The statewide unemployment rate decreased from 7.2 percent in fiscal year 2012 to 6.4 percent in fiscal year 2013.
- Retirements continued to be a significant portion of separations and accounted for 18.4 percent of total separations in fiscal year 2013. Separations due to retirement increased by 10.3 percent from fiscal year 2012 to fiscal year 2013. Retirements increased by 48.2 percent in fiscal year 2013 when compared to five years ago in fiscal year 2009. Involuntary separations accounted for 24.8 percent of the State's total separations in fiscal year 2013.