CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The majority of state workers will begin seeing a little more on their direct deposit slips at the end of the month when the previously approved state pay raise kicks in.
State Deputy Revenue Secretary Mark Muchow said some workers saw the increase in their July 16 pay but most others have to wait until the July 31 pay.
State lawmakers approved a $504 across-the-board increase. Muchow said that will result in $21 more a pay period, which is about a 1.5 to 2 percent raise for the average state worker.
Teachers received a $1,000 increase on July 1. The combination of the two increases carries a $40 million annual price tag for the state budget.
Muchow said the raises are coming at a time when the last two state budgets have seen a combined one percent reduction in revenue.
“When you have declining revenues in your general revenue fund it makes it more difficult to increase activities,” he said adding state revenues usually grow between 3.5 to 4 percent a year.
Muchow said in some cases the raise may bump an employee up to a higher pay category and increase the premium they pay for their health insurance through PEIA.
“We have had some unusual cases where a state worker will refuse a pay raise because of that,” Muchow said.