DHHS Should Use $386 Million in Lapsed Salaries to Pay Health Workers!

NC DHHS Sec. Sangvai & DSOHF Director Ashmont

The State Auditor issued a strong criticism of DHHS in their November 2025 report - DHHS generated $386 million in lapsed salary funds in FY 2024- 2025. OSA determined that vacancies from 340 positions that were never advertised or posted. Why should state DHHS workers suffer without any annual raise, while DHHS sits on such much money?

We, the undersigned DHHS workers, demand:

  1. Unconditional $3,000 Bonus for all workers without exclusions,
  2. Immediate 10% temporary salary increase to positions with high vacancy rates such as direct care nursing, food service and housekeeping.
  3. DHHS Secretary & DSOHF Director to meet with UE 150 DHHS Leadership.
  4. Provide respectful and equitable workplaces by addressing the prevailing workplace culture of fear, retaliation and favoritism.
  5. DSOHF Director hold town meetings at each facility and meet with workers without management present.
  6. Safe Staffing Task force to perform a comprehensive review of safety protocols and implement changes.
  7. Advocate to Legislature for a family-supporting wage of $25 per hour minimum and 20% permanent wage increase for all DHHS employees.

To: NC DHHS Sec. Sangvai & DSOHF Director Ashmont
From: [Your Name]

We are concerned that DHHS workers must continue to work without any annual raise, while the department sits on so much money. The State Auditor's November 2025 report indicated that DHHS generated $386 million in lapsed salary funds in SFY 2024- 2025. OSA determined that vacancies from 340 positions that were never advertised and posted.

​We, the undersigned DHHS workers, demand:

1.Unconditional $3,000 Bonus for all workers without exclusions,
2. Immediate 10% temporary salary increase to positions with high vacancy rates such as direct care nursing, food service and housekeeping.
3. DHHS Secretary & DSOHF Director to meet with UE 150 DHHS Leadership.
4. Provide respectful and equitable workplaces by addressing the prevailing workplace culture of fear, retaliation and favoritism.
5. DSOHF Director hold town meetings at each facility and meet with workers without management present.
6. Safe Staffing Task force to perform a comprehensive review of safety protocols and implement changes.
7. Advocate to Legislature for a family-supporting wage of $25 per hour minimum and 20% permanent wage increase for all DHHS employees.