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Fellow state employees,
Months ago, we began an in-depth review of the State of Indiana employee experience, examining compensation, flexibility, employee wellness and how we recognize your contributions. Just as employers across the country have embarked on such a process, we have studied how the workplace and employee needs and wants have changed.
We are committed to providing executive-branch employees with a workplace where they can collaborate to find the best solutions to our challenges, where their contributions are recognized and celebrated, where their wellness is a priority, and where they are well compensated and provided with workplace flexibility.
 I’m happy to share with you today that, after months of study and listening to feedback from agency leaders and employees from across state government, we are announcing the first set of state work policy changes. These were developed to adjust benefits for our No. 1 resource – you – and continue attracting others like you.
We are quickly implementing the first round of changes, effective March 7. They include:
- Flexible work arrangements allow state agencies more flexibility in employee schedules and permit up to 15 hours per week of remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside of state facilities
- Education reimbursement, allowing full-time employees to be reimbursed for up to $5,250 annually for the cost of an advanced degree, state licensure, approved course, GED, or certificate
- Referral bonuses ranging from $100 to $500, rewarding current employees who recruit talented people to public service with the state
- WHOLE Employee policy, which allows state agencies greater flexibility to conduct employee engagement, wellness, learning and development-related activities
- Community Service Leave, increasing the number of paid time off hours full-time employees may spend annually performing charitable service to 15
- New Employee Leave Time, granting up to 22.5 hours of personal leave to use in the first six months of employment
- Re-Employing Retired State Employees, creating a special classification for retired state employees to return to state employment, which enhances the knowledge and experience in state agencies
- Bridge to Retirement Program, which allows agencies to hire a new employee to begin training with an employee who has set a retirement date, to foster a smooth transition
In May, we will begin Phase 2, which will re-establish the Governor’s Public Service Achievement Awards and a standardized Spot Bonus Program to reward you for exceptional service. We also plan to survey employees about barriers to employment they face due to child or other dependent care.
By summer, we will have results and recommendations from the ongoing Comprehensive Compensation Study. That information will help us further determine how to adjust compensation for the next biennium budget.
I’m excited about these changes and what they will mean for the future State of Indiana workplace. I hope they will lead you to re-committing yourself to your job, because we are committed to you.
I want to repeat what I’ve told you before: Your work, day-in and day-out, to provide Hoosiers with excellent government service is the foundation that allows our state to work and to thrive.
An overview of the policy changes can be found here.
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
 Governor Eric J. Holcomb
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