A Note From the Director
Greetings! We hope that you're having a fantastic summer and taking time off to spend with family and friends. We are thrilled to announce that registration has opened for the 2025 DHRM HR Conference, “HR Navigating the Winds of Change: Building a Resilient Workforce!” This two-and-a-half day event will feature local and national speakers who will provide expert insights, interactive workshops and networking opportunities with your colleagues. Together we will uncover HR solutions that not only adapt to change but actively shape the future of work.
This conference will be held October 28, 2025 – October 30, 2025 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Please share this information with your respective HR staff and agency Safety Coordinators. For more details and to register click here! We hope you can join us!
As a reminder, please submit your agency's Workforce Plans by September 30. The metrics from this plan is a valuable resource that will help us assess the effectiveness of our employee engagement efforts.
Thank you!
Janet L. Lawson, DHRM Director
On June 30, the Governor directed Cabinet Secretaries to validate the accuracy of Cardinal HCM data in key areas with a deadline of August 15. Hopefully you have been provided with a copy of the Governor’s instructions found here. Since Cardinal is the system of record for Human Resources, Finance and Payroll information, your agency data must be accurate and continuously updated. DHRM uses Cardinal data to provide mandated statewide reports and a growing number of external inquiries. Accurate HR data in Cardinal continues to be a challenge. Click on the link above for more information.
Virginia Minimum Wage Increase
The Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) recently issued a notification regarding a change to the state minimum wage from $12.41/hour to $12.77/hour effective January 1, 2026. Although the current classified pay structure pay band minimums exceed Virginia’s new minimum wage rate, DHRM encourages agencies to review employee salaries or hourly rates to evaluate impact and ensure employees are compensated appropriately.
In December 2024, we introduced a new, semi-annual DHRM Report: The EEO Complaint & Grievance Resolution Report. The primary goal of this report is to gather high-level data from agencies on the outcomes of internal investigations concerning employee relations issues, specifically related to EEO discrimination complaints and grievances. Click on the link above for more information.
In March 2025, we communicated important updates about performance objectives and competencies. We're providing a mid-year update on our performance review process and want to express our sincere thanks for your continued dedication and hard work. Your efforts in initiating performance reviews, guiding supervisors through position description updates, and assisting with the creation of performance objectives for this cycle are greatly appreciated. Click on the link above for more information.
Agencies can access national compensation survey data from the Mercer Compensation Benchmarking Platform at a discounted rate through a partnership with DHRM. The cost for FY26 will be consistent from FY25 and is $725 per user, which is based on the number of users from the prior year. Click on the link above for more information.
The Office of Workers' Compensation is excited to announce the 2nd Annual Virginia Safety Professional Symposium at two locations:
- New River Community College on Wednesday, October 1.
- The College of William and Mary on Thursday, October 9.
Learn more information about how to register by clicking on the link above.
We are excited to announce two upcoming recruiting events:
- The Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy will be hosting an online State & Local Government Career Fair in the Fall.
- Ready-to-work Veterans event hosted by DAV | RecruitMilitary at Fort Lee on August 27.
Learn more about how your agency can get involved by clicking the link above.
Engagement
As you may be aware, through the Adjunct Emergency Workforce (AEW), state employees can help support critical needs in a hurricane or other emergency events including emergency sheltering and emergency related procurement needs. Click on the link above for more information.
In recent years, gut health has emerged as an important part of well-being. The gut, often referred to as the "second brain," is home to trillions of microorganisms that play vital roles in managing blood sugar, preventing diseases, regulating mood, and more. We encourage you to invite CommonHealth’s Wellness Consultants to share Gut Check with your team onsite, virtually, or in a hybrid format to help enhance their well-being, engagement, and performance—both at work and at home. Learn more by clicking the link above.
Employee Appreciation Offers
The Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) is pleased to announce that the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival (RJMF) and the Commonwealth have partnered to extend a $10 per ticket discount to any state employee interested in attending the event this year on August 8–10 at Maymont Park, in Richmond, Virginia. Please use the state employee promo code upon checking out: jazz4va. Click the link above for more information.
The Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) is pleased to announce that NASCAR and Richmond Raceway has partnered with the Commonwealth to offer state employees a discount to the 2025 Cook Out 400 NASCAR Cup Series Race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Click the link above to learn more.
DHRM and the Washington Commanders are excited to provide state employees discounted tickets for their upcoming season! $5 of every ticket sold for the advertised games against the Bears, Broncos, and Cowboys, will be donated back to the 2025 Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign! To access the link, employees will need to enter the password VIRGINIA.
If you have any questions about the event or Commanders tickets in general, please feel free to email marissa.badorini@commanders.com. This is a limited time offer! Learn more by clicking on the link above.
In Case You Missed...
We’re excited to invite state agency leaders to the final Summer 2025’s COVA Internship Connection event! This summer, we proudly supported over 100 interns across more than 20 state agencies, offering centralized training and engaging events. Come meet the next generation of public servants and celebrate their achievements! Click on the link above to learn more and to register.
As outlined in the Telework Policy, agencies must review each employee’s telework agreement on an annual basis and determine whether to renew or update the agreement for the upcoming year. In accordance with operational business needs, Agencies may determine the time of year to perform this review. However, many current telework agreements have expiration dates in Cardinal effective June 30. Learn more by clicking on the link above.
The HR Share Point Site is available for HR Directors to connect and is a great resource tool. The Share Point site is a visual analytics site designed to provide HR Directors with a way to obtain information from DHRM. Please let DHRM Deputy Stacy Pendleton know if you have any questions.
Our Gearing Up Podcast returned for season 3! Listen in on this exciting new season as we explore paths less traveled to unravel workforce trends, challenges, and strategies. Learn more by clicking on the link above.
The Virginia Office of Data Governance and Analytics provides free training and resources for Commonwealth agencies to improve their data governance and management programs. Click the link above to learn more.
Goings....
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After more than 25 years of dedicated service to the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM), Debbie Wyatt-Smith announced her retirement as a Shared Services, Human Resources Client Manager, effective September 1. Debbie is excited to embrace the next chapter of her life by exploring new opportunities as a retiree. We are grateful for Debbie and her 20-plus years at DHRM and for her many contributions to the Commonwealth. Job well done, Debbie! |
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