The Idaho Division of Human Resources is recommending the Idaho Legislature approve salary increases of 4% or $1.25 per hour for all permanent state employees.
Idaho Division of Human Resources Administrator Janelle White made the recommendation Friday during a meeting of the Idaho Legislature’s Change in Employee Compensation Committee meeting at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.
White recommended the 4% salary increase, along with flexibility to distribute the funds for recruitment and retention. She also recommended increasing the salary structure midpoints for positions including public safety and nursing and recommended a 5.5% market-based increase for the salary structure for IT and engineering positions.
White said the Division of Human Resources issued the recommendation after receiving testimony from more than 1,700 state employees.
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“Across all pay ranges, employees consistently cite rising cost of living as a major concern with current wages failing to keep pace,” White said. “They are concerned about pay compression, which is where new or less experienced employees earn as much or more than more tenured employees. Turnover and vacant positions are leading to increased workloads and burnout.”
Pay and benefits are important for several reasons. The state is one of the largest employers in Idaho, and these decisions directly affect thousands of Idaho families.
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Additionally, many state agencies struggle with retention because state employees in many fields make far less than their counterparts at private businesses and even at city and county jobs, White said. Last year’s turnover rate was 19.2%. The situation is exacerbated because of inflation and surging increases in housing costs in Idaho.
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“In the last decade, inflation has risen by more than 30% while the average base salary for state employees has only increased by 4.2%,” White said.
“As a result, employees are finding it harder to afford basic expenses such as housing, food, transportation, health care and other essential goods and services,” White added. “As Idahoans continue to rely on the contributions of these dedicated individuals, it is crucial to recognize and appreciate the invaluable role they play in our society and to ensure they can provide necessities for their families.”
Part-time Idaho legislators set to receive larger pay increase than state employees
Meanwhile, Idaho legislators are set to receive a much higher salary increase next year of 25%.
Last month, a different committee – the Citizens Committee on Legislative Compensation – approved increasing the annual salary for Idaho legislators from $19,913 to $25,000, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Rather than a full time legislative body, the Idaho Legislature is a part-time, seasonal legislature that generally meets for about 80 to 90 days each year.
Some Republican legislators have vowed to fight their pay raise.
Low pay for Idaho state employees can lead to high turnover
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White told legislators there is a high cost to continually recruit and retrain new employees to replace the state employees who quit their jobs to make higher pay doing the same kind of work somewhere else.
State employees make an average of $20,000 less per year than they would doing the same job for a different employer, White said. Over the course of a 30-year career, that would cost an average state employee $600,000 in lost wages to work for the state.
“When employees leave the state, it has a profound and lasting impact on the bottom line and our ability to deliver services,” White said. “The hidden cost of turnover is frequently overlooked, yet its consequences are very costly to the state. A general rule of thumb is that it costs an organization one to three times an employee’s annual salary to replace them.” Nothing was settled Friday.
The Change in Employee Compensation Committee is scheduled to meet again Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, and the Idaho Legislature will have the final say on pay and benefits for state employees during the upcoming 2025 legislative session.
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The rotunda as seen on March 16, 2026, at the Idaho State Capitol Building in Boise. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
Ahead of the 2026 primary elections, the League of Women Voters of Idaho is teaming up with several local groups to hold candidate forums and voter education events in the hopes of boosting voter turnout.
The groups invited all candidates for public office in Ada and Canyon County’s commissions, and inlegislative district 11, which is in Canyon County.
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The groups that are hosting include Mormon Women for Ethical Government, the Caldwell Chamber of Commerce, the American Association of University Women’s Boise branch and the College of Idaho’s Masters of Applied Public Policy Program.
Here’s when and where the forums are:
Ada County Commissioner District 2:7-8:30 p.m. April 24 at Meridian City Hall, located at 33 E. Broadway Ave. in Meridian.
Ada County Commissioner District 1:7-8:30 p.m. April 28 at Valley View Elementary School, located at 3555 N Milwaukee St. in Boise.
Legislative District 11:6:30-8:30 p.m. April 30 at Caldwell City Hall, located at 205 S. 6th Ave. in Caldwell.
Canyon County Commissioner:6-8 p.m. May 7 at Caldwell City Hall, 205 S. 6th Ave. in Caldwell.
Learn more about candidates at the League of Women Voters’ online voter guide,VOTE411.ORG.
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BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Idaho drivers wanting to celebrate America’s anniversary this year now have a unique way to do that. The Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles has released an America 250 license plate to mark the occasion.
The new license plate includes an American flag on a blue background with the words “America 250” and the dates “1776 – 2026.”
The plate requires an extra fee that will go toward supporting the Idaho Heritage Trust, according to an Idaho Transportation Department news release. The specific fee wasn’t listed.
“This plate gives Idahoans a chance to mark a historic milestone and show their pride on the road,” said Lisa McClellan, DMV administrator, in a statement. “We’re proud to offer a design that honors our country’s past while supporting Idaho’s efforts to preserve its own history.”
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The America 250 license plate was released to celebrate a historic national milestone. | Idaho Transportation Department
Idaho’s favorite license plate
The new license plate may give Idaho’s favorite a run for its money.
The Idaho Transportation Department recently held a “Battle of the Plates” vote to find out which license plate Idahoans loved best.
The Forests Forever plate was crowned the champion on April 7. Funds generated from this plate go toward Idaho replanting and reforestation projects, as well as environmental education programs for Idaho students and teachers.
“One of Idaho’s newest plates, Forests Forever made a strong run and came out on top, highlighting just how much Idahoans value our forests and natural resources,” the transportation department said in a social media post.
Idahoans chose Forests Forever as their favorite specialty license plate. | Idaho Transportation Department
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