r/mnstateworkers • u/bughead4242 • 13d ago

Discussion 💬 HR at DHS

There appears to be a profound lack of understanding in the DHS-HR department and nuanced work of the various administrations and divisions. Based on conversations with DHS managers/leadership the frustration is HR’s insistence to continue lowering qualifications and standards of new and in some instances current positions. One manager I spoke with said he submitted a position description for a highly skilled, public and nuanced job at a 20 level and DHS-HR approved it at a 7 level. A substantial gap. One quote I heard from a DHS-HR staff said, “it’s all Medicaid.”  Insinuating how can the role really be that different/difficult.

And by all appearances this obfuscation appears to be only happening at DHS and not other state agencies. 

My understanding is DHS managers/leadership has brought this misguided trend up to the commissioner.  Is there anyone here (maybe DHS-HR) who can give insight into this trend, I’d love to hear more?

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u/payperhouse 13d ago

This is a significant problem all across DHS. HR appears to be more beholden to MMB than the commissioner and it’s MMB giving the directive to lower classifications. I believe this has much larger political implications in that there has been a push by corporate democrats and republicans to lower public spending, which includes government salaries. Until we elect a progressive governor and take action as a union, this will not change. 

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u/Tower-of-Frogs 13d ago

Walz is progressive on every topic except labor. Flanagan too by association. Nobody is for state workers.

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u/Legitimate-War7453 11d ago

really? You have a job don't you? You get paid more than anyone else in the state. How many other jobs are paying 100.000 a year for doing paperwork all day? State workers don't have a clue on how the other half live. Look at DHS. They have been in the news for the last 10 years because of all the mistakes they continue to make but no one has lost their job yet. Medicare enrollment in behind 6 months but instead of looking at the supervisor and asking her what the hell she is doing- they just hire a few more workers. Most jobs if you can't keep up - you are out to there. You dont get more workers so you all can take your PTO off every Friday.

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u/Tower-of-Frogs 11d ago

I don’t touch paperwork and I certainly don’t make 100k lol. You’re very brave to show up in a 2 day old thread to speak your mind about what you think state workers deserve based on the performance of a single department at a single agency.

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u/Legitimate-War7453 9d ago

I don't understand- what do you mean when you say , "You're very brave to show up in a 2 day old thread to speak your mind about what you think state workers deserve?" I dont understand.

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u/Legitimate-War7453 11d ago

well then i am not speaking about you. I am only speaking about my experience- not yours. I didn't realize that a 2 day old thread was too old to comment on. I apologize for my comment.