Employment in state government has dropped by more than 2 percent since Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin imposed a hiring freeze in March 2013, West Virginia Budget Office reports show.
The March 2013 monthly report of permanent filled positions showed 38,275.4 full-time equivalent employees in state government.
In the latest report, dated June 30, that number has dropped to 37,358.37, a decline of the equivalent of 917 full-time employees (FTE). Under the reporting, part-time employees show up as a fraction of an FTE.
"Our office has been monitoring the process carefully, with the goal of limiting growth in state employment, with the understanding we still need to maintain essential services to the state," said Tomblin spokeswoman Jessica Tice.
She said there has not been a blanket policy to leave all vacancies unfilled but, when a vacancy occurs, to carefully review the position to determine if a replacement needs to be hired.
According to the Budget Office reports, the Department of Health and Human Resources has had the largest employment decline, dropping by 208.38 FTEs to 5,768.29 employees.
The Higher Education Policy Commission, which includes employees at state colleges and universities, dropped by 204.34 employees to 10,880.8, while the Department of Commerce has had one of the largest percentage declines in employment, dropping 184.82 FTEs to 1,564.95.
The Department of Veterans Assistance saw the largest percentage decline in employment, at 12 percent, from 257.74 FTEs in 2013 to 226.64 FTEs in June.
Another agency that has had a roughly 10 percent decline in employees is the Department of Revenue, which has dropped 107.19 FTEs to 996.51.
Five agencies have more employees as of June 30 than they had in March 2013, including the Supreme Court, which oversees the state court systems.
The Supreme Court's employment has grown by 88.35 FTEs to 1,433.8, primarily because of additional counselors, parole officers and other positions required to implement drug courts and pre-sentencing risk assessments under the Justice Reinvestment Act of 2013, legislation intended to promote community corrections options and decrease prison overcrowding.
The Department of Administration grew by 10.5 FTEs to 723.85 employees, while the Attorney General's Office increased 7.88 employees to 194.43 FTE. The state Treasurer's Office grew by 2.5 FTEs to 132.5 employees, while the Secretary of State's Office increased by 1.5 FTEs to 55 employees.
Among other statewide constitutional officers, the Governor's Office dropped by 2.5 FTEs to 49.5 positions, the Auditor's Office dropped 16 full-time positions to 177.75 FTEs, and the Department of Agriculture declined by 21.25 FTEs to 312.5 positions.
Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wvgazettemail.com, 304 348-1220, or follow @PhilKabler on Twitter.