Turnover Among House Staffers Worst in Decades: Report
Staff turnover in the House last year was the worst in decades, according to a report. LegiStorm data shows House staffers quit their jobs at the highest rate in at least 20 years. Fifty-five percent more staffers left…
Staff turnover in the House last year was the worst in decades, according to a report.
LegiStorm data shows House staffers quit their jobs at the highest rate in at least 20 years. Fifty-five percent more staffers left than in the preceding year.
According to the report, House Democrats had a more difficult time retaining staff than Republicans. Democrats lost staffers at a 24% higher rate than Republicans.
Two Republicans did lead the House in the highest turnover rates, as LegiStorm reported. Then-Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) lost staff at nearly five times the average for the House and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) lost staff at 3.5 times the average.
Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Debbie Lesko (R-Ariz.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) made up the rest of the ten worst.
LegiStorm explained the staff turnover index is “salary-weighted, meaning that the departure of a higher-paid staffer, such as a chief of staff, will count proportionately more than that of a staff assistant or other lower-paid staffer.”
The website only considers full-time, non-temporary staff. It excludes interns and fellows.
LegiStorm is “unable to analyze current Senate turnover due to a delay in the Report of the Secretary of the Senate. The Secretary of the Senate was required by law to publish its most recent by November 2021 and has not yet done so.”
The report comes just after House Democratic leaders passed their $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill. The bill includes a 21% increase in funding for congressional offices.
The summary of the bill states it is “the largest increase in the MRA appropriation since its authorization in 1996.”
Lawmakers’ salaries will remain at $174,000 but they will be able to hire additional staffers and increase existing staffers’ pay with the additional funding.
According to the summary, the increase in funding will allow members of Congress to “recruit and retain a talented and diverse workforce.”