MichCapCon asks the tough questions about MDHHS diversity program hires.

State health department has 23 DEI employees

Annual income for REDI positions $27,000 more than the average Michigander

By Jamie A. Hope | August 1, 2024

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has created 23 “race, equity, diversity and inclusion” positions since 2020, according to a Freedom of Information Act request.

The highest salary among them is $145,050, within the salary range of the department’s senior executive attorney.

The FOIA response provided salaries and hourly wages for all REDI employees within the state health department. By comparison, the department’s senior attorney’s salary ranges from a minimum of $129,048 to a cap of $170,976.

The department announced the creation of REDI jobs in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It now has 23 such jobs, with an average annual income of $84,691. If the top salaried positions were removed, the annual income of all would be $78,581.

The state health department did not respond to a request for comment. The department has not indicated what prompted it to create the positions or what metrics it uses to measure their impact.

The state has 15 pay grades that determine the hourly or salary range of each position.

Pay grades are determined by job description and requirements, such as education and experience.

The lowest hourly rate for all REDI positions is $23.90, with the highest at $44.73. Over half of the jobs, or 12 positions, pay more than $40 per hour.

The pay scale is generous compared to other state positions. A child welfare consultant with a pay grade of 12, the highest classification provided for this position, makes between $29.05 and $41.76 per hour.

A veterinarian is required to be a doctor of veterinary medicine to obtain a license to practice. An A12 veterinarian, the highest classification provided by the state for this position, makes between $30.11 and $43.69 per hour.

An economic community development manager with a pay grade of 12 earns between $34.13 and $50.00 per hour. A licensed architect manager classified as having a pay grade of 15, the highest classification offered by the state, earns between $36.02 and $53.06 per hour.

The average salary for a Michigan resident was $57,038 in 2022, according to Statista.

Just for the record, that average Michigan resident's salary listed here works out to a 40-hour work week at $27.42/hour.