The cuts will be made by shifting the state's different HR departments under the State Personnel Office. At the start of last year, Gov. Susan Martinez first discussed reorganizing HR, as reported, but it was not known then how many actual jobs would be cut.
The 30% cut means the now 348 full-time staff would shrink to 240, Justin Najaka, director of the State Personnel Office, told legislators. He also said that consolidating the various HR departments under one agency would make HR more effective in dealing with personnel issues state-wide and could shorten the recruitment process.
"We believe it will address many of the challenges we're facing," Najaka said.
But critics charge that a decentralized HR would be more effective in helping workers across the state and especially for employees in smaller cities and towns who may prefer to meet one-and-one with a local HR staff member.