Long Term Vacancy
Long-Term State Vacancies Dashboard
The new Long-Term State Vacancies dashboard displays long-term state vacancies within different state agencies and the amount of funding generated in lapsed salaries. This dashboard is made in accordance with Session Law 2025-89 which requires a report on vacancies in State government 6 months or longer and their associated lapsed salaries to be published by December 31, 2025.
The Summary Page tab shows the total number of long-term state vacancies as of August 6, 2025.
The Data View tab includes a state agency breakdown, and the number of long-term vacancies and lapsed salary generated by funding type.
Under Additional Data, viewers will find more information on long-term vacancies and lapsed salaries, including the percentage of positions planned for elimination and the percentage of positions that have never been advertised.
Lapsed salary is generated from positions funded by state appropriations, specific agency-generated receipts, and federal funding and grants. As defined by the Office of State Budget and Management, lapsed salary is the dollar amount not expended for salary during the period in which a position is vacant.
In alignment with the Office of State Budget and Management’s definition of lapsed salary, for this dashboard, the total lapsed salary generated for 6 months or greater is the total dollars budgeted for positions vacant for 6 months or more and not expended for salary during the entire period in which the position was vacant. While state agencies do expend generated lapsed salaries, the total lapsed salary generated does not represent (1) actual lapsed salary dollars that were available and/or used by state agencies for other purposes, or (2) total funds available in the future if long-term vacancies were eliminated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why does the Dave Report show 8,845 long term vacant positions, while the dashboard only reflects 8,838 positions?
A: The difference of 7 positions is because some State agencies do not use the Integrated HR/ Payroll System and therefore do not have a position number associated with the vacancy. The dashboard relies on the position number as the unique identifier for the associated information on the position. As a result, these seven positions are included in the Dave Report’s total of 8,845 long term vacancies but are excluded from the dashboard.
State Bar (2 positions)
State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners (1 position)
Education Lottery Commission (*4 positions)
Q: What does “Total Lapsed Salary Generated for 6 Months or Greater” mean on the dashboard?
A: Lapsed salary is generated from positions funded by state appropriations, specific agency-generated receipts, and federal funding and grants. As defined by the Office of State Budget and Management, lapsed salary is the dollar amount not expended for salary during the period in which a position is vacant.
In alignment with the Office of State Budget and Management’s definition of lapsed salary, for this dashboard, the total lapsed salary generated for 6 months or greater is the total dollars budgeted for positions vacant for 6 months or more and not expended for salary during the entire period in which the position was vacant. While state agencies do expend generated lapsed salaries, the total lapsed salary generated does not represent (1) actual lapsed salary dollars that were available and/or used by state agencies for other purposes, or (2) total funds available in the future if long-term vacancies were eliminated.
Q: What does "unfunded placeholder" mean on the dashboard?
A: Unfunded placeholders are usually federal positions which do not receive funding but are kept in OSHR’s system in case they need to be hired quickly. For example, the Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment Security Commission (DES) is made up of unfunded federal positions reserved for an unemployment crisis. Keeping these positions within OSHR’s system allows for rapid hiring if the need arises. This label was created for clarity within our report and is not intended to reference any legal definition.
Q: Will public universities and community colleges be a part of the dashboard?
A: OSA also collected long-term vacancy and associated lapsed salary information from North Carolina public universities and community colleges, but those results will be published in a separate report. Universities have greater flexibility in managing budgets and operations, which made it necessary to report their vacancy and salary data separately from State agencies.