This week, State Human Resources Director Staci Meyer visits the podcast to discuss state employment in North Carolina. Meyer outlines the state’s hiring challenges (about a 19–20% vacancy rate and long time-to-hire), explains how law changes and technology will speed recruiting (resume/profile applications, temp-to-perm, pooled hiring, pay/classification flexibility), and discusses retention, retiree concerns, Gen Z recruitment, and plans to modernize hiring.We also discuss recent North Carolina news — a delayed DOT contract, DMV improvements, and a stalled state budget.