A gap grew slightly in the last two years between the pay of Nevada state employees and private-sector workers in similar jobs, according to a new survey.
"We have lost a little ground," Jeanne Greene, state personnel director, said after releasing the report Wednesday.
It found the average salary for Nevada state employees, excluding benefits, was $44,493.
The gap between salaries of state and private-sector workers was 20.7 percent in July 2004, up from 18.7 percent in July 2002.
The survey is conducted every two years by state Department of Personnel. It is used by the Legislature to decide cost-of-living adjustments for state employees.
The State of Nevada Employees Association wants a 5 percent raise in each of the next two fiscal years, but Gov. Kenny Guinn has not said whether he'd support raises.
Although lagging within Nevada, state employee salaries were 0.14 percent higher than the labor market of Western state employers, the survey said.