The General Assembly amended Section 117.62 (Critical Employee Recruitment and Retention) of the 2022–2023 Appropriations Act to allow state agencies to spend state, federal, and other sources of revenue to provide lump sum bonuses to aid in recruiting and retaining workers in critical needs jobs which provide services that directly impact the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The proviso also allows agencies to provide paid educational leave, student loan repayment, and tuition reimbursement to individuals employed in critical needs positions. Agencies receive no special funding for this program; instead, agencies deciding to use the program must use funds from their existing budgets.
Agencies must submit a critical needs position form to DSHR outlining the basis for seeking to have the positions designated as a critical needs jobs.