NC Labor Commissioner Slashes Inspector Vacancy Rate to Record Low
Commissioner Luke Farley Achieves CSHO Vacancy Rate Below 10%, Strengthening Job Site Safety Across North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. — Today, North Carolina Labor Commissioner Luke Farley announced that the vacancy rate for Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs) has dropped below 10% — the lowest in over a decade and a major milestone in the state’s effort to strengthen workplace safety.
The achievement comes in the first year of Farley’s term and fulfills his key promise to rebuild the Department’s frontline enforcement team.
“This is more than a hiring win — it’s a safety win,” said Commissioner Farley. “Every inspector we add means faster response times, more site visits, and safer working conditions for the people who provide for their families and power North Carolina’s economy.”
In January 2025, the CSHO vacancy rate hovered above 20%. Commissioner Farley’s administration has now cut it by more than half through an aggressive, multi-pronged recruitment and retention strategy.
That strategy included two major workforce investments rolled out this year:
A starting salary increase to $61,000 for fully qualified compliance safety officers
A 3% raise for veteran inspectors with three or more years of service
Both pay adjustments were funded through a strategic reallocation of existing departmental resources, with no added cost to taxpayers.
“We promised to fix the inspector shortage — and we did it,” Farley said. “By valuing the professionals who keep job sites safe, we’ve sent a clear message: North Carolina backs its workforce with action, not just words.”
This latest milestone supports Commissioner Farley’s broader three-point safety plan:
Fill open inspector positions to boost enforcement capacity
Cut wait times for voluntary safety consultations
Expand recognition programs that reward safety excellence in the private and public sectors
“This milestone is proof that North Carolina can lead the nation in workplace safety,” said Farley. “We’re not just meeting standards — we’re setting them.”
For more information about workplace safety programs and resources, visit www.labor.nc.gov.
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