Jobs at HHS

Many of the people who currently work in HHS report they do it because they feel like their work makes a difference in someone’s life. If you want to join our team, HHS is looking for professionals seeking to serve and solve challenging issues in a variety of roles such as:

  • Specialists and advisors who determine eligibility for public assistance programs
  • Registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses at state supported living centers, state hospitals and in public health regions
  • Child care licensing and residential child care licensing services specialists
  • Long-term care surveyors
  • Public health educators
  • Laboratory services technicians
  • Direct care workers at state supported living centers and state hospitals
  • Administrative jobs ranging from accountants to web designers

Apply Today

Visit the Health and Human Services Jobs Center to see what jobs are currently open around the state and to complete an online application. Read the Top 10 Tips for Success when Applying to Jobs at HHS (PDF).

Reasons to Work for HHS

The state of Texas offers many benefits to employees, including competitive salaries, career advancement, health and dental insurance, and paid vacation and sick leave. Click on the tabs below to learn more about these benefits.

Employee Spotlight Videos

HHS employees work to protect public health and provide key services to more than 7 million Texans monthly through transparency, accountability and responsiveness. These spotlight videos highlight some of those outstanding employees. Watch the videos. 

Salary

HHS salaries are commensurate with education and level of experience. Opportunities for merit increases and promotion are available. In addition, a shift differential may be paid to employees in certain positions who work other than normal shifts.

Employees also earn $20 per month in longevity pay for every two years of service.

Career Advancement

Improving job skills is important to us. Therefore, we offer education and training opportunities through:

  • Paid training
  • Online training
  • Professional licensing
  • Educational assistance programs — tuition reimbursements (PDF) and academic stipends
  • Paid leave to attend training or education at a vocational school, technical school, college or university
  • Employee internships

Insurance

Medical/Health Insurance

The state of Texas offers free, comprehensive medical insurance for employees, and pays 50 percent of the premium cost for dependents (possibly as much as 90 percent for qualifying children). Coverage for most new employees begins the first day of the month after the 60th day of employment.

Employees working at least 30 hours per week may receive basic health and term life insurance at no cost to the employee. Employees working less than 30 hours per week pay at least 50 percent of the cost of their own benefits coverage and at least 75 percent of the cost of benefits coverage for their dependents.

Dental Insurance

Coverage, which is effective immediately, is available for employees and their dependents at group rates. There are two plans from which to choose.

Short- and Long-term Disability

This coverage may be purchased at group rates.

Other Insurance

  • Basic term life insurance — $5,000 coverage plus $5,000 for accidental death and dismemberment, both paid by the state.
  • Optional life insurance — Amounts from one to four times your annual salary may be purchased at group rates.
  • Voluntary accidental death and dismemberment — You determine your level of coverage from $10,000 to $200,000.
  • Dependent life insurance — $5,000 term life and $5,000 accidental death and dismemberment coverage may be purchased for dependents.
  • State of Texas Vision, administered by EyeMed Vision Care, LLC., offers more complete vision coverage to help you save money on eye exams and eyewear.

Holidays and Leave

Holidays

State employees receive an average of 15 paid holidays per year.

Vacation Leave

New, full-time employees accrue 8 hours of vacation leave per month. The vacation accrual amount increases with additional years of state service.

Sick Leave

Full-time employees accrue 8 hours per month. Eligible employees can also apply for leave from the sick leave pool for long-term illness or injury.

FMLA Paid Parental Leave

Employees who take time off under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) may receive up to 40 working days of FMLA paid parental leave for the birth of child or up to 20 working days of FMLA paid parental leave for the birth of a child by their spouse, gestational surrogate or the adoption of a child. 

Medical and Mental Health Leave for Veterans

A state employee who is a veteran and eligible for health benefits under a program administered by the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, may be granted paid time off (up to 15 workdays in a fiscal year) to obtain medical or mental health care administered by the Veterans Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Retirement Plan

The state provides an increasingly rare defined benefit plan with lifetime annuities. 

Other Optional Benefits

  • Deferred compensation retirement savings accounts (457 and 401[k] plans)
  • TexFlex flexible spending accounts
  • Direct deposit of pay

Careers for Veterans, Military Spouses and Families

HHS is committed to hiring veterans, service members, and their families and creating a work environment that values and retains the skills service members bring to the job.

State law requires agencies to give veterans, surviving spouses of veterans, spouses of current active duty members of the United States Armed Forces or Texas National Guard, spouses of certain disabled veterans and orphans of veterans a preference in the selection process. We specifically encourage managers to consider the skills and experience obtained through federal government service.

Military Preference in Employment

An individual who qualifies for a veteran's employment preference is entitled to a preference in employment over other applicants for the same position who DO NOT have a greater qualification.

Military employment preference means if two applicants are finalists for a position, and equal in all respects, the qualified military employment preference applicant would be offered the job. However, the Military Employment Preference statute does not guarantee the applicant eligible for the preference a job. In order to be considered for an interview, all applicants must meet all required qualifications and the initial selection criteria, as specified in the job posting.

Federal Laws

The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA) protects civilian job rights and benefits for veterans and members of Reserve components and provides protection for veterans with disabilities.

Veteran Hiring Resources

App for Veterans

HHS has developed a mobile phone app to give Texas veterans quick access to crisis hotlines and resources for veterans. The app can be downloaded by using the search feature in the Google Play or Apple stores: