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As we move into the last quarter of the year, I want to make sure you know how much I appreciate the hardworking employees who make our state run. From pay increases to empowering our colleagues with disabilities, our state is leading in creating a thriving workplace for all. ?
I know the sacrifices you have made to support your fellow Michiganders, provide vital services, staff our facilities, and keep our state moving. Thank you for your hard work. Together, we are getting things done and moving Michigan forward.?
 Governor Gretchen Whitmer
I?m proud that our administration is leading by example when it comes to paying Michiganders for their hard work. Following successful negotiations with my administration, SOM employees received a 5% pay increase that took effect on October 1st, the largest pay increase in a single year since the 1980s. This means more money in your pockets, better compensation for your skills and training, and more support for you and your family as you work to keep our state moving.?
State of Michigan employees are the lifeline of state government. You serve and support the people of Michigan and make sure they have the resources they need, from job training programs and safe medical care to smooth roads and well-maintained parks. I?m grateful for your work and will continue to fight on your behalf to make the State of Michigan the best workplace it can be.?
In the United States, insulin can cost ten times more than in other countries, and the price keeps on rising. Our neighbors, family, and friends with diabetes need insulin to survive, and for too long, drug companies have been jacking up prices, forcing them to make impossible choices between medication, food, rent, or other essential expenses. No Michigander should have to decide between saving their life or paying their bills.??
That's where our State of Michigan team comes in. Last week, I issued an executive directive to several state departments to determine how the State of Michigan can lower the cost of insulin, including by developing our very own insulin manufacturing facilities. Michigan is home to over 912,000 Michiganders with diabetes, and far too many are forced to ration or forgo insulin. Together our administration will look at options for how to save Michiganders money on this life-saving medicine. To those of you who will be carrying out the research set out in the directive, I thank you in advance for your ideas, leadership, and collaboration in helping to solve this pressing problem.?
I declared October Disability Employment Awareness Month in Michigan to build on our efforts to maintain an inclusive community and strong economy. This month is meant to educate Michiganders about disability employment issues and celebrate the contributions and talents of Michigan workers with disabilities. Disability Employment Awareness Month calls upon employers, schools, and community organizations in Michigan to observe with appropriate programs and activities, and to advance the important message that people with disabilities add value and talent to our workplaces and communities.?
Our administration has worked hard to make sure that the State of Michigan workplace harnesses the talent of all Michiganders and embraces diversity to create a welcoming environment. ?We?ve created a more welcoming workplace by enhancing anti-discrimination laws in state employment, improved government transparency by creating the Sunshine webpage, and empowered employees to speak up about threats to public safety and health. It was in recognition of these accomplishments that Forbes Magazine ranked the State of Michigan as one of the top ten Best Employers for New Graduates in the country.?
During this month and beyond, I will make sure the State of Michigan continues to take steps to recruit, hire, retain, and advance individuals with disabilities and work to pursue the goals of opportunity, full participation, economic self-sufficiency, and independent living for people with disabilities.?
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