Medical examiners in North Carolina push for higher pay as budget talks continue

CAPE FEAR, NC (WWAY) — As North Carolina lawmakers work toward finalizing a new state budget, nearly 100 medical examiners across the state are calling for higher pay, saying the demands of the job have grown while compensation has remained unchanged for more than a decade.

Medical examiners in the Cape Fear region say the work often involves long hours, emotionally difficult scenes, and out-of-pocket expenses — all while earning $200 per case.

“We’re a very quiet profession so we do everything behind the scenes, but we are there on everyone’s worst day of their life,” said Jennifer Sorber, a Brunswick County medical examiner.

Those “worst days” can include investigating deadly crashes, overdoses, and suicides.

Medical examiners are called to any unnatural deaths, where they work alongside law enforcement investigators. Their responsibilities also include conducting examinations at the morgue, completing death certificates and notifying families about the deaths of loved ones.

Sorber said her motivation to enter the field after she experienced one of the most difficult moments of her own life.

“Everyone has their own reasons. Some people just want to give families closure and I’m one of those people,” Sorber said. “I had a stepson pass away and when he did, we didn’t get answers, we didn’t get fast answers, we didn’t get any answers and that was very frustrating to me.”

Sorber, who also works full time as a nurse, said the job can be emotionally, mentally and financially draining. Since she started two years ago, she said five medical examiners have left the profession locally because of the low pay.

According to Sorber, medical examiners are not paid while on call and only receive compensation if they are assigned a case. She said payments can take between 120 and 360 days to arrive.

“When you’re on call, you get no pay unless you get a case,” Sorber said. “We are responsible for all of our supplies, even right down to our gloves at the scene. We don’t get reimbursed for anything.”

Sorber estimated she spends between $50 and $75 per case on supplies and travel expenses, including gloves, fuel and trips to crime scenes and morgues.

Jeff Probst, a medical examiner in New Hanover County, said efforts to increase compensation have stalled through multiple legislative sessions.

“So we now observe a pattern for the third time across three separate legislative vehicles, there’s been no increase in fee,” Probst said. “It’s been two separate governors and now the current sitting chambers are not moving on any of it.”

Probst and Sorber said nearly 100 medical examiners from across the state have contacted local and state lawmakers about their concerns, but many say they have not received responses.

And Probst warns these concerns could soon reach a breaking point.

After a Zoom meeting with medical examiners on Thursday night, Probst said some told him they may stop working sometime this summer, adding to the 37 medical examiners who have left the profession over the past year.

WWAY has reached out to several state lawmakers, including the office of Governor Josh Stein, for comment, but has not received a response as of Thursday night.