The $5,000 salary increase is for all active, regular, benefits-eligible faculty and non-academic staff at Georgia Tech, Enterprise Innovation Institute (EII), and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). The increase will be prorated based on full-time equivalency (FTE). Employees not receiving benefits, including temporary and those working less than 30 hours, are not eligible for the increase. There may be exceptions to the eligibility population based on unit structure and funding

Temporary workers such as students, rehired retirees, and Tech Temps are not eligible.

Employees working less than 30 hours (less than .75 FTE) are not eligible. If the person is a regular, benefits-eligible employee working 30 or more hours per week, they will receive the increase. Temporary staff and part-time staff working fewer than 30 hours per week are not eligible.

Yes, salary rate increases will be processed upon their return to active status.

Yes, provided they are fully benefits-eligible, working 30 hours (.75 FTE) or greater. 

Yes, 9/10-month employees are eligible for the pay supplement. If a 9/10-month employee’s employment begins before or during August 2021, they will be eligible for the full supplement payment. If hired after August, the supplement will be prorated, same as all other full-time employees. In addition, a 9/10-month employees will receive the increase to their base salary during the months of April and May.

Yes, state funds should be utilized for the supplemental payments due to the increased appropriations provided in the Amended FY 2022 budget. Should the amount provided by the state not meet the total cost, institutions have the flexibility to choose the appropriate fund source for the remaining supplement payments, including state funds in your existing budget. 

Individuals employed in an eligible position by another state of Georgia agency who transfer to an eligible position at Georgia Tech on or after July 1, 2021 may qualify for the supplement. The Human Resources department will review and verify the employee’s eligibility. A survey was emailed to everyone who is on record as transferring from a state agency. The following link may be used to validate eligible state agencies: georgia.gov/state-organizations.

Organizations that would not count as state agency employment include local education agencies (i.e., K-12 systems), city government, county government, Georgia Military College, and other private institutions of higher ed. If an employee was continuously employed (without a break in employment), they should receive the full amount.

The USG Service Date will be utilized to determine their proration for the supplemental pay, if needed. 

The date of termination should be used to determine eligibility. If employees remain in an active payroll status for at least one day during the pay period associated with the payment date, the employee is eligible for the pay supplement. If employees terminate before the pay period begin date, they are NOT eligible. Institutions may not change the separation or retirement date of an employee solely for the purpose of eligibility to receive the pay supplement or increase to base salary. The pay period begin date is 4/1/22 for monthly employees and 4/3/22 for biweekly employees. 

Non-exempt (24B2 Pay Run)

• Pay Period Begin:4/3/2022
• Pay Period End: 4/6/2022
• Check Date: 4/16/2022

Exempt (24M1 Pay Run)

• Pay Period Begin 4/1/2022
• Pay Period End 4/30/2022
• Check Date: 4/29/2022

Yes, grant funded employees are eligible for the pay supplement.

Yes, foreign nationals will be eligible for the pay supplement. Institutions should adhere to all immigration reporting rules and requirements for compensation, and should note that for some individuals, compensation cannot be changed without notice.

If you believe you believe you are eligible and have not received the payment, please let us know by completing this submission form. Your HR Business Partner is also a great resource. 

Click here to submit your eligibility inquiry

Postdoctoral fellows are eligible to receive the COLA, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and pro-ratio rules.  

The COLA is being applied to new hires between now and July 1 and a plan is in place to update accordingly. GTHR will be adjusting the Staff Salary Pay Grade Structure to reflect the COLA. Once the structure has been updated, offers can be extended in accordance to the Institute process and new hires will no longer require adjustments for COLA.

Compression is not a determining factor in whether the COLA will be applied or not.  Any compression issues will be addressed separately. The Faculty Market Equity Program will resume once COLA has been applied and communications will follow.

Recently reclassified employees will be eligible for the COLA based on eligibility requirements that apply to all employees. An employee who has already received the COLA one-time payment and base wage update will not be eligible for a second COLA increase if they are reclassified into another position or receive offer for another.

Yes, as long as the employee met the qualifying criteria and remains actively employed. 

• From USG policy: Employee compensation adjustments are an institutional decision and should be consistent with the approved institutional compensation plan. However, cumulative fiscal year adjustments greater than or equal to ten percent above the USG’s annual salary and wage guidance require advanced approval by the Chancellor.
• If COLA was the last pay adjustment added in the fiscal year, the Advanced Salary Incentive HRAP process is not required. If a pay adjustment is applied to an employee after the COLA is received, then the COLA will be included in the cumulative percentage in the fiscal year and the Georgia Tech & USG review and approval processes will be required.

No, The one-time supplemental payment is only for eligible employees that were employed between 07/01 and 04/01 as it is a catch-up payment associated with the COLA program.

• In April 2022, eligible employees will receive a one-time pay supplement of up to $3,750, which will be prorated based on the number of pay periods the individual was employed in an eligible position with the state between July 1, 2021, and April 1, 2022. 
• The remaining $1,250 will be included on the normal payment schedule to finish out the fiscal year. 
• For FY23, salaries for eligible employees will increase by $5,000.

The one-time pay supplement will be included in eligible employee paychecks paid on April 22, 2022, for non-exempt employees (paid bi-weekly) and April 29, 2022, for exempt employees (paid monthly). 

Payments will be subject to all applicable FICA Taxes, Federal Income Tax, and State Income Tax.  In alignment with the State of Georgia’s approach, the supplemental payment will be taxed at supplemental rates established by Federal and State taxing agencies. These rates include 22% Federal withholding, 6.2% OASDI withholding (social security), 1.45% Medicare withholding, and State withholding. State rates will vary by state.

No, the one-time supplement is NOT eligible for retirement benefits. The remaining amount that will be included on the normal payment schedule to finish out the fiscal year is eligible for retirement benefits.

• Hourly employees will receive the one-time supplemental payment on April 22, 2022.  
• The ongoing $5,000 cost of living salary increase (hourly rate increase of $2.40385/hour at 1 FTE) will be updated in job data effective April 3, 2022. 
• The rate for all hourly employees (9,10, or 12 month) will be calculated in the same manner and based on the dollar amount paid for the role per hour.

All regular, benefits-eligible faculty and non-academic staff of the University System of Georgia Board of Regents who are actively employed on April 1, 2022, will be eligible to receive a $5,000 increase to base pay as a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). The increase will be prorated based on full-time equivalency (FTE).

Payments will be subject to all applicable FICA Taxes, Federal Income Tax, and State Income Tax. Federal and State Income tax will be withheld at the employee’s normal tax rate. 

Yes, the base pay increase is eligible for retirement benefits.

Yes, cost of living adjustments that are approved through the legislative budget process and USG policy may exceed the established range and should be documented by the institution.

The OSP (One-time Supplement Pay) earn code will be utilized for the payment.

No, all payments will be applied to the employee existing April 22 and April 29 paychecks; no separate check indicator will be turned on.

No, the supplement payment will NOT be included in an employee’s regular rate of pay calculation for overtime purposes.

Yes, the supplement payment is subject to applicable garnishment withholding requirements.

Yes, the supplement payment is considered taxable income and will be included in the appropriate taxable wage boxes on an employee’s W2. However, there is no special reporting requirement for the supplement payment, so it will NOT be a separate line item on the W2.

All USG one-time supplement payment (OSP) earnings will be loaded to employee additional pay panels centrally by the SSC Payroll team.

The base wage increase will remain in effect. However, like all wage increases, it is subject to change based on employment conditions.

Please do not update offer letters or positions for FY22. The COLA will be applied by GTHR and such updates could lead to duplication. We will have more guidance for FY23 very soon.

This is true regarding supplemental pay if they are not subject to proration and active service time in FY22. For FY23, salaries for eligible employees will increase by $5,000. The supplemental pay is prorated based on length of service and FTE. The salary for FY23 is prorated based on FTE (e.g., 35 hours per week vs. 40 hours per week).

• Employees who are paid monthly will receive the salary increase, benefits increase and premium increase for short-term disability (STD), long-term disability (LTD), and supplemental life insurance (SLF) coverage reflected in the April 30 pay.
• Employees who are paid on a bi-weekly basis will receive the salary increase effective April 3; however, the corresponding benefit and premium changes to STD, LTD, and SLF coverage will be reflected in the May 6 pay date.

The $5,000 Salary Increase is only intended to cover the standard contract and not summer earnings.  The system will set the 33 and 1/3 threshold at the increase rate.  Related policy: BOR 8.3.12.3 Summer School Salaries:  Payment of compensation to faculty members for full-time employment during the summer session shall be at a rate not to exceed 33 and 1/3 percent of their regular nine-months compensation for the previous academic year.

This will depend upon the offer in relation to the COLA program. Some offers were initiated before the COLA program and need to be adjusted to reflect the most updated compensation structure. Others anticipated the impact to COLA and it is included in the offer.

Yes, JCCS will be updated to reflect the new pay scales with COLA increases. This will be completed by the end of the fiscal year.

The Governor and Legislature have provided state appropriations to fund the one-time pay supplement for Georgia Tech, EII, and GTRI employees. The one-time supplemental payment will be budgeted centrally using state appropriations and will not impact department budgets or actuals, including fringe.

Departments funded via General Operations (GenOps) will receive budget to cover the increase to base pay in the May budget amendment and in FY23. Self-funded departments are responsible for funding the increase to base pay in FY22 and FY23.

GenOps funded departments will receive budget for the increase to base pay in the May budget amendment and in FY23.

Yes, the supplement will be included in TiGA reporting.

We are actively monitoring the FY23 budget in the state legislature and will provide an update on vacancies as soon as more budget information becomes available for next fiscal year (which impacts the Institute’s ability to fund vacancies this fiscal year.)

The Governor and Legislature provided state appropriations for the one-time supplemental payment. The payment will be funded centrally with a single work tag using state appropriations meaning the actuals, including the payment and fringe, will not impact department budgets. Grants, sponsored awards, and other types of funding sources will not be impacted by the one-time FY22 supplemental payment.

Yes, positions that are split funded with Gen Ops will receive funding in the May budget amendment for FY22. They will receive Gen Ops funds in FY23 at a time to be determined.

The Governor and Legislature provided state appropriations for the one-time supplemental payment. The payment will be funded centrally with a single work tag using state appropriations meaning the actuals, including the payment and fringe, will not impact department budgets. Grants, sponsored awards, and other types of funding sources will not be impacted by the one-time FY22 supplemental payment.

The funds from the state are calculated to support those positions that are currently funded via general operations. This is similar to how we have received state funding for merit in the past. We realize this is unexpected salary increase process, so the Budget Office is working very closely with the Provost/EVPR Office to identify bridge funding. We are in the very early stages of reviewing the available data to determine a target pool number. When identified, we will work with college/division leadership to determine a request/approval/allocation method.