Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for Fiscal Year 2024

Faculty and Staff Members, 

We are pleased to announce the Governor and state legislators have approved a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for full-time, benefit-eligible state employees to be effective July 1, 2023. Our goal is to share important information about eligibility and how the COLA increases will be implemented.  

The COLA will be administered in compliance with guidance from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents (USG) as follows:  

• COLA Amount: A $2,000 COLA will be awarded to all eligible employees of the USG/Georgia College & State University.  
• Employee Eligibility: All regular, fully benefited (30+ standard hours) faculty and staff of the USG/Georgia College & State University who are actively employed on July 1, 2023, are eligible to receive the COLA.  
• Ineligible Employees: Non-benefited employees, including temporary and those working less than 30 hours are not eligible for COLA.  
• Details Regarding the Salary Adjustment:  
  • The COLA is an adjustment to base salary.  
  • The COLA will be prorated based on full-time equivalency (FTE).  
  • The COLA is 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.  
  • The COLA is eligible for retirement benefits. 
• All amendments to employee pay will be reflected in OneUSG’s Employee Self-Service Payroll tile by their respective pay dates listed below: 
  • Biweekly Paid: Eligible non-exempt employees will begin receiving the increase on their July 14th paychecks.  
  • Monthly Paid: Eligible exempt employees will begin receiving the increase on their July 31st paychecks.  

For more information, please visit our COLA 2023 website for Frequently Asked Questions at:  https://mygc.gcsu.edu/human-resources/cost-living-adjustment-cola-2024. If you have additional questions, please direct them to HR@gcsu.edu. 

Thank you for all that you do to support Georgia College & State University!