Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Legislative Salary Increase

The passage of House Bill 259 (Current Operations Appropriations Act of 2023) enacted the 2023-2024 state budget which provides an Annual Raise Process (ARP) process for both EHRA and SHRA employees. The FY23-24 budget provides a base salary increase of 4% for eligible EHRA and SHRA permanent employees. The appropriations act also provides for a 3% base salary increase for all eligible permanent employees for FY24-25. Unlike last year, the Labor Market Adjustment Reserve (LMAR) funding is not available to UNC System institutions for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. 

North Carolina A&T State University is committed to facilitating the ARP by implementing the mandatory legislative salary increase (LSI) efficiently and timely for all eligible employees. Details regarding the distribution, eligibility criteria, and other provisions of the legislative salary increase pertaining to special groups such as transfer employees, SHRA employees with annual longevity payments, faculty participating in phased retirement, and employees on leave (with or without pay), are provided below.

  • All EHRA faculty, EHRA non-faculty, and SHRA employees (including the Aggie Academy Lab School) will receive a 4% legislative salary increase to their June 30, 2023, base salary if they meet the eligibility requirements for the increase.
  • The mandatory legislative increase is retroactive to July 1, 2023.
  • The salary increase will be calculated on each eligible employee’s June 30, 2023, base salary. For example, an employee earning a base salary of $50,000 on June 30, 2023, will have a new base salary of $52,000 ($50,000 x 1.04 = $52,000).
  • The base salary increase and retroactive lump-sum payment will be issued in the October 31, 2023, paycheck.
  • Employees who have a primary faculty or non-faculty appointment and a secondary administrative appointment (e.g., directors of graduate programs) and supplement are not eligible to have their supplement included in the 4% calculation.
  • SHRA longevity payments, premium pay, overtime pay, etc. earned between July 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2023, will be recalculated to include the LSI, and the difference will be included in the October paychecks.

  • To be eligible for the LSI, including the retroactive LSI payment, employees must have been employed in a permanent benefits-eligible position of .50 FTE or greater on June 30, 2023, and July 1, 2023.
  • Permanent employees are those eligible to participate in state benefits programs (e.g., the State Health Plan) and who hold a recurring appointment of .50 FTE or greater.
  • Eligible employees who separated from N.C. A&T after June 30, 2023, but before October 31, 2023, are due a prorated retroactive legislative increase. The pro-rated amount will be delivered in a lump-sum payment as part of the employee’s final paycheck or delivered electronically to the last banking institution on file with the University Payroll Office. The legislative salary increases apply to all eligible separated employees, regardless of the reason for separation. All eligible separated employees received an email communication from the University Payroll Office with additional details regarding distribution of payment.
  • Any SHRA or EHRA employee who transferred to N.C. A&T effective July 1, 2023, or earlier from an eligible position at another UNC System institution or state agency is eligible to receive the salary increase. The increase will be based on the employee’s June 30, 2023, base salary. Community college employees, teachers under the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and county employees are not eligible to receive the LSI if they transferred to N.C. A&T.
  • Employees currently on disability or on a paid or unpaid leave of absence are eligible for the salary increase.
    • Employees on leave with pay will receive both the LSI and its retroactive component in the October 2023 payroll.
    • Employees on leave without pay will receive the LSI upon return to work, if they meet all other eligibility requirements. Those payments are to be made on a current basis, not retroactive.
  • Eligible employees will receive the salary increase regardless of their current performance ratings. Employees with active or pending disciplinary action are also eligible for the salary increase if they meet all other eligibility criteria.
  • An employee will receive the legislative increase even if the increase results in a new base salary that exceeds an established salary range.
  • Faculty members who entered the Phased Retirement Program in 2022 or prior years are eligible to receive the salary increase. Faculty members who entered program effective July 1, 2023, are not eligible to receive the salary increase.
  • Graduate students, undergraduate students, and temporary employees are not eligible for the legislative salary increase.

The new state budget also provides salary adjustments for all eligible adjunct and fixed-term nursing faculty. Vacant nursing faculty positions shall be increased by at least 10% and existing nursing faculty can receive up to a 15% salary increase. This funding allocation is in addition to the 4% across-the-board base salary increases. Funds will be allocated to each campus by the UNC System Office Budget and must be used by January 31, 2024. The UNC System Office will provide institutions with a separate memorandum relative to this provision.