The Gwinnett County Board of Education voted unanimously at its June 20 meeting to approve a one-time salary adjustment for all full-time, benefited employees of Gwinnett County Public Schools.
Chief Financial Officer Joe Heffron said the money is coming from savings the school district will realize in relation to the employer contribution to the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP).
"The state recently announced that all state agencies and school districts will be participating in a one-month SHBP employer contribution holiday for the month of June," Heffron said.
Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks suggested passing along the net savings to employees.
"We hope this one-time pay adjustment will send a much-deserved thank you to all of our employees as they are the key to Gwinnett County Public Schools’ success," Wilbanks said in a press statement.
The one-time pay adjustment will go to those employees who received a payroll check in May 2019. The salary adjustment of $300 will be paid in a lump sum in the June 2019 monthly and second semi-monthly paychecks.
School system officials pointed out the June adjustment will have no impact on the salary increases approved for employees in the School Board’s FY2020 Budget. These consist of a $3,000 cost-of-living increase for all employees paid on the teacher salary schedule; a 2% cost-of-living increase for all employees not paid on the teacher salary schedule; and a salary step increase for all eligible employees. These raises will take effect beginning with employees’ first salary payments for the 2019-2020 school year.
