2024 Legislative Salary Increase

The North Carolina state budget provides for a base salary increase of 3% for faculty, Exempt Professional Staff (EPS), Senior Academic and Administrative Officers (SAAO) and employees Subject to the Human Resources Act (SHRA) in 2024. 

EPS is a new employee category that replaced the Instructional, Research and Information Technology and SAAO Tier II employee categories, which included EHRA nonfaculty employees, earlier this year. All permanent employees who are not faculty members or SAAO or SHRA employees fall in the EPS category.

Information about the implementation of the legislative salary increase is below.

Legislative Salary Increase Overview

• Faculty and EPS, SAAO and SHRA employees will receive a 3% legislative salary increase to their base salary if they meet the eligibility requirements for the increase.
• The salary increase will be effective July 1, 2024.
• The salary increase will be calculated on each eligible employee’s June 30, 2024, base salary. For example, an employee earning a base salary of $50,000 on June 30, 2024, will have a new base salary of $51,500 ($50,000 x 1.03 = $51,500).
• For employees (e.g., academic department heads and associate deans) who have a primary EPS appointment and receive a long-term administrative supplement directly related to that role, base salary includes their administrative supplement. This will not include nonpermanent salary supplements for interim and acting appointments or temporary additional duties. 
• Employees who have a primary faculty appointment and a secondary nonpermanent administrative appointment (e.g., directors of graduate programs) are not eligible to have their supplement included in the 3% calculation.
• Employees who are paid biweekly will receive their base salary increase in their July 19 paycheck. For monthly paid employees, their base salary increase will be in their July 31 paycheck.
• SHRA longevity payments, premium pay, overtime pay, etc. earned between July 1, 2024, and July 31, 2024, will be recalculated to include the legislative salary increase, and the difference will be included in July paychecks.

Eligibility Requirements

• To be eligible for the salary increase, employees must have been employed in a permanent benefits-eligible position of .50 FTE or greater on June 30, 2024, and in a pay status on July 1, 2024.
• 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.
• LSI-eligible employees who separate from the state system — meaning employees who did not transfer to another campus or state agency — after June 30, 2024, but prior to the payroll implementation of the mandatory 3% legislative salary increase are due a prorated legislative salary increase payment.
• Any faculty member or SAAO, EPS, SHRA or EHRA employee who transfers to NC State with an effective date of July 1, 2024, or later 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, 2024, base salary. The current employer is responsible for paying the full salary increase for which the employee is eligible to receive.
• UNC System institutions may consider whether to provide the legislative salary increase to community college transfers and hires who have not had a break in service. Human Resources Information Management and Analytics will evaluate the application of a legislative salary increase for those employees consistent with legislative salary increase guidelines and applicable policies, regulations and laws. 
• Teachers under the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and county employees are not eligible to receive the legislative salary increase if they transfer to NC State.
• Employees currently on disability or a paid or unpaid leave of absence are eligible for the salary increase when they return to work if they meet all other eligibility requirements.
• Eligible employees will receive the legislative salary increase regardless of their current performance ratings or any disciplinary action that they are facing.
• 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 on July 1, 2024, are not eligible to receive the salary increase. Faculty members who entered the program in 2023 or prior years are eligible to receive the salary increase.
• Postdocs, house officers, graduate students and temporary employees are not eligible for the legislative salary increase.