Are you a teacher or state employee? Here’s how much of a raise you’d get in NC budget
Teachers and other state employees have been waiting years for significant raises across the board.
Here’s what the compromise state budget — which Republican lawmakers released Monday and which Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday he would sign — says about raises.
Teacher raises
Public school teachers would receive an average of 5% raises over the next two years. That breaks down as a 1.3% increase per year, plus step increases that are given for longevity, for an average raise of 2.5% per year.
Teachers in 95 of the state’s 100 counties could receive even higher raises due to a $100 million fund in the budget. Those 95 are described as “low wealth” by Republican budget writers and in need of state supplemental funding for raises. The five that are not included are the urban counties of Wake, Durham, Mecklenburg, Guilford and Buncombe.
State employees
Most state employees would receive 5% raises, with 2.5% raises each of the next two years.
Non-certified K-12 school personnel, community college staff
Non-certified public school employees, which includes cafeteria workers and custodians, as well as community college staff would make a minimum of $15 per hour after two years. This is for full-time, permanent employees.
Principals
The salary schedule for principals would be raised by 2.5% over two years.
Retirees
Retired state employees would not get raises, but they would get 5% cost-of-living adjustment bonuses over two years. That breaks down to 2% this fiscal year and another 3% the following year.
Corrections officers
The budget includes a new experience-based salary schedule for corrections officers. The average increase would be 7%.
Probation and parole officers
Probation and parole officers would also get a new experience-based salary schedule if the proposed budget becomes law. The average raise would be 17%.
Bonuses
All state employees and local education employees would get $1,000 bonuses.
An additional $500 bonus would be given to employees earning less than $75,000, law enforcement officers, workers in the Department of Public Safety, Correction and Juvenile Justice with job duties requiring frequent in-person contact, and Department of Health and Human Services workers in 24-hour residential or treatment facilities.
On top of that, teachers will receive an additional $1,000 bonus. Bonuses for teachers previously tied to testing will become $300 bonuses for all teachers.
You can read the full budget documents at ncleg.gov.
For more North Carolina government and politics news, listen to the Under the Dome politics podcast from The News & Observer and the NC Insider. You can find it at link.chtbl.com/underthedomenc or wherever you get your podcasts.
This story was originally published November 15, 2021 at 7:07 PM.
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