A joint Resolution

TO ESTABLISH THE PLAN BY WHICH THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION MUST ALLOCATE AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED FOR EMPLOYEE PAY INCREASES SO THAT STATE EMPLOYEES RECEIVE A FIVE PERCENT EMPLOYEE PAY INCREASE EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2023.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1.    The General Assembly, in the annual general appropriations act for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, shall appropriate sufficient funds to the Department of Administration for the employee pay increases set forth in this joint resolution. The Department of Administration shall allocate amongst the various state agencies the amount necessary to provide for employee pay increases in accordance with the following plan:

   (1)   With respect to classified and nonjudge judicial classified employees, effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023, the compensation of all classified employees shall be increased by five percent.

   (2)   With respect to unclassified and nonjudge judicial unclassified employees or unclassified executive compensation system employees not elsewhere covered in this joint resolution, effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023, the compensation of all unclassified employees shall be increased by five percent. Any employee subject to the provisions of this item are not eligible for compensation increases provided in items (1), (3), (4), (5), or (6).

   (3)   Effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023, agency heads not covered by the Agency Head Salary Commission, shall receive an annualized base pay increase of five percent.

   (4)   With respect to local health care providers' compensation increases shall be five percent effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023. With respect to area agencies on aging funded by the Department on Aging, compensation shall be increased by five percent effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023. With respect to local councils on aging or local providers of services funded by the Department on Aging through area agencies on aging, no pay increases will be allowed. School bus driver salary and fringe funding to school districts shall be increased by five percent.

   (5)   Effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023, the Chief Justice and other judicial officers shall receive an annualized base pay increase of five percent.

   (6)   Effective on the first pay date that occurs on or after July 1, 2023, county auditors and county treasurers shall receive an annualized base pay increase of five percent.

   The Department of Administration shall allocate associated compensation increases for retirement employer contributions based on the retirement rate of the retirement system in which individual employees participate.

   The compensation increase authorized in this joint resolution must be considered an increase in base salary for all purposes.

SECTION 2.   This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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