Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale recently announced two separate $600 retention bonuses for eligible employees of the food and nutrition services department.

Food service workers who are employed by Oct. 25 and continue through the new year are eligible for a bonus in January. Those employed by February who remain through June 1 can earn another bonus in June, according to the school district website.

All food and nutrition services employees, including kitchen and district-level staff as well as maintenance and warehouse teams, are eligible for the bonuses, according to the school district.

Starting pay is $13.55 per hour but increases for those with previous food service experience.

Experts have reported national shortages of school cafeteria workers, bus drivers and substitute teachers along with relatively low-paying positions in other industries.

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