About 5,000 employees in Gwinnett County will see some extra cash in their paychecks.

The county’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday increased the salaries of all full-time employees by 4%, retroactive to Oct. 2. The change acknowledges a rise in the cost of living and will help recruit and retain the county’s workforce in a competitive job market, officials said in a news release.

“In keeping with the Gwinnett standard, employees have consistently stayed ahead of the curve with excellent performance on the job,” County Administrator Glenn Stephens said in the release. “This increase solidifies our commitment to showing them how much we value their contributions.”

It will cost the county about $5.8 million to increase the pay. First responders such as police officers, firefighters and 911 dispatchers will receive an additional 4% raise, which will bump up their salaries by a total of 8%.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the county to take a “conservative fiscal approach to budgeting” while continuing county services, County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson said in the release.

“This strategy opened the door for us to demonstrate our appreciation of county staff in a tangible way,” Hendrickson said.

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