State Sen. Jack Hill, R-Reidsville, reports in his weekly newsletter that he he has received several calls asking about cost of living increases, or COLA’s, for state employees.
Retired state employees have not received COLAs for several years, but that is different for teachers. According to Georgia law, COLAs for state employees are not funded by the General Assembly, but are considered by the state Employees Retirement System Board of Trustees.
That board decided at a 2015 meeting against granting state employees COLA’s for 2016.
The state Teachers Retirement System is different because teachers pay in what amounts to about three times the amount state employees paid into the system, Hill reports. So COLAs for teachers are “pre-funded.”
About the Author
