Longevity

  • Longevity pay is to recognize long-term service. An eligible employee who has at least ten (10) years of North Carolina state service shall receive a lump sum payment annually as outlined below.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Most permanent (20 hours per week or more) full-time or part-time employees who have at least 10 years of creditable state service are eligible for longevity payments. As of the 2014-2015 school year this excludes anyone paid in accordance to the Certified Educators pay schedules. 

    The following positions are NOT eligible for longevity:

    • Teachers and instructional support staff paid on the "teacher schedules" (as of July 1, 2014)
    • Principals and Assistant Principals (as of July 1, 2017)

    Earning State Service

    Working the contract length for a complete school year (i.e., 10 months) is equivalent to one full calendar year.  Credit for a partial year is given on a month-for-month basis.

    An employee may not earn more than one year of state service in a 12-month period.

    Payment

    Longevity pay is AUTOMATIC.  Payments are made on the second Friday of each month.  

    The amount of the annual longevity payment is a percentage of the employee’s annual rate of pay on the employee’s anniversary date.  The annual rate of pay does not include bonuses or pay for extra duties.  The percentage is determined by length of total state service as follows:

  • Leave Without Pay

    • Employees on short-term disability or military leave must be paid the eligible pro rata amount of longevity earned at the beginning or the leave  (from their last longevity payment date to the beginning of their leave).
    • An employee on workers’ compensation shall be paid longevity as if actively working.
    • All other employees on leave without pay shall be paid upon return, when they have completed a full year of eligibility.

    NOTE:  Leave without pay often causes a change in the employee’s anniversary date.

    • An employee separating from employment shall be paid the amount of longevity pay earned up to termination of employment.
    • Employees taking a leave of absence to work in a charter school will be paid their accumulated longevity at the time they leave the school system.  Upon return from a leave of absence to work in a charter school, the school system will make any adjustments to the employee’s anniversary date and to the longevity payment made on the anniversary date to reflect the salary on that date. 

    For additional information on Longevity, please see Section 13.1 and 13.2 of the NCDPI Benefits and Employment Manual.