Gwinnett County commissioners approve employee 'one-time cost of living payment'

Gwinnett County may be cutting a check soon to government employees in order to support retention.

Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson said the county has been having difficulty keeping first responders, utility workers and hard-to-fill positions filled. The extra money is also intended to help offset the effects of inflation on the county workforce.

"Gwinnett residents deserve sustainable, high-quality county government services and those are made possible by a strong, reliable workforce," Hendrickson said. "We intend to keep Gwinnett a preferred community where everyone can thrive by being the public sector employer of choice."

As an incentive, the board approved a one-time payment of $1500 for eligible full-time employees and $750 for regular part-time employees. These payments could go out as soon as Dec. 16, just in time for the holidays.

A spokesperson from the county said the funding for these one-time payments comes from budget savings realized during the 2022 fiscal year.