Purpose:
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide agency instructions for processing the Academic Years 2023-2025 Recruitment and Retention Payments.
Affected Employees:
Employees in the State University Graduate Student Negotiating Unit (GSNU) – BU28 who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.
Background:
Chapter 181 of the Laws of 2025, which implemented the 2023-2026 Agreement between the State of New York and GSEU, provides for recruitment and retention payments for each year of the agreement.
Each doctoral degree granting campus is allocated a portion of the Doctoral Program Recruitment and Retention Enhancement Fund based on the number of employees in BU28 to facilitate the recruitment and retention of new and existing doctoral students in selected programs.
Certain comprehensive colleges are allocated a portion of the Comprehensive College Graduate Program Recruitment and Retention Fund based on the number of employees in BU28 to fund graduate program recruitment and retention initiatives.
Effective Dates:
The recruitment and retention payment is effective as follows:
| Year | Pay Period | Effective Date | Pay End Date | Check Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-2025 | Administration 23L | 1/29/2026 | 2/11/2026 | 2/25/2026 |
Eligibility Criteria:
Employees who meet the following criteria on or after 07/02/2023 and on 2/11/2026 (Administration 23L Pay End Date) are eligible to receive Recruitment or Retention Payments for each year of the agreement:
- Bargaining Unit = 28
- Salary Grade = 980
- Comp Rate Code = BIW, FEE
- Payroll Status = Active or Leave with Pay
Eligible employees at a doctoral degree granting campus receive the recruitment and retention payment at the discretion of the Dean of the Graduate Student Department.
Agency Actions:
Prior to processing, agencies must complete a roster identifying employees who will receive a recruitment or a retention payment as part of either the Doctoral Program Fund or the Comprehensive College Graduate Program Fund and must include the earnings code and payment amount. The roster must be forwarded to SUNY System Administration. A copy of this roster will be provided to OSC in an Excel format.
To pay the Recruitment and Retention Payments to eligible employees appearing on the approved roster, agencies must submit the following information on the Time Entry page or the Time Entry Interface (NPAY502) using Earnings Code GRC (or the appropriate non-resident alien earnings code – XRC, YRC, ZRC) for the recruitment payment or Earnings Code GRT (or the appropriate non-resident alien earnings code – XRT, YRT, ZRT) for the retention payment.
| Earnings Begin Date: | 1/29/2026 |
|---|---|
| Earnings End Date: | Same as the Earnings Begin Date |
| Earn Code: | GRC (or XRC, YRC, ZRC) - Recruitment Payment GRT (or XRT, YRT, ZRT) – Retention Payment |
| Amount: | Payment amount appearing on the approved roster |
Retirement Information:
The Recruitment and Retention Payments are included as salary for retirement purposes.
General Deductions:
All deductions for employees whose Payroll Status is Terminated, Retired, or Deceased will be automatically canceled by OSC with the exception of percentage-based dues and deductions marked “No” on the Deduction Codes list published on the OSC website.
Tax Information:
The Recruitment and Retention Payments are supplemental taxable income, will be added to the employee’s taxable gross wages, and are subject to all employment and income taxes.
Federal, State, and New York City income tax withholding will be calculated using the Aggregate method. Yonkers income tax withholding will be calculated using the Flat Rate method (1.95975% for Yonkers residents and 0.50% for Yonkers non-residents).
Payroll Register and Employee’s Paycheck/Advice:
The appropriate Earnings Code and the amount paid will be displayed on the Payroll Register. The appropriate Earnings Description and the amount paid will appear on the employee’s paycheck stub or direct deposit advice.
Recruitment Payment
| GRC | GSEU Recruitment Payment |
| XRC | GSEU Recruitment Payment IC 17 |
| YRC | GSEU Recruitment Payment IC 18 |
| ZRC | GSEU Recruitment Payment IC 19 |
Retention Payment
| GRT | GSEU Retention Payment |
| XRT | GSEU Retention Payment IC 17 |
| YRT | GSEU Retention Payment IC 18 |
| XRT | GSEU Retention Payment IC 19 |
Undeliverable Checks:
When a valid payroll check is undeliverable due to the agency’s inability to locate the employee, the agency should follow the Agency Actions identified in Payroll Bulletin No. 1786 – Non-Negotiated and/or Undeliverable New York State Payroll Checks.
Checks issued to eligible employees who are now deceased should be submitted as a Stop Payment Request with a reason of Exchange in PayServ. The Report of Check Exchange (AC 1476-P) Next of Kin Affidavit (AC 934-P), and original death certificate should be submitted to the Payroll Reversal and Exchange mailbox at the same time as the Stop Payment Request. If a Next of Kin Affidavit has been previously submitted for a deceased employee’s payroll check, OSC will accept a photocopy of this form along with a new Report of Check Exchange.
Questions:
Questions regarding eligibility for this payment should be directed to the SUNY System Administration.
Questions regarding this bulletin should be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.
Questions regarding taxes may be directed to the Tax and Compliance mailbox.