Purpose: 

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide instructions to agencies for processing the July 2026 Minimum Stipend Increases.

Affected Employees: 

Employees in GSEU – BU28 positions who meet the eligibility criteria are affected.

Background: 

Per Chapter 181 of the Laws of 2025, which implemented the 2023-2026 Agreement between the State of New York and GSNU, employees in the GSEU bargaining unit listed above may be eligible for an increase in the minimum stipend effective 07/01/2026.

Effective Dates: 

The minimum stipend increase is effective 07/01/2026 and may be paid in the Administration Pay Period 8L check dated 07/29/2026.

Eligibility Criteria:  

Employees with an Employee Status of Active in a GSEU - BU28 position on 07/01/2026 may be eligible to receive the minimum stipend increase if they are receiving less than the new minimum stipend rates.

The minimum stipend for employees on full assistantships who are currently employed at Comprehensive College campuses shall be $7,500 annually. The minimum stipend for employees on full assistantships who are currently employed at University Center and Health Science Center campuses shall be $18,000 annually.

Agency Actions:   

To pay the minimum stipend increase to eligible employees, agencies must submit a Pay Change/SIC (Sal Incr) on the Job Action Requests page with an effective date of 07/01/2026 and the appropriate minimum stipend rate.

Subsequent Rows

If the employee has rows on the Job Data page subsequent to the effective date of one of the above transactions, the agency must submit a Pay Change on the Job Action Requests page using the Reason code CRT (Chg Rate) with the effective date of the row being evaluated, the next available sequence number and the employee’s increased salary in the Pay Rate field, provided the employee remains in an eligible position.

Tax Information:    

This money is taxable income subject to all employment taxes and income taxes, will be included in the employee’s taxable gross, and reported on the employee’s Form W-2. 

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. These forms can be found on the internet here: Payroll Forms | Office of the New York State Comptroller

Questions:

Questions regarding eligibility for the salary increases may be directed to SUNY System Administration.

Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Payroll Earnings mailbox.