2025 state bonus and merit increases for faculty and staff

From: Human Resources and the Provost Office

With the approval of the Commonwealth of Virginia budget and following Virginia Tech leadership approval of the merit program for faculty and staff: 

• A one-time, pre-tax 1.5 percent bonus will be included in eligible full-time and quasi-full-time state employee paychecks on June 16, 2025. The bonus is based on employees’ base pay as of May 25, 2025, and is subject to applicable federal and state taxes. 
• Earned merit increases for calendar year faculty and university and classified staff will be effective June 10, 2025. Employees will see increases in their July 1, 2025, paycheck.  
• Academic year faculty earned merit increases will be effective Aug. 10, 2025, and employees will see increases in their Aug. 29, 2025, paycheck.  

To be eligible to receive the state bonus:

• Employees must have been employed at Virginia Tech as of Feb. 25, 2025, and remain employed through May 25, 2025. This does not include employees who have transferred from another state agency with or without a break in service. 
• Employees must have a full-time equivalent (FTE) of .75 or higher as of May 25, 2025, to meet the full-time or quasi-full-time eligibility requirements.  
• Staff must not have been issued a formal written notice within the preceding 12-month period from May 25, 2024 – May 25, 2025, and must have received a performance rating of “meets” or higher on their most recent performance review. 
• Faculty must not have been issued a formal sanction or written notice within the preceding 12-month period from May 25, 2024 – May 25, 2025, and/or must not have received less than a one (1) percent raise in the spring 2025 merit cycle due to poor performance.

To be eligible to receive merit:

• T&R faculty must have been hired by Dec. 10, 2024, and increases are merit-based as evaluated by Faculty Activity Reports (FARs) and/or other relevant performance-related information.
• A/P faculty must have been hired by March 10, 2025, to be eligible, and increases are merit-based as evaluated by information included in FARs.
• University staff must have been hired by March 10, 2025, and have at least a “meets” performance rating on their most recent evaluation. 
• Eligible classified staff who have at least a “meets” performance rating on their most recent evaluation received a base salary increase as these positions are governed by the state.

Employees receiving an increase will be notified by your department. See the table below for additional information on how Virginia Tech’s merit program is being implemented.

If you have questions about the state bonus or merit program, contact your supervisor, or college or department human resources representative.