Compensation Services
New Staff Positions
When creating a new position, the department drafts the job description, which should include the job title, summary, duties and responsibilities, required qualifications and skills, and working environment and physical demands. Compensation reviews the draft job description to understand core duties, reviews against FLSA duties test to determine if it meets exempt status and benchmarks with other universities and/or salary survey data in order to determine appropriate pay grade. This review can take up to 15 business days to complete, depending on the complexity of the new position.
To create new/additional staff positions, the following is required:
- Job description
- Budget availability
- Vice president approval
Contact your Compensation partner for additional information on creating new staff positions.
Hiring Rates/Salary Offers
Using the salary range associated with the position’s job grade, all new starting salaries are evaluated based on the candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills and experience as they relate to the position. Hiring rates for staff candidates vary based on internal equity, budget availability and the posted recruiting rates. Typically, hiring rates range from the minimum to midpoint of the established pay range for the job title in which the candidate is being hired. Compensation partners with Talent Acquisition to review salary offers above midpoint. Hiring employees below the minimum or above the maximum of the pay grade is not permitted. The assessment may take up to two business days.
Position Review
A position review or job evaluation is a procedure which evaluates an employee’s duties and responsibilities to determine if the employee's position is appropriately graded in terms of grade, pay level, title and classification. Compensation will obtain information from the employee’s supervisor regarding the employee’s job duties. Based on the findings, Compensation will evaluate the employee’s title and pay and make appropriate recommendations. Reviews can be initiated by the supervisor and may take up to 15 business days depending on complexity.
Market Analysis
A market analysis is a review of internal compensation compared to external higher education market conditions. A compensation analysis is conducted to determine if there is misalignment with market-based compensation levels and salary compression, which would then require a pay adjustment to bring pay in alignment. Best practice reflects a compensation analysis is conducted every few years. Analysis may take up to 15 business days depending on complexity.
Out-of-Cycle Increases
There are multiple types of out-of-cycle compensation options available with the purpose of correcting salary inequity, addressing compression and as a method to retain high performers.
Employee Eligibility:
- Must have at least six months of continuous service in current position
- Be in a benefits eligible position
- Last performance evaluation must be “Meets Expectations” or higher
Note: Employee is ineligible if on a Performance Improvement Plan.
These compensation options are submitted through the PeopleSoft eForm process and require prior vice president and Compensation approval.
| Out-of-Cycle Increases | When to Use | Pay Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| Equity Increase | To address pay inequities within the same or similar job titles for employees with comparable education and experience, skill set and/or similarly situated employees. |
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| Pay Compression | When there are two jobs in the same job family with an employee in a lower pay grade earning more than an employee in a higher pay grade. | |
| Market Competitiveness | To recognize compensation changes in the labor market for specific jobs, based on a market analysis conducted by Compensation. | |
| Substantial Expansion of Duties | Occurs when the employee’s job duties have increased in complexity however does not warrant a change in title/classification. | |
| One-Time Bonus | An incentive for employee to remain through the completion of a critical project or assignment. |
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Reclassification Increases
Reclassifications usually occur as a result of one of the following:
- A vacant position exists that the department wants to change to a different title to better meet departmental needs.
- An employee’s job duties and responsibilities have changed so that his/her current title is no longer appropriate, and the employee meets the minimum requirements of the new title. This review can take up to 15 business days to complete depending on the complexity of the position.
Contact your Compensation partner with questions related to a job reclassification.
Merit Increases
Merit increases are performance-based increases typically awarded at the end of the annual evaluation period for meeting or exceeding performance standards. Merit increases are based on budget availability, as well as published criteria established by the university president or their designee.
Additional Pay for Staff
A staff salary supplement may be provided to full time, benefits-eligible staff for the following situations. The assignment duration must be a minimum of one month and cannot exceed one year.
Eligibility:
- Must have at least six months of continuous service in current position
- Be in a full time, benefits-eligible position
- Last performance evaluation must be "Meets Expectations" or higher
| Option | When to Use | Pay Parameters |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Assigned into Interim Role | Assignment into a higher-level interim position |
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| Employee Temporarily Assigned Higher Level Duties | Temporarily assigned higher level duties that are outside the scope of the incumbent’s position |
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| Employee Temporarily Assigned Additional Duties | Temporarily assigned responsibilities that are significant and clearly defined as an addition to the normal workload |
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Staff salary supplements are submitted as an Additional Pay request eForm in PeopleSoft.
Retention/Counteroffers
A counteroffer may be necessary to retain a top performer if another employer offers the employee a salary higher than their current pay to perform comparable duties. If the counteroffer creates inequities in pay for the department or division, an action plan is recommended to address the inequities. Note: Evidence that an external offer of employment was made is required. This review can take up to two business days to complete.
Retention/counteroffers may be an option when:
- An employee critical to the university’s mission receives a job offer AND
- The department wishes to match the external salary offered to retain the employee.
Contact your Compensation partner to discuss the possibility of a retention/counteroffer.
Other Compensation Actions
Career Ladder:
A career ladder can be developed to allow for a progression of jobs in a specific occupational field, thereby providing an opportunity for employees to advance within a job family. Titles are ranked from highest to lowest based on level of responsibility, qualifications and compensation. An example of a career ladder is the Administrative Associate, which has level I, II and Senior levels.
Demotion:
A demotion is movement to a job in a lower pay grade and can be both involuntary and voluntary. Demotions generally warrant a pay decrease, with the amount to be determined by the individual circumstances, considering the incumbent’s current pay against the pay grade range of the lower lever position, the knowledge, skills and performance of the incumbent, and pay of other similarly situated employees. To initiate a request for a demotion, please contact your HRBP, who will partner with Compensation.
Equity Adjustments:
An equity adjustment is a change in pay rate to address pay inequities within the same or similar job titles for employees with comparable education and experience, skill set and/or similarly situated employees. Equity adjustments can also be made to recognize compensation changes in the labor market for a specific job or jobs. A comparative analysis is conducted to ensure that salaries are internally consistent and externally competitive within the higher education industry. Internal equity adjustments are not intended to ensure employees in the same job classification receive the same salary. Employees should not be informed of changes in pay until after final approval is received.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Review:
The Department of Labor governs FLSA criteria that must be met in classifying a position as exempt or non-exempt, referred to as the duties test. Non-exempt positions are required to be paid overtime or compensation time at time and a half; exempt positions receive a salary for all hours worked and are not eligible for overtime pay. All job descriptions are reviewed against the FLSA duties test to determine if the position is non-exempt or exempt.
Job Description:
The written description of a job that includes a job summary, roles and responsibilities, minimum qualifications and knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Job descriptions are more generic in nature to provide for potential differences in work between individual positions within the classification. A job description is created or revised when a new position is identified or when the duties or functions of a position evolve or change so that the current job description is no longer an accurate depiction of the position. Information contained in the job description will be used to assign the appropriate classification and pay grade.
Promotion Non-Competitive:
The permanent movement of an employee from a position in one job class/pay grade to a position in another job class/pay grade of increased responsibility or complexity of duties in a higher salary range. The new salary is determined based upon the employee’s skill, knowledge, experience, performance, and current pay rate in relation to the new pay grade range.
