Compensation Guidelines

Salary Structure Overview

Compensation Guidelines

• New Hires

  Salaries for newly-hired or created positions will be assessed based on the pay range for the position's pay grade, the candidate's qualifications, and budget availability. The candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and experience will influence their placement within the range, with less experienced candidates typically starting lower and more experienced candidates starting higher. Additionally, internal equity related to the same or significantly similar roles is to be considered when placing new hires into a range.

  A new hire’s salary is not set at the level of the prior incumbent. It is based on the factors mentioned above. The starting salaries for a new hire should not exceed the midpoint of their pay range. Any starting salary above the midpoint will require approval from the Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer.

• Non-Competitive Pay Increases

  For all salary changes, any increase in excess of 10% will require approval by the Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer (EVPCFO) upon recommendation from the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Increases beyond 10% are to be based on exceptional circumstances such as rapid changes in market data or urgent documented retention concerns.

• Reclassifications

  A reclassification may occur following a job audit or assessment performed by Human Resources that confirms a significant change in job duties and responsibilities that necessitates a new job title. Budget permitting, reclassifications can result in pay increases if the employee’s salary falls below the minimum of the new pay grade. Any increase beyond the minimum is subject to review from Human Resources. If a reclassification results in either no change or decrease in pay grade, the employee’s salary does not change. Except under exceptional circumstances, such as verified concerns related to retention or other critical operational matters, reclassifications with a corresponding pay increase will be effective either the beginning of the mid-year cycle or during annual salary review, depending on the time of the request.

• Non-Competitive Promotions

  A non-competitive promotion may occur when an employee is advanced into a position which is part of a natural career progression. When, as a result of such a promotion, the employee is placed into a position of a higher pay grade, the employee may receive a pay increase not to exceed 10% subject to the following considerations:

  • The actual increase may be less than 10% based on internal equity, available budget, or compression considerations;
  • If an increase in excess of 10% is required to place the employee above the minimum of the new pay range, the University may phase any increases above 10% over a period of time.
  • If an employee is already above the minimum of the pay grade, the pay increase should not exceed the midpoint of the pay grade.

• Pay Increases Resulting from Competitive Selection

  Internal applicants for posted positions, who are competitively selected for such positions, may receive a pay increase if the new position is at a higher grade in the University Pay Plan. Lateral moves are not subject to pay increases. When a current employee is competitively hired into a new position at a higher pay grade, the guidelines listed above under “New Hires” will generally apply to ensure internal applicants are not disadvantaged compared to external applicants.

• Transfers

  When an employee is transferred to another position with the same pay grade, which does not occur as a result of a disciplinary action, reduction in force, or position elimination, the employee’s pay will not change. If an employee is transitioned to a position at a lower pay grade due one of the listed reasons above, or chooses to move to a lower pay grade voluntarily, the employee may be subject to a pay decrease within the discretion of the University as approved by Human Resources.

• Market-Based and Equity Adjustments

  A market/equity adjustment is a change in salary designed to address internal pay disparities (such as compression or inversion) or to align with external labor market rates. Equity adjustments recommended by Human Resources via the year-end compensation review process will be reviewed with the applicable vice president and will be subject to the availability of funding. Market adjustment proposals may be initiated by Human Resources as a result of market studies or audits, or may be initiated by divisional leadership requesting a review of the position by Human Resources. As with equity adjustments, market adjustments are subject to funding availability. Market adjustments will be effective either at the beginning of the mid-year cycle or annual salary review, depending on the time of the request.

• Other Salary Adjustments

  When exceptional circumstances exist, members of the President's Cabinet may request discretionary salary adjustments for reasons not previously outlined. These requests should generally be submitted during the year-end salary review process, although, in certain limited scenarios, out-of-cycle adjustments may be justified. Salary adjustment requests outside the year-end review must include a detailed explanation of the rationale for the adjustment, such as grant-funded positions where funds-availability changes on a different cycle than the university’s normal salary review process. Additionally, these requests will be routed through Human Resources and reviewed by the Budget Office for funding availability before being approved by the Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer.

Pay Plans/Salary Ranges