With merit salary pool approved, what’s next?
With the University of Colorado Board of Regents having approved a merit salary pool of 3.1 percent for faculty and university staff (officers and exempt professionals), and a state-mandated increase of up to 3.6 percent expected, what’s next?
Employee Services notes that each campus controls how the merit pool is allocated for faculty and exempt professionals. For classified staff, the projected increases are pending legislative approval of the state budget, or Long Bill. For the first time, there is a matrix for merit pay that is dependent on the employee’s performance score and salary within the current (2012-13) pay range.
Increases for classified staff will be implemented as follows:
- Any temporary pay differential is removed from base salary.
- A cost of living adjustment (COLA) of 2 percent is applied as a base-building increase. If the employee’s salary is at the range maximum, the cost of living increase will be a non-base-building, one-time payment.
- Merit increases for employees hired before April 1, 2013, are determined by the following matrix:
|
March 2013 Performance Rating |
Quartiles | |||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Level 3 | 2.40% | 2.10% | 2.10% | 2.10% |
| Level 2 | 1.80% | 1.60% | 1.10% | .60% |
| Level 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Base building increase | Non-base-building, one-time payment | |||
| If the employee has not been employed for a full year (4/1/2012 – 3/31/2013), the merit percentage will be prorated for the number of months employed in a non-temporary classified position. Working one day in a month equals one month of service. | ||||
- After COLA and merit increases are calculated, if the Legislature approves the 2013-14 pay ranges, the employee’s new adjusted salary will be placed into new salary ranges. If the salary is below the new minimum, a base-building increase will be added to bring the employee’s salary to the minimum in the salary range. If the salary is above the new maximum, the employee’s pay will be in saved pay status for up to three years, which means the employee’s pay will remain the same for three years and then be reduced to the range maximum.
- Temporary pay differentials are calculated and monthly salary is adjusted if necessary, using departmental funds.
Boulder campus HR has put together some FAQs that are helpful to any classified staff at CU. Employees are encouraged to contact their respective campus HR office with any questions.