President Sharon Hahs has implemented an across the board pay increase for about 450 non-negotiated employees.
This salary increase will cost the university $1.9 million dollars in pay raises for the year. Non-negotiated employees are employees that do not belong to one of the five unions of the university.
“There are approximately 450 non-negotiated employees that are getting 3 percent.” Said Mark Wilcokson, Vice President of Finance and Administration. The estimate is that the pay increases will cost $1.9 million dollars. The university will know the exact figure once they process them all.
They have not had the ability to process all of the pay increases because some employees are paid weekly, bi-weekly or monthly depending on their position.
According to a memo sent out by President Hahs, “The adjustments will be retroactive to July 1, 2008. Employees receiving the increase will be those employed by the University as non-negotiated employees on Mar.1, 2008 and still employed as non-negotiated employees as of Sept. 1, 2008. It is anticipated that the adjustments will be included in the Sept. 15 payroll.”
The reason for the pay increase is, “To keep up with the market you also don’t want to penalize non-negotiated employees. You need to be in the ballpark of what you are giving negotiated employees.” Said Wilcockson.
The university is doing this as part of a way to be fair to all employees. “We have some titles that are exactly the same title some are in the bargaining unit some are not in the bargaining unit so you want to treat employees in a fair manner, so all university employees are getting some kind of a salary increase this year.” Said Wilcockson.
The university has estimated that negotiated employees are receiving pay increases in the 3% range so the decision was made to do the same with non-negotiated employees.