Compensation Decisions

Setting a starting salary involves a review by Human Resources of a position's responsibilities and requirements, as well as the skills and experience of the incumbent, using the salary range associated with the position's grade as the guideline. The following factors are considered when defining the starting salary:

• Individual pay: Human Resources will set pay within the salary grade collaboratively with the hiring manager, based on the applicant's skills and experience. Less skilled and experienced applicants would be paid lower in the range; more skilled and experienced applicants would be paid higher in the range.
• Review internal equity: Human Resources will conduct a review of salaries of current employees in similar positions to ensure internal equity.

The following sections contain policies and guidelines for compensation decisions resulting from an employee's movement from their current position to a new position. These policies do not refer to situations in which a significant portion of an employee's current position changes. Definitions of the types of situations included in this section are below:

• Promotion to a Position in a Higher Salary Grade: An employee moves from their current position to a different position that is assigned to a higher salary grade.
• Lateral Transfer: An employee moves from their current position to a different position in the same salary grade.
• Demotion to a Position in a Lower Salary Grade: An employee moves from their current position to a different position that is assigned to a lower salary grade. The move may be voluntary or involuntary.

A promotion involves taking on a position that is assigned to a higher salary grade. Such a move generally warrants an increase in base salary to recognize the additional responsibilities of the position and to ensure that pay for the new position is consistent with market and internal equity. To be eligible for a promotion or transfer outside the current division, an employee must:

• Have been in their current position for a minimum of 12 months
• Be a regular full-time or part-time employee (not on-call or temporary)
• Be unrelated to an individual who directly supervises the open position, and
• Have not received corrective action for a period of one year

Human Resources will define an appropriate salary within the new salary grade, based on the employee's skill, knowledge, experience, and performance, and review the salary with the employee's manager. Since circumstances vary and each employee has a different pay history, it is important to consider multiple factors when making pay decisions related to promotions. These factors are shown in the chart below:

Not all career advancement opportunities are promotions. An employee can advance in his or her career by taking a different position in the same salary grade. This enables him or her to become broadly skilled, enhancing his or her ability to contribute to UR. Generally, lateral transfers are not eligible for salary increases or decreases.

At times, staff may be reassigned to a position in a lower salary grade. This may occur in order to find a more appropriate fit between the employee's capabilities and the skills and expectations of a different position, or because the employee chooses to take on a position with fewer responsibilities.

When an employee is reassigned to a position in a lower salary grade, either voluntarily or involuntarily, the salary will be reduced, based on the criteria below, to reflect the responsibilities of the new position.

The University must consider many factors when making pay decisions.

• Monitor protected classes (gender, ethnicity, and age) to ensure equitable pay.
• Ensure there is a pay differential between a manager and their highest paid direct report.

From time to time, it may be necessary for employees at UR to take on additional or different responsibilities temporarily. Appropriate compensation for the nature of these assignments will be assessed by Human Resources and the employee's manager on a case-by-case basis.

1. A supervisor must consult with Human Resources before establishing payment or committing to paying an employee for additional duties. This communication must occur prior to any communication with the employee.
2. Compensation for additional duties may be different than the employee's regular compensation. The department hiring for the additional duties will determine the compensation for the additional duties in consultation with the Total Compensation Specialist.
3. Additional pay is payable as follows: a) One-time or short duration activities are paid in the pay period following when the qualifying activity takes place. b) Assignments of a multi-month duration will be paid based on the regular pay periods and pay dates. 
4. The performance of work outside an employee's regular duties or department should not conflict with or reduce effectiveness of the employee's performance of his or her primary position responsibilities.

Performing Additional Duties for Another Department

• Permission of the employee's primary department/supervisor is required before an employee may be hired by another unit to perform special projects or other duties where such work has the potential to infringe on the regular duties and/or work hours assigned by the employee's regular department.
• Employees may perform additional duties for up to a maximum of six months. If the additional duties still need to be performed after six months the department should consult with the Total Compensation Specialist to determine the appropriate method to continue the additional duties. This might include assignment of another staff member to perform the additional duties, or adding a new position to perform the additional duties.
• If an exempt employee is asked to perform work that is clearly outside the normal scope of his or her responsibilities, the supervisor or department may recommend an appropriate lump-sum payment to recognize performance of unusual duties.
• Additional compensation, as described above, is intended to be short-term, not an ongoing compensation strategy. For an ongoing situation, a department/supervisor should consider longer-term options, such as requesting to incorporate the additional duties into the employee's primary position responsibilities and requesting a classification review to ensure the position is appropriately classified. Such a request should be submitted to the Total Compensation Specialist in Human Resources via a revised position description and written explanation of the change in position duties.

Performing Additional Duties Outside the Scope of Primary Position Responsibilities

• If an exempt employee is asked to perform work that is clearly outside the normal scope of his or her responsibilities, the supervisor or department may recommend an appropriate lump-sum payment to recognize performance of unusual duties.
• Additional compensation, as described above, is intended to be short-term, not an ongoing compensation strategy. For an ongoing situation, a department/supervisor should consider longer term options, such as requesting to incorporate the additional duties into the employee's primary position responsibilities and requesting a classification review to ensure the position is appropriately classified. Such a request should be submitted to the Total Compensation Specialist in Human Resources via a revised position description and written explanation of the change in position duties.

Performing Work of a Vacant Position (Acting/Interim)

• An acting/interim rate represents extra compensation for a staff member who has temporarily assumed responsibility for, and performance of, another position. Such assumed responsibility is usually in addition to his or her primary position responsibilities.
  • Typically an acting/interim assignment has a specific beginning and ending date and does not exceed a period of six months.
  • Supervisors/Managers cannot receive additional compensation for performing the work of an employee that reports to them.
• The rate associated with an interim or acting position will depend on amount and complexity of the additional responsibilities assigned to the staff member.
• It is the responsibility of each Vice President or Dean to maintain budget neutrality of additional pay for an acting/interim appointment.

Performance increases will occur on an annual basis and according to merit, when funds are available. The amount of the performance increase budget is determined by budget and market factors each year. Individual increase amounts are determined based on performance ratings and budget considerations. Employees with an overall rating of below expectations will not be eligible for increases.

The amount of the budget will vary each year, and the performance increase amounts will depend on the performance rating distribution. The increase amounts will not be shared until the distribution is finalized.