The University of Georgia announces a series of salary increases for UGA staffers: those earning $50 thousand or less will see pay hikes ranging from one to five percent.
From UGA president Jere Morehead...
As the current labor market affects organizations across the country, staff retention challenges faced by units throughout the University of Georgia continue to grow. To assist with recruitment and retention efforts, the University is now implementing another phase of compression and retention salary adjustments for the current fiscal year. These actions complement the compression and inversion salary increases, and increases to Minimum Hiring Rates, recently completed as part of FY2022 Budget Planning and Salary Setting. We are pleased that the University System of Georgia (USG) has supported our efforts to increase the salaries of those in the pay bands outlined below, and we look forward to identifying additional opportunities to provide pay increases to our hard-working staff. Below is a summary of the approach.
Staff Salaries – Increase to UGA’s Minimum Hiring Rate: UGA is directing additional funds in its FY2022 budget to further increase its minimum hiring rate (MHR) for benefits-eligible staff. The MHR will rise from $26,175 to $27,500. This is an increase of approximately 5% from the current level and is nearly 9% above the FY2021 rate.
Staff Salaries – Minimum Hourly Rate: The FY2022 budget will also be increased to ensure that all non-benefits-eligible, part-time staff are earning a minimum of $11.50 per hour (last year’s minimum hourly rate was $10.25 and was recently increased to $11.00). The minimum hourly rate for students will also be increased to $9.50 per hour.
Staff Salaries – Compression & Inversion: UGA will apply further increases to salaries ranging between $27,500 and $50,000 to address potential compression or inversion issues resulting from minimum hiring rate increases. Adjustments for benefits-eligible staff will include:
Salary Range
% Increase
$27,500 or less
5.0%
$27,501 - $30,000
5.0%
$30,001 - $32,500
4.5%
$32,501 - $35,000
4.0%
$35,001 - $37,500
3.5%
$37,501 - $40,000
3.0%
$40,001 - $42,500
2.5%
$42,501 - $45,000
2.0%
$45,001 - $47,500
1.5%
$47,501 - $50,000
1.0%
Funding for Salary Increases: Consistent with the process at the beginning of the fiscal year, funds will be allocated to UGA’s Resident Instruction (RI) and B-Unit budgets to adjust the minimum rate to $27,500. Any units that have employees paid on General Funds with a full-time equivalent salary less than $27,500 will receive an allocation to adjust those salaries up to the new minimum hiring rate.
Comprehensive Review: Following implementation of these increases, UGA will begin a comprehensive market review, including options for salary bands above $50,000. This will focus on market retention steps and to ensure job market competitiveness, internal equity, and fiscal responsibility.
Timing for Salary Increases: The increased minimum rates and the compression/inversion increases will be effective October 1, 2021. The comprehensive market review will also begin soon and updates will follow.
Now more than ever, we appreciate your exceptional leadership. If you have any questions, please contact University Human Resources at hrweb@uga.edu.
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