FAQS Staff Salary & Hiring Restrictions | Engrossed Senate Substitute Bill 5460
SALARY RESTRICTIONS
1)Under what circumstances may a salary increase be authorized for a professional staff employee between February 19, 2009, and February 18, 2010?
At this time, only increases associated with being hired into a different position may be approved.
2)May a salary adjustment be made if the position is funded from sources other than state funds or tuition?
No. The salary freeze legislation applies to all sources of funds.
3)What about increases associated with professional staff position reviews, in-grade adjustments or temporary additional or higher level duties?
There are no exceptions to the salary freeze for professional staff positions at this time.
4)Can professional staff reviews or class code and title changes previously submitted but not yet approved proceed without an accompanying salary increase?
Such requests may be able to be processed by Compensation but should be discussed with your Compensation Consultant in advance.
5)Can new professional staff position reviews and/or changes in job class title/grade be requested as long as there is no salary increase involved?
Yes, as long as there is no salary increase involved, professional staff positions may be reviewed for assignment to a different job class code/title.
6)Can an in-grade or position review submitted after February 18, 2010, include a salary increase effective date earlier than February 18, 2010?
No.Salary increase effective dates will not be approved retroactive to the February 18, 2010, salary freeze end date.
7)May data entry errors be corrected if they result in a higher salary (e.g., transposed salary digits during entry into OPUS)?
Most likely, yes. Any such corrections should be reviewed with the Compensation Office prior to taking action.
8)Are excess compensation (E/C) payments impacted?
Where a professional staff member was committed to perform duties for excess compensation on or before February 18, 2009, excess compensation payments will be permitted. No new commitments of excess compensation during the twelve-month period from February 19, 2009–February 18, 2010, are permitted under ESSB 5460. Departments should not enter any new excess compensation payments into OPUS.
9)Can temporary employees or student helpers receive a pay increase between February 19, 2009, and February 18, 2010?
No.
10)Can a professional staff temporary salary increase that is currently in effect be extended?
Yes, as long as the increase took effect prior to February 19, 2009, there is no break in service, and no change to the amount of compensation is involved.
11)Can a department increase the FTE percentage of a position provided there is no increase in the full-time monthly salary rate?
Yes.
12)Are classified employees impacted by the salary restrictons in ESSB 5460?
The law does not impose restrictions on salary actions affecting contract classified or classified non-union employees.
HIRING RESTRICTIONS
13)What budgets and positions are included in the hiring freeze?
The hiring freeze applies to all positions paid from General Operating Budget funds, including professional, contract classified, classified non-union positions, temporary, academic student employee and student helper positions.
14)May departments change a staff position’s distribution budget number to a non-GOF budget in order to proceed with a recruitment?
Departments may change distribution budget numbers as long as the change in source of funds remains in place at least through the duration of the freeze.
15)Can new temporary appointments be filled between February 18, 2009, and June 30, 2009?
As long as the position is not funded by state funds or tuition (GOF) budgets, yes.
16)Can temporary appointments be extended as long as there is no salary increase and the extension complies with applicable rules and policies?
Yes.
17)Can student employees be hired on state funds or tuition?
No, not into a new appointment. Extensions of current appointments are permitted. The University is seeking clarification regarding our ability to offer new appointments to student helpers paid from GOF budgets.
March 6, 2009 | Page 1