Frequently Asked Questions
How is starting pay determined?
Starting salaries are based on candidates’ job qualifications, work experience, salary history, and the pay grade for each position. Starting salaries typically fall within the minimum and target of the pay grade range.
What should employees do if they disagree with their career stage?
Please communicate with your supervisor or department head to discuss why your position was assigned to the current pay grade. They can review relevant job descriptions and associated minimum requirements, as well as characteristics of the assigned pay grade with you.
My title is director/manager, and I perform some supervisory functions. Why has my position been assigned to an individual contributor or team lead role and not manager?
Job titles do not always tell the whole story when it comes to assigning a job level. For example, manager/assistant director/associate director/director titles have been assigned in the past because they may indicate responsibilities over a general area or function rather than necessarily supervision of multiple employees. Even though an individual may have some supervisory responsibilities—overseeing an administrative support position, supervising the completion of projects and assignments, or providing general guidance—for the purpose of establishing career stages our focus was on the overall function of a position. Positions were only assigned to the "manager" role if the position supervises other benefits-eligible staff positions.
What does "position within the pay grade" mean?
This refers to where the employee’s pay is located within the pay grade: near the lower end (entry), mid-zone (third pay point), or premium zone (fourth to fifth pay points). The entry part of the pay grade is approximately at the fortieth percentile in the market. This means that it pays better than 40 percent of those in a similar job in the market. The mid-zone is at the fifty-fifth percentile of the market, meaning it is above the standard “market rate” for the position. The fourth and fifth pay points are the seventy-fifth and ninetieth percentile, meaning that the pay is better than 75 percent to 90 percent of the pay for individuals in the market performing a similar job. The pay grades provide flexibility to reward different levels of individual performance and competencies over time. Once the salary pay grade structure is fully implemented, your experience and performance will guide where you are paid within the pay grade. Generally, this means that if you are:
- A developing employee who is successfully meeting expectations while continuing to grow and develop in your role, your pay would most likely be in the salary grade between the entry and mid-zone;
- An experienced employee who is fully meeting goals and competency expectations, your pay will likely be around the mid-zone;
- An experienced employee who consistently delivers exceptional competencies and performance, you would likely be paid at the high end of the mid-zone or in the premium zone.
I am an experienced new employee with consistently good performance during my time at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. Why is my pay located close to the minimum of the market reference range?
The current location of your pay within the pay grade does not necessarily consider your experience before coming to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. We adjusted pay based on time and performance at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ to address compression. We will continue to bring employee pay through the pay grade based on continued experience and performance. Having regular performance check-ins will be critical to providing us with the information needed to make future adjustments.
Who approves the amount of my salary increase?
The president, senior vice presidents, deans, and department/program heads are responsible for increases in their areas. The new compensation structure will require managers to actively partner with Human Resources to ensure all compensation decisions are consistent with the established pay policies.
Are all positions market priced?
No. It is standard compensation practice for an institution to market-price or "benchmark" at least 50 percent of their positions. At ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾, we compared the pay of approximately 80 percent of our exempt and non-exempt positions with similar positions using a variety of market data, including our using the College and University Professional Associate for Human Resources (CUPA) Thirty-One College peer group list, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Oberlin Library Salary Survey, and the Consortium of Liberal Arts Colleges (CLAC) Information Technology Survey, as well as several other area-specific salary surveys, based upon job content not position titles. Comparison salary data is obtained only from credible published surveys from these sources.
How are non-benchmarked positions assigned to market reference ranges?
Where comparison market data is unavailable, Human Resources and our compensation consultant assigned positions to pay grades by comparing them to similar benchmarked positions, using criteria such as education, training and experience required, complexity of work, decision-making and impact, and type of supervision. Position placement was then compared across departments and divisions, within levels and within job families, to confirm appropriate placement. Range assignments and internal benchmarks used to determine the pay grade were reviewed with the appropriate senior officers and department heads.
Is the cost of living (COL) in Maine similar to the COL in the areas where the top thirty-one schools are located?
When establishing market reference ranges, we did not adjust market data to account for COL differences among the top thirty-one liberal arts colleges. These institutions are located across the country in both rural and urban areas, some with a higher COL than Maine and others with a lower COL. The median (the middle number) is used instead of the average because it is not affected by particularly high or low values and likely reflects a COL similar to our own.
How often will the pay grades be reviewed?
Human Resources will continue to complete a variety of salary surveys annually. In addition, pay grades will be reviewed and adjusted based on market information, typically annually. A full comprehensive market review will be conducted every three to five years.
Will my salary be capped if it is at the top of or above pay grade the maximum?
No, the College does not cap pay. There are a number of possible reasons why an individual would be paid close to or above the maximum of the range, and Human Resources will closely review these situations to ensure that pay levels correspond appropriately to the employee’s job based on market, internal equity, and performance contribution at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾. Employees who consistently perform their job in an exceptional manner or who possess and demonstrate exceptional skills and competencies may in rare situations be paid at our above-the-market maximum. Because an individual whose pay falls at or above the maximum is receiving a premium above-market pay, a second level of review is required to include the senior vice president for finance and administration and/or the president.
I received an adjustment to my pay this year. Was the standard salary increase factored in before the adjustment or after the adjustment?
Employees who receive a market adjustment will have the associated increase added to their base after the standard salary increase this year.