Current DRAFT as of 3.12.2024

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²ÊÃñ±¦µä's compensation philosophy lays out the values and principles in which the university’s compensation structure and practices are grounded. The values and principles themselves derive from the university’s mission and the campus’ strategic imperatives. The key values include fairness, transparency, consistency, equity, competitiveness, and merit. These values and the values of Shared Equity Leadership inform the guiding principles and compensation practices.Ìý

Guiding Principles Ìý

Campus pay-setting practices: 

  • Comply with state and federal laws.Ìý
  • Align with and support the campus mission, vision, values, and strategic initiatives. Ìý
  • Reflect the university’s policy of providing base salaries comparable to those paid by institutions of similar enrollment, organization, and financial support to persons in positions of comparable responsibility as outlined in Regent Policy 11.Ìý
  • Are approved by campus leadership; administered by Boulder Campus Human Resources (HR), the Office of the Provost, and the Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA); and supported by the Office of Student Employment and Data Analytics (DA). 
  • Are campus-based and specific to the employment category (i.e., faculty, research faculty, classified staff, university staff, graduate students, student employees, and temporary employees); discipline, occupation, or industry; and campus job architectures (job family, level, or code). Ìý
  • Are data informed, based on sound professional practices. â¶Ä¯â€¯Ìý
  • Attract and retain a high performing workforce while maintaining internal pay equity for substantially similar work. â¶Ä¯Ìý
  • Utilize national, regional, and local market compensation data including AAU public peer institutions, CUPA-HR, and other relevant salary surveys, and professional occupational data sources as appropriate for the recruitment market of each employee population, discipline, or occupation. â¶Ä¯
  • Ensure good stewardship of the university’s resources. â¶Ä¯Ìý
  • Are reviewed annually, considering such factors as the campus strategic goals, cost of labor, market data for relevant occupations, pay equity, talent supply, and demand fluctuations, federal and state minimum wage and labor laws, funding source, and available campus resources. Ìý
  • Utilize a combination of base and non-base compensation methods, subject to available funding, including structure adjustments, across-the-board, and/or merit increases to ensure salaries are equitable and competitive. Ìý
  • Prioritize critical need areas as approved by campus leadership. Pay increases are not guaranteed for all employee populations each year.Ìý

²ÊÃñ±¦µä’s compensation structure aims to reflect these key values and guiding principles.Ìý Ìý

Compensation StructureÌý

The compensation structure is informed by external job market data and internal equity considerations so that ²ÊÃñ±¦µä can succeed in attracting, hiring, and retaining employees and ensure good stewardship of public funds. By ensuring fair and consistent pay practices for similarly situated employees, this compensation structure supports the campus’ strategic imperatives of shaping tomorrow’s leaders, being the top university for innovation, and positively impacting humanity. â¶Ä¯

Classified staff positions are compensated by and applicable . â¶Ä¯

University staff, faculty, and student positions are compensated by federal and state wage and hours laws and campus and university policies and procedures as administered by Human Resources, the Office of the Provost, Deans’ Offices, the Graduate School, and the Office of Student Employment. Ìý

Compliance with State and Federal Laws Ìý

The ²ÊÃñ±¦µä’s (²ÊÃñ±¦µä’s) compensation structure provides for equal pay for substantially similar work by state and federal law, including but not limited to the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and (CEPEWA). Ìý ²ÊÃñ±¦µä prohibits discrimination of any kind, including discrimination based on sex (including gender identity and gender expression) or based on sex in combination with another protected status. Allowable wage rate differentials are further described in campus pay-setting guidelines. â¶Ä¯â€¯Ìý All employees have the right to discuss or disclose their wage rate with other employees and no employee shall be subject to discipline, retaliation, or other adverse action because that employee inquired about, disclosed, compared, or otherwise discussed the employee’s compensation. Employees who believe they have been unlawfully discriminated against in compensation or have experienced or witnessed a violation of policy shall promptly report the matter to the Office of Institutional Equity & Compliance (OIEC). This includes supervisors and other responsible employees required to report under campus policy. â¶Ä¯Ìý

HR (for staff), academic/institute leaders (for research faculty), and Data Analytics and dean’s offices (for faculty) conduct regular equity analyses to identify CEPEWA compliance pay disparities and maintain campus pay equity.Ìý Any employee with a pay equity concern is encouraged to report the issue to their supervisor, department HR liaison, department chair, campus HR, or the OIEC for analysis and resolution.Ìý A form to report pay equity concerns is available on the HR and websites and the Salary Equity Appeals Policy for faculty. When a report is made, the OIEC, HR, or faculty salary equity appeals committee will follow up with the person making the report to gather information, discuss options, and provide a timely response.ÌýÌý