30 AUGUST 00 | An additional $19 million for UC wages in the state budget will mean extra dollars in many staff member's Nov. 1 paychecks.

The extra funding is in addition to money already allocated in the state budget for staff raises, details of which were announced in July. This extra money will help the university solve some market inequity problems.

"This is an attempt to bring salaries closer to the market rates," said Sandra Haire, assistant vice chancellor for human resources. "We are concerned about retaining our best employees, and this will hopefully bring us to more competitive rates. We will be even more competitive when our great health benefits package, the retirement package, and the holiday and vacation/sick leave benefits are factored into our total compensation package."

With details about the extra money in hand, the Berkeley campus is revising its 2000-2001 salary plan for non-represented employees, effective Oct. 1. Details are as follows:

o Employees in non-represented clerical/administrative titles, whose salaries are equal to or below $40,000, will receive a two percent salary adjustment and be eligible for merit increases with a control figure of 4.5 percent. Employees in non-represented clerical/administrative titles, whose salaries are between $40,001 and $79,999, will receive a one percent salary adjustment and be eligible for merit increases with a control figure of 4.5 percent. This larger merit increase control figure will help to alleviate serious market lags as well as recruitment and retention issues for this group of employees.

o Employees in non-represented titles other than clerical/administrative, whose salaries are equal to or below $40,000, will receive a two percent salary adjustment and be eligible for merit increases with a control figure of 3.5 percent.

o Employees in non-represented titles other than clerical/administrative, whose salaries are between $40,001 and and up to $79,999, will receive a one percent salary adjustment and be eligible for merit increases with a control figure of 3.5 percent.

o Employees in non-represented titles other than clerical/administrative, whose salaries are at or above $80,000, will be eligible for merit increases with a control figure of 3.5 percent.

o The merit increases will be calculated on the amount that results from the salary adjustment.

Salary increases for employees represented by unions are subject to the collective bargaining process, which is still under way.

The university system plans to make staff compensation a top priority in the coming year in order to continue to battle market inequities.

"With the employment market so tight, there are opportunities elsewhere," said Chancellor Berdahl. "In recent years, staff compensation has not kept pace with the market or with faculty increases. That's why the Council of Chancellors has made staff compensation the highest priority for additional money."

Haire said careful study is under way to compare university job rates with those in the labor market. "This will help us to recommend more competitive compensation rates to the administration, and, therefore, to make our case for market-based compensation more compelling."

To comment on changes to the salary plan, e-mail shaire@uclink4.berkeley.edu by September 1.

Human Resources will post updates at hrweb.berkeley.edu/PAY/00docs.htm. Open campus information sessions will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m., September 5, in 150 University Hall, and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., September 11. No registration is needed; seating is limited.