Compensation Advisory Board Update

I have served as the IPS representative on this board since it was formed in 2010. Significant improvements have been made as summarized on its web site at http://humanresources.tennessee.edu/cab/index.html

The CAB, as it is known, meets three times per year on the day prior to the UT Board of Trustees meeting. The June 17 meeting agenda was full of progress reports. Items of note for IPS staff include a recommendation for CAB “town hall” meetings where members of CAB will visit UT staff across the state to listen to issues around compensation and benefits. These will be scheduled later in the year.

CAB is also reviewing possible increases to minimum rate of pay and an update to the salary schedules so that they continue to reflect market position. UT’s minimum pay rate will increase to $9.50 effective July 1, but this will not cost IPS because we have no employees below this rate. The new salary schedules will cause us to evaluate where employees are relative to their target salary so that we can put tighter long-term funding plans. We also reviewed turnover data for the university compared to higher education in general and the entire workforce. The average turnover in IPS over the last six years was 10 percent, and for the entire university it was 11.4 percent. We discussed the “baby boom” bubble moving through the workforce.

We also discussed a change to the sick leave donation policy that is working its way through the process. This is thanks to John Charlson, who raised it as an issue at the last IPS ERC meeting. I took the concern to the Benefits Advisory Group and that group recommended a change from a minimum 80 hour donation to a minimum 40 hour donation. I expect this policy will be changed in the next few months.

Please visit the CAB website to get a full report of all the activity. It’s a very busy and very effective group.