Compensation

January 1, 2016 Minimum Wage Increase

Last updated: July 12, 2016.

DATE:
January 7, 2016
TO:
Payroll Coordinators
FROM:
UW Human Resources Compensation
SUBJ:
January 1, 2016 Minimum Wage Increase

Please make note of the following items:

  • The minimum wage increase goes into effect for hours earned beginning 1/1/2016.
  • The increase up to the new minimums will be automatic and implemented centrally for hourly-paid employees a few days after the 12/31/2015 payroll has been calculated.
  • All hourly-paid employees making $13.00 or less will be automatically updated for the pay period ending 1/15/2016. Note the exception for job code 0888-Student Assistant-UWT included below.
  • Minimum step value changes for employees in classified staff classifications below the 1/1/2016 $2253 per month minimum wage rate are provided on the 1/1/2016 Minimum Step Values with Monthly and Hourly Rates list.
  • Please note that all students assigned to job codes 0875-Student Assistant (Seattle & Bothell campuses) and 1836-Student Assistant-Non-UW Student after 1/1/2016 will need to be paid at least the new 1/1/2016 minimum wage rate of $13.00 per hour.
  • All UW-Tacoma students assigned to job code 0888-Student Assistant-UWT (Tacoma campus) after 1/1/2016 will need to be paid at least the $11.00 per hour minimum for this new job class.
  • Hourly workers in job codes 0886-Reader/Grader, 0887-Tutor, 0868-Undergraduate Teaching Assistant, and 0869-Undergraduate Research Assistant will also be going to the $13.00 per hour rate, as negotiated with UAW, and will be updated centrally.
  • After the payroll calculation for PPE 1/15/2016 there will be a post-audit check to find any employees paid below the new minimums.

Please make sure you carefully read all details included below.

Minimum Step Value Changes for Classified Staff

Minimum step value changes for classified staff classifications below the 1/1/2016 $2253 per month minimum wage rate are provided on the 1/1/2016 Minimum Step Values with Monthly and Hourly Rates list.

Payscales and Other Details

As indicated in the message below, the minimum wage for students and temporary workers at UW-Seattle and UW-Bothell will increase on January 1, 2016, from $11.00 per hour to $13.00 per hour; the UW-Tacoma minimum wage for students and temporary workers will remain $11.00 per hour. The Student Employee Pay Schedule will be updated to reflect this change:

Student Employee Pay Schedule (Effective 4/1/15 – 12/31/15)
4/1/15 Class Title 4/1/15 Class Code 4/1/15 Pay Range
Student Assistant 0875 $11.00 – $21.61
Student Assistant-Non-UW Student 1836 $11.00 – $21.61
Revised Student Employee Pay Schedule (Effective 1/1/16)
1/1/16 Class Title 1/1/16 Class Code 1/1/16 Pay Range
Student Assistant (Seattle & Bothell) 0875 $13.00 – $25.54
Student Assistant-UWT (Tacoma) 0888 $11.00 – $25.54
Student Assistant-Non-UW Student 1836 $13.00 – $21.61

Please plan for the budgetary impact of the new pay range.

To assist with the revision or development of a departmental practice for student employee pay and classification, the Student Employee Pay and Classification Schedule is available at:

http://hr.uw.edu/comp/student-employees/

The January 1, 2016, student employee pay schedule will be implemented as follows:

  1. Pay increases for students paid below $13.00 per hour (UW-Seattle & UW-Bothell), and below $11.00 per hour (UW-Tacoma) will be implemented centrally through HEPPS and will be reflected in paychecks beginning January 25, 2016.
  2. All other student wage adjustments will be discretionary and will require online payroll action. Departments may initiate discretionary adjustments within the revised pay range based upon equity, longevity, merit, market conditions, recruitment difficulties, or salary compression with other students receiving minimum wage adjustments.

Questions regarding the content of this communication may be referred to Human Resources Compensation at ocpsp@uw.edu.