Compensation Program : Frequently Asked Questions

What is the criteria for placement within a band? Is the market range for my position the same as the band range? How is an individual employee’s salary determined? How can I progress through my pay band? How can an employee move to a higher band? Why is my salary placed so low/high in the band? How are an employee's knowledge, skills and abilities taken into account? How come my pay is different than someone in the same or similar job? Is longevity considered when determining salary? Why are new employees earning as much as long-term employees? How does the college maintain a compensation structure that is competitive with external markets? How is good performance rewarded? I recently completed received my degree – will this be recognized? Can I receive an increase in pay if I transfer to a job in the same salary band?

Q. What is the criteria for placement within a band?

A. Jobs are placed in a salary band based on the responsibilities, the knowledge, skills and ability requirements, the level of complexity, and the external market value of the job.

Q. Is the market range for my position the same as the band range?

A. The market range for each individual position is not the same as the band range. The actual market range for each individual position will fall within the broad range of the band. The minimum, maximum and even the middle of the band does not represent any one position’s actual market salary range.

Q. How is an individual employee’s salary determined?

A. When determining the salary for an employee, the market range for the position along with several key characteristics such as job knowledge, skills, experience, and capacity for complex work are considered. 

Q. How can I progress through my pay band?

A.  Employees can progress through the pay band though a variety of actions including the permanent assignment of additional duties and responsibilities where the employee must demonstrate or develop a different level of skill, competency, job knowledge and experience; established career progressions; promotional opportunities within the band; and through the annual review process.

Q. How can an employee move to a higher band?

A. An employee can move to a higher band through specific actions including being promoted to a job in a higher salary band, or the reclassification of the position they hold. Being promoted involves taking on significantly greater responsibilities in a job that is assigned to a higher salary band. A reclassification of a job involves the significant addition of duties that alter the overall purpose and nature of a job.

Q. Why is my salary placed so low/high in the band?

A. The market range for an individual employee’s position will fall within the broader range of the band. An individual’s salary will be placed at the appropriate place within their individual position’s market range, in order to pay a fair and competitive rate for that position. As the individual position’s market range may be anywhere within the pay band, individual employee’s salary placement within the band will vary.

Q. How are an employee's knowledge, skills and abilities taken into account?

A. An individual’s job knowledge, skills, experience, and capacity for complex work will be considered along with the market placement of a position when determining the salary placement of the individual. We would expect an individual’s competencies will range from entry level to expert.

Q. How come my pay is different than someone in the same or similar job?

A. There are different factors which may contribute to employees in the same or similar jobs being assigned different pay rates. In some cases, similar jobs may have different market values, and therefore there may be some difference in salaries based on the market. In other cases, individual employees’ job knowledge, skills, experience, and capacity for complex work will vary, and therefore the salary placement for individual employees will vary accordingly. When determining salary placements, we do not compare individual employee’s salaries, but rather look at the competitive market value for each individual employee.

Q. Is longevity considered when determining salary?

A. Longevity in itself is not a consideration when determining salary. We would expect that in many cases additional experience may lead to an increase in job knowledge, skill, abilities, and the capacity for complex work, and these factors are considered when determining salary.

While longevity alone is not factor in determining salary placements, individual employee’s pay rates from the previous compensation program have been retained, and folded into the new compensation program. This may have lead to longer term employees being paid a premium on the market value of the position as there were no reductions in salary with the implementation of the new compensation program.

Q. Why are new employees earning as much as long-term employees?

A. When an individual brings the knowledge, skills, experience and capacity for complex work to warrant a higher salary offer, supervisors may find they need to make a salary offer close to or higher than other staff to appropriately fill the position.

Q. How does the college maintain a compensation structure that is competitive with external markets?

A.  We will participating in surveys of the external market and collect and analyze the market salary data for comparable jobs within Ithaca College’s comparison markets annually. Market trends will also be reviewed and, when appropriate, the College will make adjustments to the structure to reflect the market as funding allows.

Q. How is good performance rewarded?

A. Employees with satisfactory or better performance are eligible to receive general merit increases, if the College authorizes increases for that year.  Additional merit awards may be awarded to recognize superior performers, subject to the availability of additional merit funding.

Q. I recently completed received my degree – will this be recognized?

A. We encourage employees to continue their training and education for their personal growth, however unless there is a significant change to the job requiring the additional training or education this accomplishment would not be recognized through an increase in salary.

Q. Can I receive an increase in pay if I transfer to a job in the same salary band?

A. A transfer to a different position within the same salary band that requires assuming significant new or more complex responsibilities may warrant a salary adjustment. In each case, Human Resources will consult with the hiring supervisor to determine the appropriateness and any salary adjustment.   A transfer to a position with the same or similar job duties and responsibilities would not result in a salary adjustment.