KU News Release

University Support Staff wages to be raised to meet state market minimums

LAWRENCE — A group of University of Kansas support staff employees will receive raises to meet minimum salary scales enacted this fiscal year by the state of Kansas.

The corrective action affecting 185 University Support Staff — largely technicians, custodial supervisors and administrative assistants — follows a state survey identifying job titles that were 10 percent or more below the minimum market average.

The survey established minimums by comparing the salaries of workers in similar positions in the private sector and throughout the state system. State civil service employee salaries identified in the survey were brought up to minimum earlier this fiscal year.

In considering the state survey results, the university determined that a total of 385 University Support Staff employees with comparable jobs were 10 percent or more below the state’s minimum level and therefore eligible for the increases. KU is the only university with employees designated as University Support Staff, the equivalent of civil service employees. Of those, 185 employees will receive raises beginning Dec. 14. The employees will receive their first paycheck under the new rates Jan. 9.

The other 200 employees identified as eligible for the pay increases will not receive increases at this time because they are covered by the university’s memorandum of agreement with labor union Local 1290PE, and that agreement is under negotiation. Until the new agreement is negotiated and ratified, university employees covered under it will not receive any pay increases.

Ola Faucher, director of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity, said bringing these salaries up to the minimum will allow KU to keep up with other state employers. The increases will help with retention and recruiting as well, she added. Starting salaries for the positions will be raised to the state-determined minimum as well.

The amount of the increases varies by position and individual.

The university anticipated the need for the adjustments and set aside funding earlier this year, Faucher said.

Individuals receiving pay increases and their departments will receive notification letters before the new salaries go into effect.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.