Merit Increases
A student who maintains satisfactory job performance and returns to the same position, or a similar position in the same department, is entitled to a merit increase.
Students accrue merit for all types of employment, whether funded through departmental sources, Work-Study, or a combination of both.
Exception: For students who are paid a starting rate of $12.00 per hour or more, merit increases are given at the discretion of the department.
| Period Worked | Increase |
| Both semesters of the academic year | $.30/hour |
| One semester of the academic year | $.15/hour |
| Summer employment, full-time (average of 26 or more hours a week) |
$.20/hour |
| Summer employment, part-time (average of 25 or fewer hours a week) |
$.10/hour |
To receive a merit increase for the semester or academic year, the student must be employed by the appropriate date:
- Academic Year or Fall Semester: third week of October
- Spring Semester: third week of February
- Summer: third week of June
Merit increases are effective:
- The week following Commencement for students working during the summer
- The first week of fall classes for students returning for the academic year
Students accrue merit for all periods of employment. When a student is promoted into a higher-grade position or receives an off-cycle pay increase, the accrued merit must be added to the new hourly rate.
Off-Cycle Increases
An off-cycle increase is an incremental increase (usually less than $0.50) given to a student because of exceptional performance, slightly increased responsibilities, or other reasons.
When a supervisor gives a student an off-cycle increase, the new pay rate must continue to reflect any merit increases previously accrued.
To give an off-cycle increase, have your payroll coordinator use the Pay Rate Change function in the Student Employment section of the Business Link.
If the student is a Work-Study recipient, you must also submit a justification memo to Work-Study via e-mail, briefly explaining the reason for the increase.
Note: If a pay increase will raise the student’s pay rate above the base rate of the next-higher job grade, we suggest terminating the student from the current job and hiring him or her into a similar but higher-grade job. See Promotion for more details.
Examples
| Example 1 | ||
| Base Rate (Grade 2) | $8.25 | |
| Worked Academic Year 2007-08 | + $0.30 | (merit) |
| Worked Academic Year 2008-09 | + $0.30 | (merit) |
| Hourly Rate for Academic Year 2009-2010 | $8.85 | |
| Example 2 | ||
| Base Rate (Grade 1) | $8.00 | |
| Worked Spring 2008 | + $0.15 | (merit) |
| Worked Academic Year 2008-09 | + $0.30 | (merit) |
| Hourly Rate for Academic Year 2009-2010 | $8.45 | |
| Example 3 | ||
| Base Rate (Grade 4) | $9.25 | |
| Worked Summer 2008 more than 26 hours per week grade 3 job | + $0.20 | (merit) |
| Worked Academic Year 2008-09 grade 3 job | + $0.30 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2009 less than 26 hours per week grade 3 job | + $0.10 | (merit) |
| Hourly Rate for Academic Year 2009-10 | + $9.85 | |
| Example 4 | ||
| Base Rate (Grade 3) | $8.75 | |
| Worked Academic Year 2007-08 (on Work-Study funding) |
+ $0.30 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2008 less than 26 hours per week (on departmental funding) |
+ $0.10 | (merit) |
| Did not work Academic Year 2008-2009 | + $0.00 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2009 less than 26 hours per week (on Work-Study funding) |
+ $0.10 | (merit) |
| Hourly Rate for Academic Year 2009-10 | $9.25 | |
| Example 5 | ||
| Base Rate (Grade 5) | $10.25 | |
| Worked Academic Year 2006-07 (on Work-Study funding) grade 3 |
+ $0.30 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2007 less than 26 hours a week (on departmental funding) |
+ $0.10 | (merit) |
| Worked Fall Semester 2007 (on Work-Study funding) | + $0.15 | (merit) |
| Did not work Spring Semester 2008 (Study Abroad) | + $0.00 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2008 more than 26 hours per week (on Work-Study funding) grade 4 |
+ $0.20 | (merit) |
| Worked Academic Year 2008-09 (on Work-Study funding) | + $0.30 | (merit) |
| Worked Summer 2009 more than 26 hours per week (on Work-Study funding) grade 4 |
+ $0.20 | |
| Hourly Rate for Academic Year 2009-10 | $11.50 | |
