Stanford University
PA-11: Employee Compensation

Stanford offers a total compensation statement to each employee through the Cardinal at Work program. According to the total compensation statement, "Your total compensation statement also includes health plans, tuition and training programs, retirement savings, paid time off, as well as an array of other benefits that increase your financial security, help you develop professionally, and promote a healthy, fulfilling life. This statement gives you a personalized, monthly view of the total benefits package and the services available to you as a valued member of Stanford’s workforce." More information on Stanford's total compensation statement is available here: https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/compensation/total-compensation-statement. To calculate total compensation, Stanford first captures the value of paid time off, including vacation, PTO, and university-allotted holidays. Stanford also includes medical benefits in total compensation. Stanford offers at least one medical plan to all employees that is free for employee-only coverage. In addition, the university offers the Medical Contribution Assistance Program (MCAP), which subsidizes the cost of covering dependents on a sliding scale for anyone earning $77,000 or less. The university also offers free dental plans, long-term disability insurance, life insurance, and contributions to annual health savings plans for employees. Stanford's Contributory Retirement Plan (SCRP) is also a significant benefit to university employees. After each employee has worked at Stanford for one year, Stanford will begin making basic contributions to the employee's Contributory Retirement Account (CRA) in the amount of 1% of the employee's salary per year. Stanford also offers a matching contribution on top of the basic contribution that adds contributions to the employee's accounts up to 5% if the employee contributes 4%. All in all, Stanford ultimately contributes up to 10% of each employee's salary through the SCRP. Stanford also offers generous tuition-related benefits to all employees. Most significantly, the Tuition Grant Program helps staff pay for the undergraduate education of their children, up to one half of Stanford's current tuition. Stanford also runs the Staff Tuition Reimbursement Program and the Staff Training Assistance Program, which provide reimbursements for tuition to a variety of programs from professional development to graduate degrees. Finally, Stanford offers many other in-kind benefits that all employees can often take advantage of on a daily basis. For instance, Stanford provides a free Caltrain GoPass, childcare and eldercare assistance, and the Adoption Assistance Program. All of this information can be found on the faculty and staff benefits section of the Cardinal at Work website, available here: https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/my-offerings/faculty-staff. Additional links are also provided below for many of the individual programs mentioned above. https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/health/medical-life/health-savings-account https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/time-away/leaves-of-absence/disability-benefits/long-term-disability-insurance https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/retirement/stanford-contributory-retirement-plan https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/worklife/financial-assistance/child-care-subsidy-grant-program https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/worklife/financial-assistance/adoption-reimbursement https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/learn-grow/tuition-training-assistance/tuition-grant-program https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/learn-grow/tuition-training-assistance/staff-training-assistance-program https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/benefits-rewards/worklife/elder-care-caregiving

Stanford University is committed to providing a fair and competitive staff compensation program that will attract, retain and motivate high-performing employees at all levels. The university is also committed to providing a competitive total staff compensation package tied to the application of knowledge and skills, the attainment of individual and group results, and the achievement of organizational goals. In addition, we recognize that a sound compensation program must comply with all State and Federal laws and regulations governing pay. The staff compensation program is designed to advance Stanford’s ability to attract and retain top talent and provide maximum flexibility to managers in making compensation decisions that reward performance. No distinction is made whether an employee is part-time or full-time status. Lowest paid employees are evaluated to ensure they are not paid below the living wage’s hourly rate. This review is done annually and adjustments are made accordingly if needed. Stanford University annually assesses its wage and benefits programs for staff and faculty/academic employees using market-based surveys. Stanford’s compensation programs are annually assessed against other higher education institutions, general economic conditions, local pay practices and competitive market survey data as applicable. The university leadership reviews and recommends adjustments to the organizational pay structures and to base pay. All faculty salaries are approved by the Dean of the School and the Provost. Salary increases are annually reviewed and are based on performance, applicable compensation policies and budgetary considerations. The two applicable collective bargaining agreements at Stanford are based on negotiations with the respective unions and reflect local competitive pay practices. Additionally, since September 1, 2007, Stanford University has recognized the importance of paying a living wage to all service workers at Stanford, whether they are directly employed by Stanford or by contractors. This consideration is included in the annual staff pay analysis and is reflected in the terms and conditions applicable to vendors doing business with Stanford. Through these guidelines, Stanford seeks to establish minimum pay, access to healthcare benefits, and compensated time off for service workers. These guidelines are not intended to prevent contractors from providing wages and benefits in excess of the minimums created here. Based on the recommendations of the 2005 Stanford Presidential Advisory Committee on Workplace Policies, University Compensation developed a new classification and pay system for non-academic temporary and casual jobs. The Temporary and Casual (Non-Academic) Employee Compensation System is modeled on the compensation system used for regular staff employees. The minimum wages are also reviewed annually in keeping with the regular staff employee compensation practices and incorporate the university’s living wage analysis that is utilized for contractors. Wages are calculated to provide for a higher rate since no benefits are provided to this classification of employee.

Salary rates for graduate research and teaching assistants, by position title, are adjusted each year in accordance with the living wage. The minimum salary requirements are published on this website: http://gap.stanford.edu/RATAsalary.html. The Financial Aid office also releases a suggested wage scale for undergraduate employees, available here: http://financialaid.stanford.edu/aid/employ/wage_scale.html. As noted on the website, the hourly wages were increased by $0.40 for the 2015-16 academic year.