University of Virginia
PAE-11: Sustainable Compensation

The University's current minimum hiring rate is $10.65 an hour, $3.40 more per hour than the federal minimum wage. As a result of the economic downturn, the state has frozen salary increases since December 2007. From 2005-2007, the institution demonstrated its commitment to U.Va.'s lowest-paid employees with four salary increases in a two-year timeframe, including raising the minimum hiring rate 23% (from $8.67 per hour in December 2005 to $10.65 per hour in July 2011).

Market analyses of all public colleges and universities in Virginia indicate that the University's minimum hiring rate is set at the second highest in the commonwealth of Virginia. Only George Mason University in northern Virginia offers a higher minimum hiring rate.

The fringe benefit rate for 2010-2011 is 27.6 percent for full-time salaried staff in the Academic Division and 29.4 percent in the Medical Center. Academic Division Employees who make the $10.65 an hour entry rate with no dependents on their health insurance receive benefits worth an additional $6.42 an hour, for total compensation of $17.07 an hour.

The University administers an education benefit that provides $2,000 per calendar year to benefits-eligible employees to use toward furthering their education. More than 2,200 employees have taken advantage of the program since it was introduced in July 2008, at a value of $4.5 million. U.Va. provides informal and formal training to help our employees develop their skills and advance in job responsibilities and pay. Training opportunities include: GED classes, English as a second language, customer service, IT systems, supervision and leadership, writing for business, cultivating career happiness, balancing work and home, assertiveness training, and many more. In addition, University Human Resources offers three leadership programs: Essential Workskills, Hoos Managing the U.Va. Way and the Supervisory Essentials Certification Program.

The University also offers a supplemental benefit credit, specifically targeted at our lowest-paid employees. Currently those earning less than $42,000 are eligible for a credit of $450, which they can apply to programs and deductions such as parking or health insurance premiums.

It is the advice of the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia that the authority granted to the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia does not include the authority to require a minimum wage requirement for private contractors. The University does not have information on the wages and benefits for contracted employees. For the purpose of this credit, all contracted employees are excluded from the number of employees that UVA ensures earn sustainable compensation.