Compensation

Our pay system controls one part of a total rewards strategy. Total rewards include the complete package of salary, benefits, incentives, and all the other tools that the district uses to recruit, retain, and reward employees for services performed. Everything that might be perceived as a value in the employment relationship is part of a total rewards strategy. A total rewards strategy consists of three primary components:

• Compensation
  Salary, Wages, Stipends
• Benefits
  Medical/Dental, Paid Time Off, Other Protection Programs
• Working Conditions
  School Climate, Physical Working Conditions, Personal Relationships

What is the district’s pay strategy?
The first strategy is to pay for the value of the job. We pay based on job responsibility and ensure that the pay structures are competitive with the job market. The district has systems and processes to provide an equitable way to evaluate jobs based on the skill, effort, and responsibility level. The district also conducts regular market analysis to determine how we pay compared to other districts and employers.

The second strategy is to recruit and hire talented employees. The district is committed to hiring highly skilled people, and the pay system supports this by establishing competitive starting pay for all jobs. The district also ensures that pay offers to new employees are competitive in our job market and fair to our current employees.

The third strategy is to provide pay and benefits that retain our current employees. Wylie ISD is invested in our employees. The pay plan is a system that provides pay increases that keep pace with other districts and employers. The pay system distributes the increases fairly and equitably based on available revenue and board action.

What does the pay system look like?
Several parts make up the whole pay system:

• Pay grades – Every job in the district has been assigned a pay grade. Jobs are grouped in these grades with jobs of the same or similar value.
• Pay range – Every pay grade has a range of pay from minimum to maximum. This is used as the guideline for setting and controlling individual pay rates.
• Control points – The minimum, midpoint, and maximum values set within a pay range to control and link pay to job value.

How do employees benefit from this pay system?
This pay system ensures that employees are paid competitive wages, similar to other districts and employers. It also provides a systematic way to distribute pay increases based on available revenue as approved by the board of trustees.

How does the district ensure the pay plan meets the intended goals on a long-term basis?
For any pay plan to meet its intended goals on a long‐term basis, it must be updated regularly and administered properly. Salary administration involves four primary activities requiring administrative decisions: adjusting pay ranges for job market changes and general economic inflation, budgeting for annual salary increases for employees, placing new employees in the system, and calculating special increases for promotions or other job changes.

How was the pay plan developed?
The HR Department is responsible for creating and maintaining the district’s compensation plan. It was developed using the following steps.

1. Job Analysis
2. Job Evaluation
3. Market Pricing
4. Pay Grade Assignment

The first step was to analyze each job to determine the level of responsibility. This is done by reading the job description, asking the incumbent to fill out a job analysis questionnaire, or conducting an interview with the manager.

Next, the job is evaluated using a common set of objective factors such as education, credentials, experience, supervisory responsibility, and others required for the job. Individual employee credentials are not considered in this evaluation. Jobs with similar skill, effort, and responsibility values are grouped into pay grades.

Then, the HR Department uses salary surveys to determine if there are valid market data for the position. This provides a job price that is used to determine the appropriate pay grade. Unfortunately, there is not market data for every single job; however, the HR Department has determined a market price for 95 percent of the district’s employees.

Based on the job evaluation results and the market price, the job is classified into a pay grade.

A policies and procedures manual has been developed to provide consistent guidelines for day-to-day administration to maintain the plan. The HR department uses this manual for the following:

• Determining salary offers for new employees
• Calculating promotional increases
• Documenting the reclassification process
• Determining the job exemption status under FLSA
• Demotion pay processes
• Break-in service pay
• Other compensation and pay issues

Will my pay grade ever change?
Pay grade classification can change if there is a significant and sustained increase in job responsibility or if the job is susceptible to market pressures. The pay policy and procedure manual, located in the HR Department, document the process and timelines for job reclassification.

Do my years of experience make any difference in the new pay plan?
Yes, experience counts in the new system but not to the same extent as a step schedule. There is a range of pay in this system rather than a single rate of pay based only on experience. The district now has the flexibility to value competencies other than years of experience, such as specific experience in and outside school districts, additional licenses or certifications, or the candidate's current salary.

Can I predict future pay increases in this system?
No, because the pay structures are reviewed and possibly adjusted annually. They are valid for one year only. Pay increases are granted annually by the board of trustees, based on the district’s available revenues, so there is no guarantee that you will get a pay increase every year.

Why did the district change to this pay system?
The district is committed to recruiting the most talented candidates and to retaining our current employees. To do that, we want to maintain a pay system that values job responsibility, is sensitive to the market, and provides a mechanism to distribute pay increases when possible.

How was my pay increase calculated?
Wylie ISD grants pay increases as approved by the board of trustees in the annual budget. Employee increases are calculated by taking the approved percentage amount and multiplying that by the midpoint rate of their assigned pay grade.

• Example: If the board granted a 3 percent pay increase and your pay grade's midpoint is $15.00 per hour, your pay raise would be $.45 per hour.
•  
• Board approved increase = 3%
  Your pay grade midpoint = $15.00 per hour
  $15.00 per hour times .03 =$.45 per hour

Why don’t I receive an increase based on my current pay?
When pay increases are calculated as a percentage of an employee’s pay, they receive a different dollar amount. The highest-paid employees receive the largest pay increases, and the lowest-paid employees receive the smallest pay increases. The pay increase of the percentage at the midpoint keeps the integrity of the salary structure.  Midpoint range increases allow all employees within their pay grade to grow at an equal pace.   

Who is eligible for a pay increase?
The district must employ employees on or before the last day of the current contract year and in a paid status or on an approved leave of absence on the date the pay increase goes into effect.

When will I receive my first paycheck with the increase?
It depends on your duty schedule:

• 10- Month Schedule (September 26)
• 11- Month Schedule (August 26)
• 12- Month Schedule (July 26)

Log into Employee Access > Click on Employee Information > Click on Personal Information > On the left-hand side under Payroll, click on Direct Deposit > Click on Change Primary Bank

All you need to do is complete a new W4 Form and send it to Payroll.