Compensation

In order to fulfill its mission, Tree of Life supports a total rewards program to attract, develop, retain, and reward a highly qualified and diverse workforce. Within the boundaries of financial feasibility and sustainability, Tree of Life’s compensation strategies must help Tree of Life:

Provide wages, salaries and benefits which are competitive within appropriate labour markets
Promote internal equity across diverse university functions
Ensure consistency in meeting compliance requirements while remaining flexible in responding to internal and external workforce changes

Compensation Objectives

To be competitive means:

Across Tree of Life, base salaries will be determined considering median pay rates for comparable positions in defined labour markets.
Individual employee base salaries may exceed the median of the particular labour market in order to recognize exceptional recruiting and retention needs or for purposes of attracting and retaining employees in areas where Tree of Life is or aspires to be a market leader.
Performance-based pay programs are primarily determined using judgment of merit guided by regular appraisal of individual work performance based on established standards.
The comprehensive benefits program will provide key elements (leave, retirement, insurance, etc.) that are comparable within Tree of Life’s labour market.

To promote internal equity means:

Within the parameters of discipline, function, and individual effectiveness employees shall be paid similarly for comparable work free from discrimination other than meeting approved minimum position qualifications and the ability to satisfactorily perform the duties and responsibilities.
Salary offers for selected candidates, both new hires and internal promotions, are established in recognition of the individual's skills and experience while considering the salaries of current employees within the same job classification.

To ensure consistency while remaining flexible means:

Compensation is allocated in a manner that is compliant with university policy and all applicable legal requirements.
Compensation plans, practices, and structures may be adjusted to address emerging trends in labour markets, the workforce, and Tree of Life and its units.

Great People. Great Passion. Great Purpose.

Elements of the compensation program must be administratively and financially sustainable in an ever-changing environment.

Compensation Administration

Administering compensation to reflect this philosophy and these objectives means:

Unlawful discrimination in compensation is not practiced nor tolerated.
Human Resources is responsible for providing central guidance and oversight for assuring that compensation practices are legal, consistent across Tree of Life, and financially responsible.
On behalf of Tree of Life, Human Resources reviews salaries and benefits on a regular basis to assist leaders in understanding market trends, seeking appropriate compensation funding, making informed compensation decisions, and maintaining competitiveness within the market.
Primary responsibility for determining salary offers rests with department/division leaders in consultation with Human Resources.
Compensation increases shall focus on maintaining market alignment, supporting internal equity, retaining key personnel, and recognizing performance.
Guidelines for annual compensation increases are developed by Senior Management Committee in consultation with Human Resources and approved by the Board of Trustees. Annual salary and wage increases may be applied broadly (such as across-the-board), to specific employee classifications, and/or individually based on performance as determined by the department/division leader.
While annual salary and wage increases are the primary way in which pay is adjusted, established variable pay programs and other off-cycle increases are implemented consistent with Tree of Life’s overall compensation philosophy.
Such programs and increases may be implemented to meet the needs and circumstances of individual departments.
Human Resources provides benefits program information to employees. Employees are expected to be informed about their benefits, to make benefits choices wisely and timely, and to accept the implications of their individual choices.
Benefit program changes consider on the usage and number of employees.
Market considerations, fiscal stability, and/or regulatory demands may cause Tree of Life to change its compensation and benefits practices.
Tree of Life values transparency in its compensation administration to the extent possible and invites and encourages the participation of employees through their respective shared governance bodies.

Market Value

All jobs have been market valued and salaries adjusted accordingly

A market evaluation is the process in which an existing position is evaluated based on market salary data where there are no changes in title, job description, supervision level or base salary. Generally all positions are evaluated against the market data every year in July during the Tree of Life’s focal period, however division heads may request a market evaluation outside of the focal period when there is a belief that the market data has changed significantly or the position will be posted for hiring. Market evaluations generally do not result in title or base salary changes. Funding for a potential salary adjustment must be identified and approved before submitting a market evaluation request.

1. Requesting a Market Evaluation

a. A market evaluation may be initiated by a department’s first level leader or manager (requestor). Market evaluations should not be initiated by the incumbent of the position being evaluated.

b. Complete a “Compensation Action Request” form with signatures through the division’s Vice President and submit to the HR Compensation department.

c. Ensure that the position description is up to date. If the position is not up to date or incomplete modify the job description and send through the approval workflow to be updated in the system (for instructions please review the How to Create Job Descriptions document.

d. Optional: Schedule a meeting with a member of the HR Compensation team to discuss needs and goals.

2. The Market Evaluation Process

a. Once all of the required documentations are provided to the HR Compensation Department please allow a minimum of seven (7) days for processing.

b. A member of the HR Compensation Department will review the job description of the position and review market data based on but not limited to the essential duties, supervision received, supervision exercised, knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the function.

c. The position will also be reviewed based on the placement of other similar positions within the institution to ensure internal equity is maintained.

d. Once the market evaluation process is completed a member of the Compensation Department will contact the requestor and provide a recommendation.

3. Market Evaluation Results

a. The Human Resources Department will not recommend an increase in base salary unless the salary of the incumbent is below the minimum of the new grade identified by the market evaluation results.

b. A requestor wanting to provide a salary increase to the employee whose position has undergone a market evaluation will need to receive authorization from their division’s Vice President and ensure funding is available.

i. If a salary increase is approved by the Vice President the salary increase amount should not be greater than 80% of the midpoint of the grade up to the incumbent’s comp-ratio prior to the market evaluation.

c. The requestor will need to submit an “Increase/Reclassification” with the approved changes and submit for approvals through the Vice President. The effective date should be the payroll date following completion of the market evaluation by the Compensation representative.

Job Grades and Salary Ranges

All jobs have been placed in a job grade and assigned salary ranges (max, mid and min). No employee in a job class will receive a salary less than the minimum but may be frozen at the min based on specific situations. No employee in a job grade will receive compensation exceeding the maximum. Increases will be based on performance but increases will be allocated separate to performance reviews. All increases will be issued on the same day for all employees with the exception of those employees on their probationary period or under review.