Q: What are the Principles that guide the ASPA merit system?
Q: What time frame is being considered for merit?
Q: Has the level of funding for ASPA Merit?
Q: How does ASPA merit work for ASPA positions that are cost-recovery?
Q: What types of Merit are available to ASPA members?
Q: What is the Merit criteria?
Q: Are Performance Reviews tied to Merit?
Q: Who is eligible for merit?
Q: Can I award a base salary merit to an employee who is close to the maximum of their salary range?
Q: Where is the ASPA Merit Recommendation form located?
Q: Can an ASPA member initiate their own merit recommendation?
Q: What is the deadline to submit the Unit’s merit awards to Human Resources?
Q: When are merit awards effective?
Q: Is there an appeal process?
A: The following are the principles that are to guide our decision-making with regards to the ASPA merit system. Everyone involved in the ASPA merit system should ensure that these guiding principles are an essential component of the implementation and maintenance of the merit system.
The principles are defined as follows:
Effective - Stakeholders fully understand not only the processes, but also their responsibilities within the system; and educational initiatives are comprehensive and on-going.
Equitable - The system must provide similar opportunity for all members to benefit, and must take into account the broad range of positions filled by ASPA members, including those that are primarily self-directed; and awards must be provided in a consistent manner across the membership and appropriately reflect the criteria established.
Accountable and Transparent - Fully accountable with an appropriate level of checks and balances; and decisions in any given year are reported to the individual ASPA members and their supervisors including the reasons why awards were, or were not, given.
Engaging and Affirming - Recognize exceptional growth as well as continued meritorious application of skills and competencies; provide recognition to members for their work accomplishments and achievements; and tangible and significant awards of merit affirm to members that their efforts and contribution to their unit are recognized and valued.
Flexible - Regular review, followed by a process by which changes are recommended, considered, authorized and implemented.
A: A supervisor is to consider an ASPA member’s growth and outcomes for the period of May 1st to April 30th only.
A: The funding for merit is outlined in Article 9.3.3.1 of the ASPA Collective Agreement.
1% of the total ASPA annual salary from the previous fiscal year is allocated for base salary increases. 1% of the total ASPA annual salary from the previous fiscal year is allocated for lump sum bonuses.
A: How an employee’s position is funded will not limit their access to merit. Positions that are cost-recovery will not affect how Human Resources calculated the defined merit distribution to each Unit. Human Resources will look at the total salary of all employees being awarded merit to determine the percentage increase for base salary merit and for lump sum bonus. A Unit that awards merit to an employee in a cost-recovery position is responsible for determining how the merit award will be covered, as they do for any negotiated salary increases.
A: There are two types of merit available: Lump sum bonus and Base salary increase. Lump sum bonus is a lump sum monetary award that is not added to the member’s annual ongoing base salary. Base salary increase is an increase added to an individual member’s annual ongoing base salary.
Base salary increase is most appropriate if the employee has demonstrated exceptional performance outcomes, proficiency and job and career growth in all aspects of the position. Lump sum bonus is most appropriate if the employee has demonstrated exceptional performance or proficiency that is more one time in nature such as project outcomes or to recognize professional development in which an employee took a course and implemented their learning in the work place.
A: Each unit exists for its own unique purpose to support the strategic direction of the University which makes it difficult to have a detailed merit criteria apply to the whole organization. Each Unit should identify what is meritorious within their unit and ensure all staff are aware of the criteria.
Merit is to recognize those employees who exceed the competencies and accountabilities of their position and who demonstrate job growth, career growth, high performance outcomes and/or high project outcomes.
Job growth is when an employee has significantly expanded their job responsibilities in ways that exceed the Unit’s normal expectations. Career growth is when an employee has been able to demonstrate that their education and/or training has added value to their unit. Performance outcomes are when an employee has exceeded the goals that were set out at the beginning of the year. Project outcomes are when an employee has exceeded expectations in their contributions to a special project.
A: No, performance reviews and merit are two separate processes. Performance reviews are meant for employee development. Merit is to award staff for their growth in their accountabilities and competencies.
A: Employee must be in the same position in the same department, from November 1st to April 30th of the merit review period and still be an active employee in ASPA. If an employee has transferred to another college/unit since April 30 and their former college/unit would like to award them for merit, then the former college/unit should discuss the award with the employee’s current college/unit.
A: Yes, but the base salary will only be adjusted up to the maximum of their salary range and the remainder will be paid as a lump sum bonus. The Unit only needs to count this as 1 base salary award from their Unit’s allotted merit.
A: The recommended ASPA merit form is available on-line at: http://www.usask.ca/hrd/employees/compensation.php. Please note that a Unit may want to make adjustments to the ASPA merit form to best suit their unit’s decentralized decision-making process. As well, it is not a requirement that the ASPA member sign the merit form.
A: If an ASPA member does not have regular contact with their supervisor/manager to the point that their supervisor/manager is not able to comment on their level of proficiency or growth, then yes, an ASPA member may initiate their own merit recommendation. An ASPA member and their supervisor/manager should discuss this before a recommendation is made.
A: The Units are to have their completed spreadsheet indicating who they are awarding merit emailed no later thanMay 15th to compensation_inquiries@usask.ca.
Please note that due to the process required to determine the value of the merit award and due to payroll deadlines,
late submissions will not be accepted.
A: Merit adjustments are effective July 1st.
A: No, there isn’t an appeal process. Employees may direct their concerns with the ASPA merit process to the Merit Audit Committee (MAC) c/o Human Resources.
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