Non-represented career staff who are past their probationary period by Oct. 1 will be eligible for performance-based merit increases and, possibly, another small bump up for equity purposes in their salaries, according to a memo from Cynthia Cronk, director of Human Resources.

The available UCSB merit fund this year is 3.5 percent, “so the total of all campus merit increases needs to budget to this amount,” explained Dayna Williamson, compensation manager. In addition, the UC budget provides for another 0.5 percent to be used for equity and market parity issues.

This is a two-step procedure, she added. First will come the 3.5 percent merit increases, effective as of Oct. 1. These raises will go to employees in the MSP (Manager and Senior Professional) and the PSS (Professional and Support Staff) programs. They also include salary range increases.

These are not designed to be automatic raises for each employee, said Cronk’s memo. However, any employee whose salary was below the new minimum after the range adjustment would automatically be granted an increase to that level.

The second step concerns how the equity fund of 0.5 percent will be distributed, said Williamson. UCSB Human Resources “feels it is important to get the money to employees as soon as possible after the merit increases,” she said. “HR will recommend criteria to senior managers for distributing the 0.5 percent equity funds. Based on their decisions, the equity money will be distributed across campus.”

Unionized employees’ pay raises are covered by collective bargaining agreements. Cronk’s memo specified that for such employees “instructions regarding salary increases … will be issued separately.”

Faculty are also handled separately. With few exceptions, “academic appointees will receive a 2 percent range adjustment” on Oct.1, said Pat Sheppard, director of academic personnel. “In addition, many academic titles are eligible for the periodic merit increases.”