Board of Trustees Approves Expansion of Benefits for Employees
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 24, 2007) – The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees
today approved a multi-million dollar expansion of benefits for UK employees following a
comprehensive examination of work-life issues on campus over the last year.
"A Top 20 public research university provides competitive pay and benefits to its exemplary faculty and staff," said UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. "We've taken the time and received the input on campus, through the work-life initiative, to conduct a substantive analysis of where we need to improve our benefits to ensure that we recruit and retain the workforce we need to achieve our ambitious goals."
The package of benefit and pay recommendations was recommended by committees composed of faculty and staff, who studied work-life issues in-depth. Those committees were formed after extensive surveys that highlighted issues of importance to UK employees. The committees’ recommendations are the culmination of a multi-year work-life initiative led by President Todd, which incorporates efforts by a number of employee organizations (including the Employee Benefits Committee, Staff Senate, University Senate, Work-Life Advisory Council, UK Work-Life and UK Human Resources). The benefits include:
"A Top 20 public research university provides competitive pay and benefits to its exemplary faculty and staff," said UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. "We've taken the time and received the input on campus, through the work-life initiative, to conduct a substantive analysis of where we need to improve our benefits to ensure that we recruit and retain the workforce we need to achieve our ambitious goals."
The package of benefit and pay recommendations was recommended by committees composed of faculty and staff, who studied work-life issues in-depth. Those committees were formed after extensive surveys that highlighted issues of importance to UK employees. The committees’ recommendations are the culmination of a multi-year work-life initiative led by President Todd, which incorporates efforts by a number of employee organizations (including the Employee Benefits Committee, Staff Senate, University Senate, Work-Life Advisory Council, UK Work-Life and UK Human Resources). The benefits include:
- Building two new childcare facilities near campus to serve central campus and the health care enterprise. The new facilities would accommodate a total of 250 to 300 children. Their operation would be outsourced to a private vendor and will likely be opened within the next two years.
- Extending employee benefits to same and opposite gender partners. A majority of Fortune 500 companies and UK's benchmarks offer some form of domestic partner benefits. Eligibility for the benefit would begin in July. Those interested must sign an affidavit and demonstrate financial interdependence.
- Expanding educational benefits for employees to a spouse, partner or dependent. Currently, full-time UK employees can take up to 18 credit hours per academic year for free. This initiative, which would cost about $4.9 million annually, would allow employees to transfer this benefit to a spouse, partner or dependent in the form a University of Kentucky tuition discount. Under the Family Education Program, the undergraduate tuition credit for a spouse, partner or dependent will vary from 10 percent to 50 percent based on the employee’s length of service at UK. For example, an employee with five years or more of employment at UK could receive a 50 percent reduction in the price of tuition for a spouse, partner or child.
- Establishing an enhanced Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that will complement existing employee services at UK. This program will offer expanded counseling services related to personal or professional circumstances.
- Offering career advancement and development opportunities for employees, including career counseling resources and expanded supervisory training. In addition, a $1,000, one-time payment will be available for employees who receive their GED certificates. The potential cost of these initiatives is estimated at $300,000.
- Extending opportunities for “phased retirement” to staff that were previously available to faculty only.
In addition, the upcoming 2007-2008
budget will likely include a 3.5 percent salary increase pool for eligible faculty and staff,
to be distributed based upon merit effective July 1, 2007. A market catch-up fund also will be
established in January 2008 for faculty. The university also proposes spending about $4.6
million for market pay adjustments for staff effective January 1, 2008.
The staff market pay adjustments, educational credit benefits, professional development and counseling services – all of which are new programs – are part of a $5 million staff enhancement pool announced by Todd as part of the Top 20 Business Plan. The faculty pay raises, expanded educational credit benefits for faculty, and addition of partner benefits will be funded separately.
"We have spent more than a year engaged in dialogue with our colleagues about the benefits most important to them as well as considerable study about feasibility and cost," Todd said. "These initiatives are directly in response to the concerns and desires of our faculty and staff."
The staff market pay adjustments, educational credit benefits, professional development and counseling services – all of which are new programs – are part of a $5 million staff enhancement pool announced by Todd as part of the Top 20 Business Plan. The faculty pay raises, expanded educational credit benefits for faculty, and addition of partner benefits will be funded separately.
"We have spent more than a year engaged in dialogue with our colleagues about the benefits most important to them as well as considerable study about feasibility and cost," Todd said. "These initiatives are directly in response to the concerns and desires of our faculty and staff."