OFM Service News - General Wage Increases & New Salary Schedule Resulting from 21-23 Collective Bargaining Cycle & Enacted Budgets (2024)

HRMS will be updated to reflectGeneral Wage Increases and new salary schedules resulting from the 2021-23 Collective Bargaining cycle and Enacted Budgets effective July 1, 2021. Agency review and action is necessary.

With implementation approaching, we wanted to provide some additional clarity on eligibility. Employees are eligible for the three percent (3%) general wage increase if all three criteria below are met,

1. On July 1, 2020, they were in a WMS/EMS position or an exemptnon-representedposition making more than $53,000, AND
2. Did not receive a 3% general wage increase,AND,
3. On July 1, 2021, they will be in a WMS/EMS position or an exempt non-represented position making more than $53,000.

A caveat to note is that employees, new to state government, who were appointed to a WMS/EMS position or an exempt non-represented position making more than $53,000 between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 are eligible for the general wage increase unless their appointed salary incorporated the general wage increase.

OFM will implement the following required updates effective July 1, 2021 to align with legislative actions and Collective Bargaining Agreements of 2021-23.

Directly valued

The directly valued employees (e.g., those in WMS and Exempt jobs) that are on the preliminary spreadsheet on the Include Directly Valued EE tab will be automatically updated.

Note: OFM will not update exempted individuals such as elected officials.

Review the preliminary spreadsheet (attached). Click on the “+” to the left of your Personnel Area to view the data for your agency.

The spreadsheet contains the following tabs:

1. Include Directly Valued EE -Proposed list of directly valued employees who will automatically be updated effective July 1, 2021 and will receive the appropriate general wage increase.

IMPORTANT:Agencies need to email updates to OFM no later thanJune 28, 2021concerning employees who need to be added to or removed from theInclude Directly Valued EEtab.The data was pulled for this list on May 17, 2021. Employees that were hired or separated after this date will need to be added or removed from the list. If these employees are not reported by June 24, the agency must manually make any Basic Pay (0008) updates byJuly 21, 2021.

2. Exclude Directly Valued EE –Proposed list of directly valued employees who willnotautomatically be updated effective July 1, 2021.

• Hourly and daily– Proposed list of directly valued hourly and daily employees who will not automatically receive the appropriate general wage increase. Agencies need to review the list and determine if the employee is subject to the appropriate general wage increase. If so, make any Basic Pay (0008) updates byJuly 21, 2021
• Pay Scale– List of employees who are on a pay scale but their basic pay is directly valued. OFM will not automatically update this group of employees with the appropriate general wage increase according to the salary table updates. Agencies need to review the list and make any Basic Pay (0008) updates byJuly 21, 2021.If applicable, ensure the employee’s basic pay is correctly tied to the applicable salary schedule.
• Other Positions–Employees excluded from the OFM automation process due to various reasons; such as possible miscoding in HRMS or receiving payment from a salary schedule not contained within HRMS, i.e., Washington State School for the Blind teachers paid on the Vancouver School District salary schedule.

3. Action Required:If miscoding is identified on either tab, please correct any inaccurate data (Pay Area, Pay Group) within HRMS in the employee’s basic pay screen. For example, if an employee is identified as excluded because of miscoding, then the record must be updated within HRMS. If this results in the employee needing to be added or removed from theInclude Directly Valued EElist, please send an email toHeretoHelp@ofm.wa.govdetailing these changes no later than June 28, 2021.

Please be aware that directly valued employees with a basic pay record dated July 1, 2021 or after will not be included in the automation process, even if they are listed on the Include Directly Valued EE tab. An agency can either postpone entering future dated basic pay records until after the automation process is complete, or you will need to manually apply the general wage increase to those employees.

Below is the calculation to apply a three percent (3.0%) salary increase for directly valued employees paid on a semi-monthly or hourly basis. Do not use annualized salary amounts to calculate salary increases.

Final List:

By July 1, 2021, OFM will furnish agencies with a final list of directly valued targeted job classes, positions and employees who were automatically updated. Agencies will have until July 21, 2021 to review and make manual updates in HRMS in time for the July 26, 2021 pay date.

Preliminary Spreadsheet Directly Valued 07012021