A: Salary ranges can vary by title, rank, discipline, required/desired qualifications, and/or market averages, among other things. There is no one-size-fits-all salary range. The range must reflect the level of compensation the unit is prepared to offer, commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications. The range should start at the lowest salary the unit would consider offering OR the UW salary minimum for the position, whichever is greater. Positions covered under a collective bargaining agreement must adhere to compensation provisions of the agreement. Unit leaders at the department, school, college, and/or campus level have the most thorough awareness of what constitutes a realistic salary range.

A: While AHR will not suggest a salary range nor opine on whether a proposed salary range is reasonable, they will check draft job postings coming through Interfolio to make sure they include a salary range and that the low end of the range meets or exceeds the UW salary minimum. If the posting is for a position covered under a collective bargaining agreement, AHR will check to confirm that the low end of the salary range meets or exceeds the compensation provisions of the agreement. 

A: If a draft posting for a permanent-residence-eligible position includes a salary range inconsistent with current prevailing wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the International Scholars Operations (ISO) team will alert units as a courtesy. At that point, units will have discretion to revise the draft posting prior to final approval.  

A: Because departments, schools, colleges, and campuses have the most thorough awareness of what constitutes a realistic salary range as well as insight into planned compensation, the responsibility for ensuring full compliance with the salary disclosure law resides with each dean’s/chancellor’s office.

AHR is available to answer questions and provide guidance on what the salary disclosure law requires. 

A: No. UW requires the salary range to reflect a range of monthly salary. Units may also include the annual salary range in parenthesis after the monthly salary range (e.g., “The base salary range for this position will be $XX,000-$YY,000 per month ($XXX,000-$YYY,000 per 9-month academic year)…”).

A: Yes. Units can indicate a specific monthly salary instead of a monthly salary range; however, they will then have no flexibility on what is offered to the preferred candidate. They will be limited to the specific salary identified in the job posting. If posting a specific salary, the template language can be changed to state “The base salary for this position will be $XX,XXX per month, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination.”

A: Yes. While the salary range should be carefully considered prior to starting a recruitment, units may decide they need to expand the salary range of an active recruitment to improve their efforts to attract a diverse, well qualified applicant pool. If the salary range is revised, it must be revised wherever it appears, and the job posting must remain active and visible for a minimum additional period from the date of the revision, as outlined on the table below.

A: At UW, ‘other compensation’ includes any planned compensation beyond the monthly base salary. Examples include, but are not limited to, an administrative stipend (ADS), limited commitment of summer salary, etc.

A: A good rule of thumb is: if you know the specific amount of ‘other compensation’, state it; otherwise, state the category of compensation.

• Example when a specific dollar amount is TBD: “Other compensation associated with this position may include a moving allowance.”
• Example when a specific dollar amount is known: “Other compensation associated with this position may include a salary supplement of $1000 per month for administrative service as Graduate Program Director for the X Program.” (and then you would provide more detail later in the letter about the ‘at will’ nature of the administrative assignment and ADS).
• Example when there is a mix: “Other compensation associated with this position may include a moving allowance, and salary supplement of $1000 per month for administrative service as Graduate Program Director for the X Program.” (and then you would provide more detail later in the letter about the ‘at will’ nature of the administrative assignment and ADS).

A: Recruitments for 100% PDR appointees are posted on UW Academic Jobs as a courtesy to the outside employer, who is ultimately responsible for compliance with the salary disclosure law. UW academic appointees who are employed and paid solely through a paid-direct relationship (PDR) are not UW employees and are not eligible for UW or Washington state employee benefits based on state law and the applicable regulations and program rules administered by certain Washington State agencies responsible for administering such benefits. The benefits template language provided on this page makes clear that the benefits summary information does not apply to appointees solely employed and paid via a PDR relationship.

A: No. The law requires that the offered salary fall within the range indicated in the job posting.  

A: The unit can post a single range that contemplates both ranks, or they can post two salary ranges – one for the assistant level and one for the associate level. If posting two ranges, the unit should take care to clearly identify which rank is associated with which range.   

A: This language means that the salary range in the job posting may be superseded by a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) prevailing wage determination in the event that a foreign national requiring visa sponsorship is selected. For example, if a foreign national is selected and sponsored for an H-1B visa, UW cannot pay them below the prevailing wage determined by the DOL, regardless of the salary range listed in the job posting.

A: No. When the ISO team receives a high prevailing wage determination from DOL, it performs a visa strategic and equity analysis to determine whether the unit can move forward with offering the prevailing wage. The unit may not move forward with offering the prevailing wage until it receives approval from OAP.

A: If the advertised salary range starts below the prevailing wage determined by DOL, the law may impact UW’s ability to sponsor positions for permanent residence. In such cases, ISO advisors will reach out to units to discuss any associated risks; however, ISO generally won’t be able to identify those cases until well after the unit has already selected the candidate.