Wage and Salary Policies

It is Kenyon College's desire to pay wages and salaries that are competitive with other employers in the marketplace in a way that will be motivational, fair and equitable, variable with individual and college wide performance and in compliance with all applicable statutory requirements.

You are employed by Kenyon College and will be carried directly on our payroll. No person may be paid directly out of petty cash or any other such fund for work performed. The only exception to this policy is where a contract relationship exists with a bona fide independent contractor.

Kenyon College applies the same principles of fairness and external comparability to all employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and /or mental disability, age, religion, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by institutional policy or state, local, or federal law.

Jump to:

Basis for Determining Pay for Non-Exempt Staff

Through a process called position classification, work is evaluated by the complexity of major duties and responsibilities, the internal and external relationships, the impact of decision-making, supervisory responsibilities (if any) and the education, experience and skills required. When these items are evaluated the position is assigned to classification level mid or high. Positions are classified based upon the generic position level descriptions for each of the primary job families as follows: Office and Administrative Assistant, Library Assistant and Accounting/Financial Assistant. Bookstore positions are evaluated and assigned to bookstore classification levels one through three. There are a very small number of nonexempt jobs that do not fit in the categories listed above and are unclassified. You may view the position level descriptions and the list of where each nonexempt position is classified here: Salary Ranges, Position Classifications and Descriptions

Effective July 1, 2005, the salary increase program for all staff members who are performing successfully consists of:

1. Annual Market increase: In recent years, the market increase might have been from 1.5% to 2%.

2. Annual progression increase: In addition to market increases that are a percent of the staff member's salary, staff members will receive annual progression increases that are the same dollar amount for all staff members in the same salary grade. That amount is a percent of the grade minimum.

Examples of how the combination of market and progression salary increases would work:

Assuming the market increase is 1.5% of salary, progression increases are 2% of the minimum, and the salary grade minimum is $10.00:

A staff member whose hourly rate is $12.00 an hour would receive a market increase of $.18 (1.5% times $12.00) plus a progression increase of $.20 (2% times $10.00) for a total increase of $.38 ($691.60 annually) or 3.2% of the staff member's salary.

A staff members whose hourly rate is $14.00 an hour would receive a market increase of $.21 (1.5% times $14.00) plus a progression increase of $.20 (2% times $10.00) for a total increase of $.41 ($746.20 annually) or 2.9% of the wage rate.

As these examples illustrate, under this formula a shorter service staff member would receive a higher percentage but a lower dollar salary increase than a longer service staff member. This is a compromise between a flat dollar or a flat percent increase, and results in a more equitable distribution of the available salary pool and in all staff members in the same salary grade moving through the salary range at the same rate.

New nonexempt hires at Kenyon will always start at the salary grade minimum for the range in which the position is classified.

Back to Top

Comp Time for Non-Exempt Staff

Federal wage and hour guidelines do not allow comp time for those employees who are classified as non-exempt (non-exempt means those who receive overtime pay when working over 40 hours per week. See “Employment Classifications” in this Handbook for further explanation.) For instance, when occasional evening or weekend work is required, it is intended, when possible, to adjust work schedules so that employees can take an equivalent number of hours off prior to the scheduled additional hours. Please note that this MUST be done in the same work week and is subject to all sick, personal, family and vacation time policies. The College policy of providing overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 8 hours per day does not apply for persons taking advantage of an adjusted work schedule. Hours worked in excess of 40 per week will continue to be paid in accordance with existing provisions.

Example using an Employee regularly scheduled Monday through Friday working a 35 hour work week:

Sally is asked to work 7 hours on Saturday and has already worked her normal 35 hour schedule that week. Sally was not given any time off in anticipation of the Saturday work. Sally would receive her 35-hour weekly pay plus 5 hours at her regular rate and 2 hours at time-and-one-half (time-and-one-half overtime pay starts at 40 hours per week.)

Preferred method: Supervisor notifies Sally at the beginning of the week that 7 hours of work on Saturday will be required. Sally takes 7 hours off prior to Saturday (must be during the same week) to avoid extra pay for that week.

Kenyon budgets are not set to anticipate extra and/or overtime pay and regular scheduling of additional hours for staff can have a detrimental effect on department budgets. Supervisors are expected to effectively manage weekly staff schedules to avoid overtime when possible. If extra hours in a work week are unavoidable, and equivalent time off during the same work week is not possible, federal wage and hour guidelines require Kenyon to pay the extra hours for that week. (For further explanations of overtime policies see “Overtime Pay for Non-Exempt Staff" in this Handbook.)

Back to Top

Deductions From Paycheck (Mandatory)

Kenyon College is required by law to make certain deductions from your paycheck each time one is prepared. Among these are your federal, state and local income taxes and your contribution to Social Security as required by law. These deductions will be itemized on your check stub. The amount of the deductions may depend on your earnings and on the information you furnish on your W-4 form regarding the number of dependents/exemptions you claim. Any change in name, address, telephone number, marital status or number of exemptions must be reported to your supervisor and the Payroll Manager immediately, to ensure proper credit for tax purposes. The W-2 form you receive for each year indicates precisely how much of your earnings were deducted for these purposes.

Any other mandatory deductions to be made from your paycheck, such as court-ordered attachments, will be explained whenever Kenyon is ordered to make such deductions.

Note: See "Wage Assignments (Garnishments)" later on in this section for further information.

Back to Top

Deductions (Other)/Direct Deposit

It may be possible for you to authorize Kenyon to make additional deductions from your paycheck, such as for C.E.S. Credit Union loan payments, United Way donations, donations to Kenyon College gift and endowment funds, etc; or to deposit your paycheck directly into your savings or checking account at a participating bank. Contact the Payroll Manager in the Accounting Department for details and the necessary authorization forms.

Back to Top

Error In Pay

Every effort is made to avoid errors in your paycheck. If you believe an error has been made, tell your supervisor immediately. They will take the necessary steps to research the problem and to assure that any necessary correction is made properly and as promptly as possible.

Back to Top

Overtime Pay for Non-exempt Staff

From time to time, it may be necessary for you to perform overtime work in order to complete a special project or to cover unforeseen absences. Overtime is costly and the College relies on its supervisors to exercise discretion in approving additional hours. Overtime should only be necessary in special circumstances, not to complete the daily routine. When it is necessary to work overtime, you are expected to cooperate as a condition of your employment.

If you are a "non-exempt" employee and you perform overtime work, you will be paid one and one-half (1-1/2) times your regular hourly wage for any hours worked over forty (40) in one work week as per federal regulations governing overtime pay for non-exempt positions. If, during that week, you were away from the job because of a job-related injury, paid holiday, jury duty, paid vacation, or paid sick time, those hours not worked will be counted as hours worked for the purpose of computing eligibility for overtime pay.

When a non-exempt, benefits eligible employee is required to work on a holiday or a Sunday that is not part of the employee's regular work schedule, Kenyon will pay double the employee's normal hourly rate for the hours worked. For more information, see "Work Performed on College Holidays or Sundays" later in this section.

Revised 10/25/16

Back to Top

Pay Cycle for Hourly Employees

Pay periods are bi-weekly (26 pay periods per year.) Payday is normally on every other Friday. An annual payroll schedule, indicating the date and time payroll cards are due and the date the hourly employee will be paid, is circulated to each department at the end of the calendar year.

Back to Top

Pay Cycle for Salary Employees

Salaried employees are paid on the last working day of each month.

Changes will be made and announced in advance whenever College holidays or closings interfere with the normal payday.

Back to Top

Pay Periods & Hours

Our payroll work week begins on Monday at 12:01 a.m. and ends on Sunday at 12:00 midnight.

Back to Top

Paycheck Distribution

All new employees fill out a "Direct Deposit Authorization Form." This form includes an authorization agreement for automatic deposit of your payroll check.

Please contact the Payroll Manager at extension #5144 if you have any questions or need to change the information on the distribution form.

Back to Top

Percentage Increases - Part Year New Employees

Annual increases for new employees will be based on the time during the fiscal year that they were hired. If a new employee was hired during April, May, or June of the fiscal year, they will not receive a pay increase on July 1. If a new employee is hired during January, February, or March they will receive 50% of the benchmark increase if appropriate. If an employee is hired during the first half of the year, July through December, they will be evaluated like all other employees and receive the benchmark increase if appropriate

Back to Top

Termination Pay

Kenyon College hopes and expects that you will give at least two weeks notice in the event you intend to leave our employ. A non-exempt staff employee may submit a written notice of resignation to his/her supervisor a minimum of ten working days prior to the date of departure. The employee will be paid for any unused and earned vacation providing they work the entire ten working days, in consecutive order, that are stipulated in the resignation. You may not use vacation, sick, personal or any other type of paid time to cover the 10 day working requirement. A non-exempt employee who separates from employment at Kenyon and who has not yet completed one full year of service will not receive any vacation pay upon termination. The vacation time will be paid with the final paycheck, if possible, as specified under "Vacations" in the "Benefits" section of this Handbook.

An exempt administrative employee should submit a written notice of resignation to her or his supervisor three months prior to the proposed resignation date. Any applicable unused vacation time will be paid with the final paycheck, if possible. If an exempt administrative employee resigns mid-year, any vacation paid will be pro-rated based upon the time worked between July 1 and the resignation date.

Back to Top

Time Sheets/Attendance Records

By law, Kenyon is required to keep accurate records of the time worked by non-exempt staff employees. This is done by webtime entry.

If you are paid hourly, your webtime entry is the only way the payroll department knows how many hours you worked and how much to pay you. Your time sheet indicates the hours that you work each day. Please make sure that your time is submitted by the payroll deadlines. If you have questions, please contact the Payroll Manager at Extension #5144.

Any overtime worked must be approved in advance by your supervisor.

You are responsible for accurately recording your time. If you have made an error, you must contact your supervisor for correction.

No one may record hours worked for another employee. Tampering with another's webtime entry is cause for disciplinary action, including possible dismissal, of both employees. Do not alter another person's record, or influence anyone else to alter your record for you. In the event of an error in recording your time, please report the matter to your supervisor immediately.

Back to Top

Wage Assignments (Garnishments)

We hope you will manage your financial affairs so that we will not be obligated to execute any court-ordered wage assignment or garnishment against your wages. However, whenever court-ordered deductions are to be taken from your paycheck, you will be notified.

Note: See "Deductions From Paycheck (Mandatory)" earlier in this section for further information.

Back to Top

Work Performed on College Holidays or Sundays

Benefit eligible "non-exempt" employees who work on a College holiday will receive their normal wages for the paid holiday, plus they will be paid their double time rate for hours worked on the College holiday regardless of the number of hours they work that work week.

When a holiday falls on a day that is NOT a College designated holiday, and that day is part of the employee's regular schedule, the employee will only receive straight time pay. Example: The employee is scheduled to work on Sunday, Christmas Day. The College designated holidays for Christmas are Monday and Tuesday. In this case, the employee working Sunday, Christmas Day, would receive straight time for Sunday and holiday pay for Monday and Tuesday. To receive payment for a College designated holiday, benefit eligible non-exempt employees must be scheduled to work on the day the holiday falls.

The only exception to this rule is for Kenyon College Bookstore Cashiers and Safety and Switchboard personnel who will receive holiday pay for either the College designated holiday or the calendar holiday (if the College designated holiday and the calendar holiday are different.)

Benefit eligible non-exempt employees who work on Sundays (when they are NOT part of their regular work schedule) will be paid their double time rate for hours worked on that Sunday regardless of the number of hours they work that work week.

Note: See "Holiday Policies" in the "Benefits" section of this manual for further information.

Back to Top