Throughout 2021, members of the Provost’s Office, the Office of Data Analytics, the deans, Human Resources, and campus financial units worked together to identify protected class gender and race and ethnicity salary inequities under the ֱ Equal Pay for Equal Work Act law’s provisions.

All regular classified and university staff occupied positions were reviewed and grouped into substantially similar job families. This review included position description content, supervisor and HR liaison input, payroll job code, working title, salary, job-related experience at ֱ, time in current role and annual performance ratings, if applicable. Education, external experience, licensure, certifications, specialized skills or training were also reviewed if relevant to the role, such as for psychologists, behavioral health counselors, nurses and physicians.For a detailed explanation of the assessment methodology and the review process, see ֱ Boulder CEPEWA Staff Methodology.

Salary differences could typically be explained by one or more of the following reasons, all of which are allowed by law:

  • Job family (nature of work)
  • Level or scope of the role
  • Time in the role
  • Relevant experience at ֱ

In those cases where salary differences could not be explained by one or more of the criteria listed above and where a gender or race/ethnicity difference existed, the employee’s salary was flagged for an increase to the level of the higher paid substantially similar job. The goal was to ensure that staff pay differences for substantially similar work are not discriminatory based on protected class gender or race/ethnicity. No salaries were decreased as a result of this analysis.