Committee approves salary plan updates: fewer grades, higher promotion ranges and required leadership training

The Waukesha City HR Committee approved changes to the salary plan and promotion language designed to align pay practices with a recent compensation study and to strengthen leadership training requirements.

Staff said the city reduced salary grades following the compensation study and added definitions for merit pay, COLA and bonus programs. The promotion rule was adjusted from a standard 5% raise to a range of 5–10% (or placement at the minimum of the new pay range) to reduce compression and ensure promoted employees make more than those they supervise. Staff also added a requirement that anyone promoted to a leadership role complete leadership/management training.

Committee members discussed whether to include a hard numerical cap or allow discretion. The committee settled on adding an exception path that allows higher increases when approved by both the HR director and the City Administrator. A motion to approve the salary plan and administration changes (with the exception language) was made, seconded and passed by voice vote.