Fiscal Year 2024-25 Merit Increase and Promotional Increase Guidelines (Main Campus)

A. Merit Program Amount

We are pleased to announce the Auburn University senior leadership has authorized a 4.0% merit program for Fiscal Year 2024-25, to be effective Oct. 1, 2024.  The total of merit increases for the unit may not exceed 4.0% of the unit’s total actual salary base as of March 31, 2024.

B. Performance-Based Pay Increase Opportunity

A merit pay increase is the opportunity to recognize individual job performance during the preceding performance period. As performance contributions increase, so should the merit allocation. Supervisors and unit leaders should work to ensure differentiation in merit allocation based on performance as substantiated by written employee performance documentation.

For recently hired and eligible employees, probationary review forms and other fully documented accounts of performance are acceptable. It is the responsibility of each vice president, dean, director, department head, or chair to ensure that documentation is on file to support the recommendations for a merit-based pay increase.  

C. Assessing a “Partial Year” of Job Performance and Transfers

The full annual performance year period for non-faculty employees is from June 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024, while the performance year for all Faculty is January 1 through December 31, 2023.

For eligible employees performing for less than the full performance period, supervisors are strongly encouraged to prorate their recommended merit increase percentages, taking into account the portion of performance completed. As an example, use the number of months employed during the performance period -- June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024 -- divided by twelve (12) months.

Eligible employees who have transferred within Auburn, or had their job reclassified, and have worked the full performance year, are eligible for full merit consideration if it has not been previously applied during the transfer or reclassification. 

D. Exceptions Requiring Documentation and Approval

Merit increase recommendations of 0% or greater than 6% require the completion and submission of Exception Request Forms. However, such forms are not required if the employee is a recent hire, or has been, or will soon be, separated from employment.

• University Human Resources’ Compensation and Employee Relations units review all A&P and Staff Exception Request Forms.

• The Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs reviews all exceptions within the academic organizational structure.

The Senior Vice President for Business & Administration & CFO reviews all exceptions within the non-academic organizational structure.

Job Family Promotions and Faculty Promotions will be processed for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Pay increases for promotions are not included as a part of the total merit increase limit.

A. Job Family Promotional Pay Adjustments

Five percent (5%) pay increase for each increase in pay grade

B. Faculty Promotional Pay Adjustments

10% increase to base salary:

• Promotion to Senior Lecturer

• Promotion to Associate Professor

• Promotion to Associate Clinical Professor

• Promotion to Associate Research Professor

• Promotion to Associate Extension Professor

12% increase to base salary:

• Promotion to Full Professor

• Promotion to Clinical Professor

• Promotion to Research Professor

• Promotion to Extension Professor

To be considered for a merit pay increase or promotional pay adjustment, eligible employees, as defined below, must have been hired before April 1, 2024, be actively working on the performance period end date of May 31, 2024 (Dec. 31, 2023, for faculty), and actively working on the effective date of the merit increase (Oct. 1, 2024).

Eligible employees are those in the following employment categories having a full-time-equivalent (FTE) of greater than or equal to 0.50 (part-time or full-time), and who are not students or temporary employees.

• Tenure Track Faculty

• Non-Tenure Track Faculty

• University Staff

• Administrative & Professional (A&P)

• Merit increases for eligible employees: Oct. 1, 2024

• Job Family Promotions/Faculty Promotions: Oct. 1, 2024

• Full-time: 28.7%

• Part-time: 10.6%

• Graduate Students: 3.4%

Unless otherwise noted, AAES and ACES will follow the same guidelines.

Guidelines for AUM will be distributed separately.

Does division management have to allocate all of the merit pool to employees?

No. If after allocating appropriate merit increases to employees based upon their overall performance contributions during the performance period there remains a portion of the merit pool unallocated, it is not necessary to allocate the remaining pool.

Why would division management choose not to allocate the full merit pool to employees?

Any unallocated merit pool dollars could be held for planned future hiring needs, unplanned temporary employment or out-of-class pay to cover ongoing operational staff requirements.

If a division has experienced recent vacancies on positions that were occupied and included in the calculation of the merit pool, can management reallocate those merit portions of the pool to other employees?

It is strongly discouraged to do so, as it may misalign the planned individual merit “performance-oriented” percentage distribution based on the overall performance ratings used across multiple units within the division. Additionally, it may reduce the division’s flexibility for addressing future unexpected staff resource needs. 

Are employees who are currently on an approved leave of absence eligible for a merit increase?

Any non-faculty employee currently on an approved leave of absence will be eligible for merit consideration effective with their approved date for a return to work from the leave of absence. Please coordinate with your HR Liaison for the different types of leaves of absence and related eligibility.

If you have questions after reviewing this website, please contact any of the following:

• Shelly Murray, Director, Compensation and Classification, 844-1635

• Bailey Ward, Manager, Compensation and Classification, 844-1601

• Bryan Elmore, Assistant Vice President, Budgets & Business Operations, 844-3664

• Jamie Newberry, Manager, Budget Services, 844-5532