Professional Staff Organization

As of January 1, 2023, changes have been made to the Professional Staff Compensation Program.

New info will be posted soon. In the meantime, please reach out to HR at HR@wwu.edu with any questions.

Handbook

Professional Staff Handbook

Compensation Program

Program Standards and Policies

Overview of Professional Staff Compensation Program
Professional Staff Compensation Program Standards

Compensation Policies (Pending Changes)

Civil Service and Federal FLSA Exemptions

Western’s Professional Staff positions are exempt from the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Section 41.06.070. Some Professional Staff positions are exempt from the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) overtime provisions (“overtime exempt”), making the positions ineligible for overtime pay. As described in the Professional Staff Compensation Program Standards, all Western positions are reviewed for exemption status at the time of recruitment. If you are a Professional Staff employee, or you supervise a Professional Staff employee, and you have questions regarding the exemption status of a Professional Staff position, please contact your HR Consultant.

Please note: Pending amendments to the FLSA and Washington State overtime rules will result in a stricter standard for overtime exemptions. Western HR will work with impacted departments as the new standards are implemented by the US Department of Labor and the State as of 2020.

The exemptions for Professional Staff positions can be found here:

I Am Looking For More Information On…

Your salary range is referred to as your market range. Your market range is specific to your position and it can be found in your July 1 Compensation Letter. If you cannot locate your letter, please check your email or you can request a copy of your letter from HR. If you are a new employee, please contact your HR Consultant.

Please review the Professional Staff Compensation Standards or ask your PSO Salary & Benefits Committee (SBC) representative.

Please review the Professional Staff Compensation Standards or ask your PSO SBC representative.

Once a recruitment or position review reaches PageUp, we aim to have it processed within a week. However, if there are circumstances that require a lengthier review of a position, the time to process the recruitment or position review may increase.

We provide you with that information when your PageUp Offer form is routed through to HR Comp. If you want to discuss the offer prior to that time, please contact your HR Consultant.

If you have had a permanent, significant change in your duties and responsibilities, you and your supervisor should submit an updated position description to HR Comp for a position review. Please contact your HR Consultant to discuss your circumstances.

Please submit an email request for a temporary pay increase to your HR Consultant.

You can always contact your HR Consultant to set up a meeting to discuss your situation, or you can contact your PSO SBC representative or another member of the PSO Executive Committee.

Professional Staff Time and Leave Reporting Guidelines.

180 Day Medical Leave

Employees who have the option to enroll in the 180 Day Medical Leave plan are:

  • Employees “grandfathered in” by having been hired prior to November 7, 2016, or
  • Employees who hold a professional staff position and a tenured position simultaneously.

180 Day Medical Leave Time Taken is Limited

Employees enrolled in the 180 Day Medical Leave plan may use it under the following conditions:

  • During illness, disability or injury which has incapacitated the employee from performing required duties;
  • Personal medical, dental, or optical related appointments;
  • Exposure to a contagious disease by the employee such that attendance at work would jeopardize the health of fellow employees or the public;
  • Applicable leaves covered under the Taking Family or Medical Leave Policy POL-U5410.03;
  • Short-term medical care (up to 10 working days) of a family or household member that requires the employee’s presence for treatment, supervision, or to make arrangements for extended care;
  • Condolence or bereavement (beyond the three-day bereavement allowance).

For each separate case, leave may be taken up to the employee’s entitlement of 180 calendar days for:

  • Recovery from a disability and resumption of normal employment duties; or
  • Until long-term disability insurance takes effect (whichever comes first).

Employees on the 180 Day Medical Leave Plan are not eligible to receive Shared Leave donations or donate any of their 180 Day Medical Leave.

Certain Employees May Transfer To Sick Leave Accrual System

Employees on the 180 Day Medical Leave Plan hired or transferred into professional staff status prior to July 1, 1997, may at any time irrevocably elect to transfer to the sick leave accrual system made effective July 1, 1997.

Upon transfer to the accrual system, such employees shall be granted a sick leave balance equal to eight hours (1 day) for each month of professional staff service completed at Western prior to June 30, 1997. Hours transferred will be a minimum of 12 days or a maximum of 1040 (130 workdays).