YORK ST JOHN UNIVERSITY
Procedure for Starting Salaries
1.
Introduction
The University recognises that there are advantages in having some
flexibility regarding the setting of starting salaries for new appointments.
Some degree of flexibility enables Managers to offer a salary appropriate to
the new employee’s relevant skills and experience. However, it is important
that Managers recognise the risks associated with applying different starting
salaries for jobs of a similar size, as determined by job evaluation,
particularly in terms of equal pay. This guidance is therefore designed to
help Managers make sound appointment decisions which are robust,
evidence based and fair to both the new employee and existing staff.
The University’s policy on starting salaries links to several other policies,
namely:
 Recruitment and Selection Procedures
 Market Supplements Policy
1.1 Policy
The policy of the University is that new appointments will normally be made
within the lower quartile of the salary band (or the lower half for jobs in
levels that have small scales). Individuals will usually start at this position in
the range because of the learning curve of the job – the individual may have
the basic qualifications for the job and some relevant experience but will
lack the full experience to perform the job at the fully competent level.
Therefore the starting position will depend on experience, qualifications,
and demonstrable ability to perform the job. The starting salary may also be
influenced by market factors, however this will never be the sole
determining factor. Salaries cannot be offered above the grade advertised.
1.2 Protocols
 All posts are advertised on a single grade on the pay spine.
 The Chair of the interview panel is responsible for determining the salary
offered
 All salary offers are subject to the individual producing evidence of their
salary on leaving their current employment
 Non-guaranteed payments, e.g. bonus payments, will not be taken into
consideration when determining salary to be offered
 Guaranteed payments, e.g. responsibility allowances, can be taken into
consideration but should be offset against other University benefits e.g.
LHF, Pensions, annual leave.
2. Equal Pay imperatives
In line with the principles of equal pay enshrined within the Equal Pay Act
1970 and supported by the Universities Equal Pay Policy, all salary offers
should be made with equal pay considerations in mind. Recruitment
practices that influence salary levels in an inequitable way are not acceptable;
these include the spinal point an individual is placed on when offered.
S/HR/Pay/Procedure for Starting Salaries (Apr 08)
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University managers must therefore exercise caution when making salary
offers to ensure that a disproportionate impact is not being had on staff
undertaking ‘like work’.
The procedure below is set out with equal pay principles in mind. Pay
comparisons for audit purposes are made with reference to spinal points as
well as grades. Therefore, whilst an applicant’s current salary is often
influential in determining the salary to be offered, care must be taken to
ensure this does not have an unequal pay impact on other staff.
3. Procedure for salary offer
The Chair’s decision on salary offer should take into account:
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The knowledge and skills of the individual
The experience and level of performance of the individual
The current salary of the individual
The salaries of current team members who may hold the same or similar
job
Chairs should note that the desire to match an individual’s current salary
should not be the only factor taken into account, particularly as this is likely to
perpetuate any pay differentials which may have no objective basis.
3.1 Salary offers
a. Where the individual’s current salary is below the pay grade for the post,
offers must be made at the bottom point of the scale.
b. Where the individual’s current salary is within the grade band of the post,
they can be offered a salary that matches the nearest point up on the grade
to the individual’s salary on leaving their current employment, to a maximum
of the top of the grade. This is the position if their knowledge and experience
justifies the higher salary. A comparison with others doing similar work may
be appropriate. Where there is any concern about the justification for this
decision, advice should be sought from Human Resources.
c. If the individual’s current salary is higher than the maximum of the grade for
the post then only the maximum can be offered.
3.2 Challenges to starting salary offers
If, following the salary offer made in line with 3.1 above, the individual is not
happy to accept the post then this should be referred to the HR Department
who will undertake an analysis of the salaries of current staff within the
Faculty/Department/Subject area to see if there can be any movement on the
offer. This will be undertaken to ensure fairness of pay with relevant others in
the University taking into account skills and experience.
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