Friday, July 26, 2019

UTA STATEMENT

Contact: Carl Arky @ 801-859-6095 / 801-330-4513 / carky@rideuta.com

Andrea Packer @ 801-231-4048 / apacker@rideuta.com

UTA Merit Increases - IT Division

• The claims made by Mr. Mark Palmer a former employee are inaccurate. UTA has a
very methodical, formula-based process for implementing annual salary increases
and there are multiple checks and balances. The notion that senior leaders took
increases from employees to “enrich themselves” is completely untrue.

• UTA leaders (from supervisors up) submit merit increases for their employees as
part of UTA’s salary planning process. Each has discretion to balance the merit
increase pool, market adjustments and employee performance.
• It’s within their discretion that if an employee(s) receive a market increase,
a leader may reduce the merit increase percentage in order to give a little
more to other high performing employees.
• Market increases are recommended by Human Resources after the annual
benchmarking process. They cannot be changed or reduced.

• Senior leaders have to review and adjust salary increases for their entire area,
often among multiple groups in their division or department. They have to account
for subordinates who may evaluate their employees very differently (some leaders
are tough graders, some are more generous) in an effort to ensure consistency
and fairness.
• There is often dialogue between supervisors/managers/directors about
making adjustments to reward performing employees while seeking equity.

• Merit increases go through multiple reviews:

• Merit increases submitted by supervisors are reviewed by their manager
• Merit increases submitted by managers – including the increases submitted
by any supervisors who report to a manager - are reviewed by their
director/RGM
• Merit increases submitted by directors/RGMs – including are reviewed by
their Chief executive
• All merit increases are ultimately reviewed and approved by the
Executive Director

Continued
• In 2018 (for the 2017 performance year) the merit increase pool was 3
percent, not 4 percent. The 3 percent is a budgeted pool amount, providing an
initial budget target. Amounts may move from one area to another based on the
discretion of or discussion between senior leaders and their direct reports.

• The IT Department – at the time – had 66 employees in six divisions. The Radio
Communications area had eight employees with Palmer as the supervisor.

• 2017 was the first year of IT Director performing raises at UTA, so he included the
Sr. Manager of App Dev and Support for assistance. Each step was validated and
consulted upon by the CSS&T Officer.

• The Average salary increases (combining merit and market increases) for the areas
in question were:
o 5.9% average for Radio Communications - Mr. Palmer’s area
o 4.54% average across all of IT – Mr. Harmuth’s area
o Mr. Palmer received a 4% merit increase, above the initial 3% pool amount

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