What are longevity increases?

Longevity increases refers to periodic step pay increases included in collective bargaining agreements that are dependent on the amount of time spent in a classification.

Who receives longevity increases?

Employees who are in a classification that is covered by a collective bargaining agreement that includes longevity increases based on time spent in that classification. Note: Step increases for AFSCME 3700 employees are not specifically longevity increases and are awarded at the beginning of each contract year, distinct from this process.

Longevity increases do not apply to open range employees.

Longevity steps are summarized on the Custom Rate Pages as part of the University of Illinois Salary Plan. Example:

Who processes longevity increases?

IHR Compensation completes the longevity increases on behalf of the departments. Compensation is part of the Compensation, Classification, & Career Architecture Center of Expertise.

How are longevity increases processed

Longevity increases are processed by first running reports in EDDIE to determine who is eligible. Each biweekly pay period, IHR Compensation reviews active employees in unions that have longevity steps to identify employees attaining the designated amount of service time. The job data fields used to report on and evaluate longevity increases are the Anniversary Date and “MM/DD” fields. Once the eligible employees have been determined, the longevity entries are completed in BANNER with a change reason of SA023-Longevity Increase (CS).

Unit HR contacts will receive a Banner Job Change notice email the next business day notifying them that the record has been entered for their employee. Units that need to update the contacts receiving those notifications for their org codes should contact IHR HRAIS by emailing ihr-hris@illinois.edu.

When are longevity increases effective?

The effective and personnel dates for the increase will be the start of the biweekly pay period in which the employee completes the required time unless otherwise indicated by the contract. The related contracts use language similar to, “Wage increases due at the completion of longevity requirements shall be effective at the beginning of the payroll period in which the time requirement is satisfied.”

Determining the effective date example:

Employee’s anniversary date is 9/17 and the pay period is 9/14 to 9/27

Effective and personnel date will be 9/14

Earnings statement visible to employee by 10/3

First paycheck showing the increase deposited 10/8