Analysis and Comparison

of WMS and Ecology Staff

Salary Increases (1999-2007)
Prepared by Ecology Employees

1
 Key Questions

▶ How much have Ecology WMS salaries

increased over the last 8 years (1999-07)?

▶ How do Ecology WMS salary increases

compare to Ecology staff over the same
time period?

2
 Analysis
▶ Quantify min, mean (average) and max salary “growth and
development” (G&D) increases as well as “bonus”
payments for Ecology WMS over the last 8 yrs (1999-07).
Quantify Ecology staff salary increases over the same time
period.

▶ Compare Ecology WMS salary “G&D” increases to Ecology

staff salary increases (e.g. “catch-up” pay, legislative cost
of living “COLA”, etc.) over the same time period (1999-
07).

▶ Why was 1999 used as the starting point? It was the

first year that Ecology WMS received permanent salary
G&D increases and cash bonus payments.
3
 Ecology WMS Salary Data

▶ The Ecology WMS salary data used for this

analysis was obtained from a public
disclosure request (PDR). The PDR was filed
in May-08.

▶ ThisPDR was filed by WSFE on behalf of

Ecology employees.
4
 Ecology WMS
“Growth and Development” (G&D)
Salary Increases

(1999 – 2007)

5
 Ecology WMS "Growth and Development" Salary Increases (1999-07)

10

8
Salary Increase (%)

OUTLIER

6 75 TH PERCENTILE

NON-OUTLIER
RANGE
MEDIAN
4

25TH PERCENTILE

1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007

Note: this is a “box and whisker” plot of WMS “growth and development” salary increases only (legislative
cost of living “COLA” salary increases not included). The horizontal line in each box is the median or 50th
percentile (50% were above and 50% were below). 6
 Ecology WMS Average Salary G&D Increases (1999-07)
95% CI for the Mean

4.0
3.782

3.59
3.5
Salary Increase (%)

3.32

3.11
3.0 2.96

2.75
2.67

2.5

2.03
2.0

1999 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2007

Note: “G&D” = WMS “Growth and Development” Salary Increase (does not include legislative COLAs).
7
 Ecology WMS "G&D" Salary Increases Statistical Summary (1999-07)
160
A nderson-D arling N ormality Test
A -S quared 7.50
120
P -V alue < 0.005
Frequency

M ean 3.1715
80 S tD ev 1.2633
V ariance 1.5960
S kew ness 0.58996
40 Kurtosis 1.60490
N 612

0 M inimum 0.0500
0.0 1.5 3.0 4.5 6.0 7.5 9.0 1st Q uartile 2.0000
G&D Salary Increase (%) M edian 3.0000
3rd Q uartile 4.0000
M aximum 10.0000

0 2 4 6 8 10 95% C onfidence Interv al for M ean

3.0712 3.2718
95% C onfidence Interv al for M edian

9 5 % C onfidence Inter vals 3.0000 3.0000

95% C onfidence Interv al for S tD ev
Mean
1.1963 1.3384

Median

3.00 3.05 3.10 3.15 3.20 3.25 3.30

Note: “G&D” = WMS “growth and development” salary Increase (does not include legislative COLAs).
8
 Ecology WMS
“Growth & Development” (G&D)
Salary Increases (1999-07)

▶ Average annual G&D increase = 3.2%

▶ 612 permanent G&D salary increases over 8

yrs.

▶ 2004-08 – average annual G&D increase has

nearly doubled (2 to 3.8%)
9
 Ecology WMS
Bonus Payments

(1999 – 2007)

10
 Ecology WMS Bonus Payments (2004-07)
7000

6000

5000 OUTLIER
Bonus ($)

4000 75 TH PERCENTILE

NON-OUTLIER
RANGE
3000 MEDIAN

2000 25TH PERCENTILE

1000

0
2004 2005 2006 2007

Note: this is a “box and whisker” plot of Ecology WMS bonus payments. The horizontal line in each box is
the median or 50th percentile (50% were above and 50% were below).
11
 Ecology WMS Average Bonus Payments (2004-07)
95% CI for the Mean
2200

2000

1832.28
1800
Bonus ($)

1600

1471.13
1400 1405.23

1263.91
1200

1000
2004 2005 2006 2007

Note: individual data on bonuses for 1999-03 were not available. However, in a February 10th, 2003 internal
Ecology memo (former Ecology “FORUM” work group) , bonus totals are provided for 1999-02. 12
 Ecology WMS Bonus Payments (2003-07)

A nderson-D arling N ormality Test

60 A -S quared 6.20
P -V alue < 0.005
Frequency

45 M ean 1520.8
S tD ev 975.0
V ariance 950614.9
30
S kew ness 1.40911
Kurtosis 3.06819
15 N 249

M inimum 186.0
0 1st Q uartile 713.0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
M edian 1340.0
Bonus ($)
3rd Q uartile 2000.0
M aximum 6196.0
95% C onfidence Interv al for M ean
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
1399.1 1642.5
95% C onfidence Interv al for M edian
1200.0 1500.0
9 5 % C onfidence Inter vals
95% C onfidence Interv al for S tD ev
Mean 896.2 1069.1

Median

1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700

13
Ecology WMS Bonus Payments (1999-07)

▶ Totalpayout = $533,783 (410 payments

over 8 yrs).

▶ Average annual payout = $66,722

▶ Average 2003-07 bonus = $1,521

14
 Ecology WMS
Cumulative Salary Increases

(1999 – 2007)

15
 Ecology WMS Cumulative Salary
Increases (1999-07)
“Cumulative” increase = annual salary G&D + legislative cost of living (COLA)

Note: min, average and max salary increases = growth & development (G&D) + legislative adjustment. Example: 1999 =
min G&D increase = 2% + 3% legislative adjustment = 5% (minimum salary increase for 1999).

16
 Ecology WMS Cumulative Salary
Increases (1999-07)

Note: cumulative increase = annual growth and development increase (min, mean and max) + legislative COLA (cost of 17
living).
 Ecology WMS Cumulative Salary
Increases (1999-07)

▶ WMS salaries have increased 26.4 – 68.7% over

the last 8 years.

▶ Average WMS salary has increased by 41.9% over

the last 8 years.

▶ Since the CBA took effect (Jul-05) WMS salaries

have increased 10.7 – 32% (average = 18.3%;
this does not include 2008 increases).
18
 Ecology Staff
Salary Increases

(1999 – 2007)

19
 Ecology Staff Salary Increases
Analysis
▶ Analyze salary increases for 8 job classes (administrative,
chemist, environmental engineer, environmental planner,
environmental specialist, hydrogeologist, information
technology and toxicologist).

▶ Use “mid-range” (3 level) salaries for analysis (e.g. HG-3,

ES-3, etc.).

▶ Calculate cumulative salary increase for 1999-07: “catch-

up” pay + Step L increase + legislative cost of living
(COLA) + other (e.g. 2007 $756 health care rebate).
20
Ecology Staff Salary Increases (1999-07)
2005 = “Catch-Up”
Catch-Up” Pay for select job classes.
2007 = “Catch-up”
Catch-up” Pay for select job classes + $756 health care rebate + 2.4% Step L increase

21
Comparison of WMS and Ecology
Staff Salary Increases

(1999 – 2007)

22
WMS vs. Ecology Staff Cumulative Salary
Increases (1999-07)

23
Ecology Composition (Aug-08)
Source: EPIC

24
 WMS vs. Ecology Staff Salary
Comparison Summary
▶ The cumulative salary increase over the last 8 yrs (1999-07) for the
administrative, environmental planner, environmental specialist and
toxicologist job classes was ~ 22%. These 4 job classes comprise ~
51% of the agency. The average (42%) and maximum (69%) WMS
salary increases over this same time period were ~ 2-3X higher.

▶ The cumulative salary increase over the last 8 yrs (1999-07) for the
chemist, environmental engineer, hydrogeologists and information
technology job classes was ~ 31-40%. These 4 job classes comprise ~
24% of the agency. The average (42%) and maximum (69%) WMS
salary increases over this same time period were ~11-29% higher.

25