Merit Process
The Ohio State University merit process determines salary increases, implements the change in university systems and notifies faculty and staff. This process takes place during the summer and plays a key role in recognizing professional and personal development.
People leaders are responsible for conducting annual performance reviews for each of their employees, ensuring they understand their contributions to the university’s mission and strategy. Merit increases should generally reflect individual performance from the previous year, rather than applying an across-the-board approach.
The effective date of merit increases are as follows:
- Faculty – August 15
- Non-Bargaining unit staff – September 1
- Bargaining unit staff – First day of the biweekly pay period that includes September 1
Active employees can visit HR Connection for additional information (requires sign-on).
Eligibility
The following employees who are actively employed by the university prior to June 1 of the respective merit year:
- Tenure, clinical/teaching/practice and research track faculty regardless of FTE
- Regular unclassified staff regardless of FTE
- Regular classified staff regardless of FTE, including non-bargaining unit staff hired prior to June 1 who are still completing an initial or promotional probationary period as of September 1 (bargaining unit staff are subject to merit increase rules as dictated by their bargaining agreement)
- Regular non-Board purview executives
Increases for bargaining unit members are processed in accordance with the bargaining unit contract.
The following employees are ineligible for the merit process:
- External hires or rehires effective on or after June 1 of the respective merit year. These individuals should still receive appropriate feedback about their performance at regular intervals
- Faculty in the last year of a probationary period who have not been reappointed or received tenure
- Employees who are not in an active employment status as of the merit effective date of August 15 (for faculty) or September 1 (for staff)
- Employees who did not complete the “Report = Support!” training by the designated deadline. Units are responsible for confirming their ineligible employees who did not complete this training.
Employees defined under Eligible Employees who move internally to a merit-eligible position (transfer or reclassification, including promotion) and/or receive another type of pay increase on or after June 1 are eligible. This includes employees who move from a position that was previously outside of the merit pool (bargaining unit and temporary/term positions) to a merit-eligible position.
- The provision of a merit increase to these individuals is at the discretion of the employing unit. However, any merit increase provided should be done as part of the merit process and not included in the salary offer associated with the internal job movement.
Employees who will still be in an active employment status as of the merit effective date of August 15 (for faculty) or September 1 (for staff) will remain eligible for merit consideration and included in the aggregate merit pool, even if the employee will be leaving Ohio State after the merit effective date.
- Awarding a merit increase to these individuals is at the discretion of the employing unit. However, any merit increase must be provided through the merit process in the form of an increase to base salary (unless the base salary for that individual is over the maximum of their assigned pay range).
In addition, the following employees should receive performance reviews and, at the college and unit’s discretion, may be considered for a merit increase consistent with the guidelines for eligible faculty and staff:
- Staff in term and temporary positions
- Associated faculty paid by salary or course
- Graduate Associates returning to equivalent appointments
