Compensation Services

Analyzing compensation systems is an integral part of AAP planning. Recently the OFCCP has, in a well-publicized move, aimed new focus at discrepancies in compensation systems affecting minorities and women. There have also been several major class-action lawsuits alleging unfair compensation. Given the surge of litigation in this area, employers are well-advised to be proactive in assessing their compliance with guidelines on systematic compensation discrimination. CMA includes such comprehensive compensation analysis as part of every affirmative action plan we develop. Using an employer's existing computerized data, CMA conducts a confidential analysis of the compensation systems and identifies areas of concern. In preparation for and during an OFCCP audit, CMA can prepare any additional analysis required and assist in clearly explicating the legitimate, nondiscriminatory basis for the compensation system. If necessary, we can engage statisticians and economists to counter allegations of compensation discrimination.

Compensation Services

 

COMPENSATION & BENEFIT SURVEYS

Gain a competitive edge in your labor market with exclusive data on pay rates incentives pay practices, and employee benefits programs gathered with CMA's custom surveys for your specific jobs, geography, and industry

COMPENSATION PLAN DESIGN

Gathering market pay data is only the first step. CMA translates that into a pay structure that aligns with your compensation philosophy and provides both internal and external equity - which is key to attracting and retaining a highly engaged workforce.

INDIVIDUAL JOB PAY ANALYSIS

Whether hiring for a new position or assessing pay for a critical position or key employee, CMA can quickly provide relevant base, incentive, and total annual cash compensation data for a specific job or job family and by years of experience - with expert interpretation and advice.

UPDATING COMPENSATION PLANS

Outdated salary data and pay structures restrict your company's ability to keep salaries current and competitive. CMA can update your existing compensation plan using current market pay data to provide ongoing support to keep pace with labor market trends.

PAY EQUITY ASSESSMENT

CMA can help ensure that your pay practice is aligned with relevant equal pay laws and professional best practices so you can stay ahead of this highly-publicized trend in employment law and effectively defend your pay practices.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Executive and Board compensation is complex. CMA regularly supports corporate and non-profit compensation committees to assess and update executive pay programs to ensure competitiveness, reasonableness, and strategic alignment.

PUBLIC SECTOR COMPENSATION

CMA has extensive experience working with the unique concerns of municipal and public sector compensation plan design and update projects. Our insight, approach, and recommendations are informed by professional best practices and knowledge of public sector market data. governance demands, pay structures, and trends.

COMPENSATION & CLASSIFICATION

CMA expertly navigates the nuances and complexities of tenure classification and multiple pay sources in higher education, academic medicine, and other public systems, balancing recommendations with established compensation strategy, existing step programs, and job classification systems.

JOB ANALYSIS & JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Accurate, well-written job descriptions provide the foundation for reliable compensation analysis. CMA leverages a highly efficient and interactive process for conducting job analysis and creating useful job descriptions in a format that reflects your unique culture and ensures FLSA compliance.

COMPENSATION CONSULTING

Whatever your compensation needs, our team of professional compensation consultants have the expertise to provide sound recommendations that balance compliance, retention strategies, and budgetary constraints with your organization's unique business objectives.

 

Compensation Services Tailored to Your Specific Needs

Our core services include:

  • Compensation Strategy & Plan Design Evaluation

    Determine base pay and total compensation philosophy; evaluate fairness; competitiveness and effectiveness of pay programs; evaluate the design, level, and numbers of position; communicate the value of total compensation; survey employees on pay and reward program effectiveness.

  • Job Evaluation & Analysis

    Conduct job evaluation and job analyses; develop employee interview guides; conduct employee and manager interviews; develop compliant job descriptions; develop skills-based job competency models; employee interview guides; re-align job titles to match job responsibilities, and create job family career ladders that support the growth and promotional opportunities of positions

  • Salary Structure Development

    Develop base pay plans with pay grade and range structures; pay increase guidelines, including step progression and differential models; geographic differential pay models; and cost impact of implementation calculations.

  • Pay Equity Analysis

    Conduct internal equity analyses, including adverse impact by race and gender for each job family, pay classification, job title, and organization unit; identify problematic pay anomalies that require further investigation; determine cost impact of adjustments; OFCCP-style AAP compensation analyses and audit management support.

  • Market Competitiveness Studies

    Conduct competitive market analyses (US & Abroad); conduct custom peer group compensation and benefits surveys; develop detailed market competitiveness reports, and provide documentation to support regulatory standards for reasonableness of base and total compensation.

  • Incentive Program Development

    Develop individual, workgroup, team, and company-wide incentive/bonus programs; develop plan documents associated with the program; and provide detailed costing scenarios and payout templates

  • Executive Compensation

    Detailed assessment of current executive compensation programs against business strategy and business goals; conduct market competitiveness analysis that may also include custom surveys to collect details from the marketplace on incentive plan design, benefits, and executive perquisites; recommend the appropriate level and mix of pay related to base pay and incentives/bonuses; develop incentive programs that include targets and plan design; provide plan documentation on to support regulatory standard for reasonableness of base and total compensation, and develop and update executive contracts

  • Board Compensation

    Market analysis of board compensation, which may also include custom surveys on the various components of board compensation; and recommend updates to the current board compensation program

  • New Program Implementation

    For base salary and/or incentive programs, provide implementation support related to new program rollout; includes program documentation and communication; and manager training.

  • Ongoing Compensation Administration Support

    Ongoing support for compensation programs related to grade change requests, promotional requests, market pricing for individual job classifications, annual updating of salary structures, job evaluation requests, title adjustment requests; job description updates, documentation updates to policy and procedures, merit increase modeling, geographic assessments, on-site support, ongoing manager training, and ad-hoc presentations to executives or the board of directors.

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