Executive Order 24-04 | Toolkit | Part One

Purpose   

To move towards equal pay for equal work “pay equity” regardless of gender, race, ability, religion, educational attainment, etc. as identified in Executive Order 24-04, Increasing Employment Opportunities in Washington State Government.  

Intent 

This guidance is intended to assist agency leaders and HR professionals in determining the appropriate salary to offer/hire job candidates and ensure pay equity across their teams. It can also be used when assessing pay equity across the organization including pay for similar positions in different business units. This guidance should be used in conjunction with the organization’s approved salary determination or administration policies.  

Similar positions are those in the same or a different job classification that have different primary/essential functions but a similar scope, area of responsibility, scope and impact. The level of supervision and lead/supervisory responsibility assigned are also similar. In addition, working conditions, such as the physical surroundings, hazards encountered, and the time of day when the work is performed should be considered. HR professionals are responsible for analyzing and comparing position descriptions to evaluate these factors. 

Criteria   

In determining the initial base salary within the assigned salary range or band of the position, leaders along with HR, should consider all combinations of experience and higher education relevant to the position, including lived, volunteer (paid or unpaid) or professional, that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities (competency) necessary to perform the work. This includes: 

• Totality of experience; evaluating both quantity (how much for how long) and quality (depth, complexity, etc.). 
• Value of higher education (degrees, certifications, etc.); evaluating the requirement (by law or job classification) and relevance. 
• Level of competency/expertise they will bring; prioritizing experience and higher education directly related to the primary/essential functions. 

Leaders and HR professionals should also consider: 

• Current labor market.   
• Internal Alignment: comparing against the salary of existing employees in the same or similar positions   to prevent inequities or salary compression/inversion issues. 
• Budget Constraints: ensuring salary decisions align with the agency’s budget constraints but avoid disproportionately underpaying based on external pressures.   

Note: As a result of the Equal Pay & Opportunities Act, at no time should you inquire about the candidates current or past salary.   

Other recommendations  

• Ensure accurate position descriptions; update as needed to reflect the role, responsibilities and requirements of each position   
• Conduct ongoing training; ensure leaders and HR professionals receive training that informs equitable salary setting practices  
• Define discretion and document decisions; reduce risk with clear, transparent, and consistent decision making and  
• Establish objective criteria for negotiating salaries; create guidelines to ensure consistency and avoid pay disparities  
• While EO 24-04 does not apply to institutions of higher education and related boards, they should reference RCW 41.06.133(1) (j) which requires salary ranges at institutions of higher education and related boards to be competitive for positions of a similar nature in the state or the locality in which an institution of higher education or related board is located. Such adoption and revision is subject to approval in accordance with RCW 43.88.