Explanation of 'Utilizing Staff Benefit Rate Reductions' as a FY14 Budget Management Action

The following explanation refers to the phrase 'Utilizing Staff Benefit Rate Reductions’ that was listed as a ‘budget management action’ in Chancellor Rogers’ ‘FY14 Budget Status’ email from April 29, 2013:

• 'Staff benefit rate reductions' apply to units and departments.  They do not apply to individual staff and will not directly affect benefits received by staff.  This will not result in any expenses being transferred to staff, nor will it result in a reduction in any staff benefits, such as health care.
      
• Staff benefit rate reductions apply to the benefit rates paid by a unit or department, which are charged as a percentage of an employee’s salary.  The benefit rate for FY14 will be lower than the benefit rate applied in FY13.  This will result in unit savings, which will likely be needed to cover pay increases.  FY14 rates are set and published at http://www.alaska.edu/cost-analysis/downloads/Reports/FY14_FB_Prop.pdf.

Staff Council would like to thank Bob Shefchik, Executive Officer with the Chancellor's Office and Pat Pitney, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, for their assistance with this explanation.