The university’s minimum wage for faculty and staff will increase from $12 to $14 an hour, according to Caroline Agardy, the vice president for human resources. The raise will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023.
“Really it’s just a recognition that we are in a competitive marketplace, and we want to be able to retain and attract good employees,” university spokesperson Jeff Stensland said.
The announcement was made at the board of trustees meeting on Sept. 16. The increase will affect 686 employees across the USC system who currently make less than $14 an hour, according to data Agardy presented to the board.
Being “dissatisfied with compensation” was the second leading reason for leaving USC employment, according to 2021-2022 survey data presented by Agardy.
The leading reason was “lack of advancement opportunities,” according to the data.
“We believe we will be able to attract and retain talent by creating a market-driven pay structure for our jobs,” Agardy said. “Our compensation will be more equitable and fair. And we will create career paths for employees so they can see their career at USC.”
Stensland said though some would want to see the wage increase more, the raise was a “step in the right direction” and “hopefully it will come as good news to folks on campus.”