Agreement on Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2021-22 Academic Year (PDAD&C #30)

From: Heather Boon, Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Date: March 11, 2022
Re: Agreement on Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2021-22 Academic Year (PDAD&C #30)


In PDAD&C#26 I announced that the University and University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) had agreed that PTR/5% merit for the 2021-22 assessment period will be paid on July 1, 2022. Subsequently, on February 25, 2022 we announced that the University and UTFA have reached an agreement to extend certain provisions of the COVID–19-specific Letter of Understanding (the “COVID LOU”).

I am very pleased to announce that, as part of the extension of the COVID LOU, the University and UTFA have agreed to the basis on which merit (PTR/5%) for the 2021-22 assessment period will be paid.

This memo contains important information concerning the administration of the merit (PTR/5%) scheme. Both the PTR merit and 5% merit awards are based on the performance assessment for 2021-22. (See the Academic Salary Administration section of the Academic Administrative Procedures Manual (AAPM) for details.)

Background

As you are aware, the University and UTFA recently agreed to the payment of a 1% across-the-board (ATB) increase retroactive to July 1, 2020 and a 1% ATB increase retroactive to July 1, 2021 (PDAD&C, 2021-22, # 26) to be implemented for the March, April, or May pay run. The June 30, 2022 base salary to which PTR merit and any 5% merit for the 2021-22 year will be added will include these 1% increases.   

Salary Increases (Across-the-board)

The July 1, 2022 ATB increase is subject to an interest arbitration process and will be implemented following that process. Further information will be provided when it is available.

July 1, 2022 Merit (PTR/5%)

The University and UTFA have agreed that July 1, 2022 PTR will be paid to faculty and librarians in the July 2022 pay run.

Specific Provisions Relative to the Payment of July 1, 2022 PTR

As part of the agreement to extend the provisions of the COVID LOU, in order to mitigate the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that faculty and librarians may have experienced during the 2021-22 academic year, the University and UTFA have agreed, on an exceptional basis to extend the following provisions for this year:

1.Each faculty member and librarian’s PTR payment for the 2021-22 assessment period will be calculated using the higher of the following scores:

a. PTR score equivalent to the average of their PTR scores for 1) the 2018-19 assessment period; 2) the 2019-20 assessment period; and 3) and the score used for the calculation of their PTR payment for the 2020-21 assessment period; or
b. PTR score that resulted from the normal process of assessment based on their submitted activity report for the 2021-22 assessment period, in accordance with their unit’s normal PTR process.

2. Faculty and librarians who did not receive PTR scores for each of the 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21 assessment periods will have their PTR score for the 2021-22 assessment period calculated as follows for the purposes of a PTR score under paragraph (a) above:

a. Only scores for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 assessment periods: the average of those two scores;
b. Only a score for the 2020-21 assessment period: the same PTR score as for 2020-21;
c. No PTR score for the assessment periods 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21: the average score in their pool as determined in accordance with their unit’s normal PTR process described in 1(d) above for the 2021-22 assessment period.

Salary letters for all faculty members and librarians shall clearly indicate their PTR score under 1(a) above and their PTR score under 1(b) above and where applicable under 2 (a) (b) or (c) above. All salary letters will also indicate which score was used for the purposes of calculating their PTR payment for the 2021-22 assessment period.

No faculty member or librarian should be required to disclose information about their personal medical or family circumstances as part of the PTR process.

Assessment Process

Units should proceed with their PTR assessment process as they normally would.

In doing so, and in line with PDAD&C, 2020-21, #53, please bear in mind that the basis for evaluation in each of the components of the appointment (e.g., the criteria for evaluation; points or scale, where used) should be included in the eventual salary letter.

The Calculation of Merit Pools for July 1, 2022 PTR

The University and UTFA have agreed that the calculation of merit pools (PTR and 5%) for the 2021-22 year will use the  model in place prior to 2015-16 (and used in 2020-21; 2019-20; and 2018-19). This means that PTR pools will be generated solely from the salary pools above and below the Breakpoint.

  • The PTR breakpoints and contributions are set out below in Appendix A

Implementation of PTR for 2021-22

  • The PTR pool amounts will be available in the Compensation Planning Tool (formerly the B6 application) in early June following May pay close. Details will be provided to CAOs by the Office of Planning & Budget about these data
  • Instructions on the HRIS implementation of these increases will be circulated to your Business Officers. The full instructions regarding HRIS processing will be made available via the AMS listserv after June monthly pay close.
  • The relevant salary letter template will be made available in the AAPM by May 1, 2022. (Please note that this will be different from the template salary letter currently posted to the AAPM that relates to the retroactive application of 1% ATB to July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2021 base salaries.)

5% Merit for 2021-22

Recommendations with respect to 5% Merit Pool awards in multi-department Faculties should be forwarded to the Dean in line with instructions that will be provided by each Dean’s Office.

Deans of single department Faculties will receive a memo on specific timelines for submission of their recommendations for the 5% Merit Pool shortly but should plan to finalize them by end of May.

Appendix A: Breakpoints and Contributions for July 1, 2022 PTR

The following are the details of breakpoints and contributions to be used in the calculation of July 1, 2022 PTR.

PTR for Tenure-Stream, Part-Time, and CLTA Faculty:

Breakpoint: $173,100

Amount contributed to pool per FTE:

Below Breakpoint – $ 3,785*

Above Breakpoint – $ 2,145*

PTR for Teaching-Stream Faculty (Continuing and Term Appointments):

Breakpoint: $154,350

Amount contributed to pool per FTE:

Below Breakpoint – $ 3,535*

Above Breakpoint – $ 2,050*

PTR for Librarians:

Breakpoint: $131,200

Amount contributed to pool per FTE:

Below Breakpoint – $2,960*

Above Breakpoint – $ 1,436*

*These amounts exclude the 5% set aside for allocation through the 5% merit pool.