Update on Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2020-21 Academic Year (PDAD&C #16)

From: Heather Boon, Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life
Date: August 20, 2021
Re: Update on Merit (PTR/5%) for the 2020-21 Academic Year (PDAD&C #16)

I am writing further to PDAD&C #79 (June 17, 2021) and PDAD&C #69 (May 13, 2021) to update you concerning July 1, 2021 PTR.  

Background 

As you know, the University and UTFA agreed in January 2021 on the payment of July 1, 2020 PTR (See PDAD&C #41). Faculty members and librarians received that increase in February or March 2021 retroactive to July 1, 2020. Salary, benefits and workload negotiations with the University of Toronto Faculty Association (“UTFA”) for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 continue. No agreement has been reached regarding any across-the-board (“ATB”) salary increase for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.  

Salary, benefits and workload negotiations with UTFA for the period July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 have not yet commenced.   

In line with PDAD&C #79, written feedback from the current (2020-21) assessment process should have been provided to faculty members and librarians including, where possible, the basis for evaluation in each of the components of the appointment (e.g., the criteria for evaluation; points or scale, where used in line with PDAD&C #53).  

Payment of July 1, 2021 PTR 

I am pleased to announce that the University and UTFA have agreed that July 1, 2021 PTR will be paid to faculty and librarians in the October 2021 pay run.   

Specific Provisions Relative to the Payment of July 1, 2021 PTR 

Please note that the agreement between the University and UTFA regarding the payment of July 1, 2021 PTR includes several important provisions: 

1. In order to mitigate the significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic that faculty and librarians may have experienced during the 2020-21 academic year, it is agreed that, on an exceptional and one-time-only basis, each faculty member’s and librarian’s PTR payment for the 2020-21 assessment period will be calculated using the higher of the following scores:  

(a) PTR score equivalent to the average of their PTR scores for the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 assessment periods; or  

(b) PTR score that resulted from the normal process of assessment based on their submitted activity report for the 2020-21 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 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 assessment periods will have their PTR score for the 2020-21 assessment period calculated as follows for the purposes of a PTR score under paragraph 1(a) above:  

(a) Only scores for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 assessment periods: the average of those two scores; 

(b) Only a score for the 2019-20 assessment period: the same PTR score as for 2019-20; 

(c) No PTR score for the assessment periods 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019- 20: the average score in their pool as determined in accordance with their unit’s normal PTR process described in 1(b) above for the 2020-21 assessment period.  

3. Salary letters for all faculty members and librarians must 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 2020-21 assessment period. 

Should there subsequently be an ATB percentage wage increase for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 agreed to or awarded, the University would then make an additional payment of PTR retroactive to July 1, 2021 of any difference owing based on increasing the breakpoints and increments by the amount of the ATB percentage wage increase agreed to or awarded for the period July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.  

PTR Mechanism for the Calculation of Merit Pools 

At present, in the absence of any agreement or award regarding any ATB increase payable July 1, 2020, Faculties should move forward with the calculation of merit based on July 1, 2020 PTR breakpoints and increments and pool contributions as were set out in PDAD&C 69. 

PTR for Tenure Stream and Non Tenure Stream Part-time and CLTA Faculty: 

Breakpoint: $169,650 
Amount contributed to pool per FTE: 
Below Breakpoint – $ 3,710* 
Above Breakpoint – $ 2,105* 

PTR for Teaching Stream Faculty (Continuing Stream, and Part-time and CLTA Appointments): 

Breakpoint: $151,300 
Amount contributed to pool per FTE: 
Below Breakpoint – $ 3,465* 
Above Breakpoint – $ 2,010* 

PTR for Librarians: 

Breakpoint: $128,600 
Amount contributed to pool per FTE: 
Below Breakpoint – $2,900* 
Above Breakpoint – $ 1,430* 

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

Implementation of PTR for 2020-21 

  • The PTR pool amounts are available in the AMS B6 application.  
  • 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 for October pay implementation. 

Current Action Needed 

It is assumed that the 2020-21 assessment process has already been completed, including finalizing the PTR scores for faculty and librarians using the “normal”’ process as referenced in 1b above. Next steps:  

  1. Calculate the PTR score that each faculty member or librarian would receive under option ‘1a’ as laid out above (or as adjusted in #2). 
  1. For each faculty member and librarian, identify which is higher: their score from the current, “normal”, assessment process for the 2020-21 academic year (1b) OR the average score (1a or as adjusted in #2). Note: Please be sure to keep a record of the calculations, and determination of which score was the higher of the two for each person. 
  1. Use the higher of the two scores above to calculate the amount to be paid in PTR to each faculty member or librarian. Ensure that you clearly communicate which score was used to calculate each faculty member or librarian’s July 1, 2021 PTR in their salary letter. 
  1. Complete and provide salary letters to all faculty members in time for the October payroll deadline including the revised July 1, 2021 base salary for each faculty member reflecting both July 1, 2021 PTR and any 5% merit. Revised salary letters will be posted to the AAPM and shared with Dean’s Offices very shortly.