Job Discussion Forums

[abudhabi]

I've been a wee bit narked at continually reading rumours about the imminent decline of HCT pay. It will, perhaps, tend to put off the teachers who we want to come and join us. Then again, if they are put off so easily, perhaps I should just be welcoming the sterner stuff - or staff!

The fact is today it was announced that from January all HCT staff will get a 6% pay increase and this will double to 12% (calculated on the current base) from August. Add also that the staff contribution to our new health insurance scheme is now nil (before it was about 5% of my salary) and one can conclude that Santa has indeed been to the UAE.

Okay naysayers, now create more rumours of gloom and doom, but your credibility will be tested, especially if you were predicting a pay decrease.

Seasons greetings to all!

[Anna Dubaya]

Lucky you at HCT. Noone is getting a fil out of ZU these days in terms of raise...
I would say too many administrators are flying 1st class all over the world.

[veiledsentiments]

I'm confused... so they are paying the total ins... for you an appr 5% raise. (on your salary or on your base pay?) There is an immediate 6% of base pay... and then next August there will be another 6% raise on the new base pay? Or is it another 6% of the current base pay?

Another good question is how does the 'new' health insurance plan compare with the old one?

If history is of any benefit, I would expect ZU and UAEU to eventually do the same. It is after all coming from the same government ministry.

VS

[NadiaK]

Hi VS

In August we at HCT will all be on 12% more than we are on now. The 12% increase applies to each "step" of the salary scale. No increments will be awarded this year.

The 6% (of current pay) is an interim monthly "bonus," ending once the 12% rise kicks in.

Outside Abu Dhabi, the health plan is almost identical to the current plan (same provider); the main exception that I can see is that maternity is now included. Oh, and it is also free for employees *and their resident dependents up to the age of 18.*

[Strolling minstrel]

This is excellent news for HCT staff and not before time. However, it does mask an interesting statistic. With 60% of staff at the top of their pay scale this year they will get a one-off increase - and then remain stuck again. HCT has some structural pay problems to address, too. Nonetheless, it represents a good job done by their VC and his team who have been under the cosh on costs for the last four years and it would have been much easier to try and hold the lid on for a while longer.

[holbrook]

An interesting question about the increments in the new pay raise. If your not at the top of the scale you usually get a 7% raise each year. This has been changed to 4% guaranteed and up to 4% more based on merit. That's 8%, sounds good! But wait! The previous poster just said that we won't get increment this year. So take the 12% raise and minus it by the 7% increment that you wont get this year and you have a 5% raise in real terms. Exciting!

But now, while most people always used to get the 7% now only 4% is guaranteed. If the additional four becomes hard to get than you have to minus 3% each year from your base. 5%-3%=2% net raise after the first year and a -1% raise after the second, etc. Not sounding as good as it once did.

The no increment thing really kills it. If they kept increments as normal for this year then a 12% plus a 4% t- 8% increment for hard work and dedication we would be looking at a real 10%-14% raise. Maybe nobody worked hard enough this year to be rewarded for their effort with an increment.

The health insurance is still nice especially for those of us with kids.

But the biggest issues, such as additional funding for housing and increased money for increasingly expensive schools are still left off of the new contract.

[NadiaK]

SM, another three steps have been added to the scale - so it's actually very good news for those at the top of the scale.

[sifu_sensei]

[Strolling minstrel]

[like2answer]

Does anyone know for a FACT that the 6% increment that staff not at the top usually get will not be in place for next year? The HR people aren't sure. My friends at HCT were a bit confused by the VC's email.

If one asked one's supervisor the criteria to get the extra 4%, why wouldn't one get it for a total of 8%?

[NadiaK]

L2a, I could be wrong on that one (here's hoping, eh?). That's the way I interpreted the "in August everyone will be earning 12% more than they are now" bit, in conjunction with the fact that top-of-the-scalers will not be eligible for an increment until August next year.

[Tuttifruitti]

[Manny2]

TF.... the email is pretty clear that there are two possible increments - one is a 4% 'automatic' raise and the second is an additional 4 % discretionary performance based annual bonus which will I presume be based on current PEP type criteria ...but at the end of the day will be at your supervisors discretion !! and it it those criteria that like2answer referred to .


2) The steps in the new scale are based on automatic increments of 4% to account for additional service and economic adjustments.

3) Employees in all grades will be eligible to receive an additional discretionary annual bonus, up to 4%, based on performance. This process will commence in the next academic year.

[Tuttifruitti]

Yes, sorry. Read Like2answer's message incorrectly.

[Sheikh Inal Ovar]

Any news on the 20 - 25% increase in contact hours that was mentioned on an earlier thread?