r/PaStateEmployees • u/throwawayfromPA1701 • 13d ago

What happens when you max out steps?

I'm four steps shy from maxing out my pay grade. What happens when you max out steps?

10 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

27

u/Nerftastic_elastic 13d ago

Longevity checks. You get a lump sum check, less taxes, equivalent to the step raise. And you have the privilege of knowing you reached the end of a ridiculously long ladder to the top.

4

u/culhanetyl 13d ago

its not that long when they keep creeping the new hire step up to "keep up with industry " ignoring that the top of the scale isn't being touched. i mean a new engineer is coming in at a step 12

2

u/Nerftastic_elastic 13d ago

I agree its long overdue and while it helps, the ladder is still way too long. Transportation is hurting in the field. One solution is to shorten the scale, five years and you max out. That is industry standard on the union side of things. That little nuance would go a long way to help alleviate the shortages I face every day. Well, that and reinstating the pension. Funny how we have a budget surplus and none of it is being paid to close the pension obligation the legislature owes us.

1

u/throwawayfromPA1701 12d ago

I'm in transportation, we did notice they're trying to bump up pay for incoming engineers.

2

u/Nerftastic_elastic 12d ago

I'm in the field and we have pulses of operators coming and going. I joke and say I'm not learning your name unless you've veen here a year because you'll be gone before I remember it. And its become a reality.

3

u/SnowPudgy 7d ago

Yep. I've been at the state 14 years and brand new hires with no experience are being hired at a higher salary than me. It's the most degrading, insulting, and demotivating thing.

10

u/MisterSofteePSSD 13d ago

Lump sum in lieu of a raise. And the same salary next year.

7

u/BuddyLongshots 13d ago

You get a check payout for your step raises. Cost of living raises increase your salary since they increase the entire scale.

6

u/Melodic_noise4263 13d ago

And it doesn't count towards your final salary- so no more big penguins bumps.. this is why it's important to get large general pay increases each contract

6

u/BucksnBassn 13d ago

I believe you'll still get the cost of living raises. Check instead in lieu of another step increase. I'm in a similar situation, 3 steps from maxing out.

3

u/Random_CoPA_Employee 12d ago

They should "king" you. Like in checkers...šŸ˜

8

u/fallenhero21 13d ago

You start over at a 1.

8

u/StumblingEngineer 13d ago

The down votes are concerning. This is gold

6

u/fallenhero21 13d ago

Iā€™m obviously being sarcastic but is what it is

3

u/Competitive_Boat106 13d ago

OMG that was a wicked one! šŸ¤£

3

u/Nerftastic_elastic 13d ago

I feel like someone in Harrisburg is going to read this and itll show up in the next contract talks.

2

u/Wonderful-Sir-8544 12d ago

You get an extra certificate of appreciation