General
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• Compensation is regulated by both Federal and State laws which address issues such as:
  • Minimum wage
  • Overtime
  • Required meal and rest periods
  • Permissible vacation
  • Holidays
  • Parental leave
  • Assorted benefits including worker's compensation and other insurance
• An institution may have additional policies governing such things as shift differential and on-call pay
• The Human Resources department should assist the laboratory in assuring compliance with the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and other pertinent laws
• Laboratory management must also be knowledgeable about compensation of the laboratory staff

Salaries
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• Determined by Administration
• May utilize community standards for rate setting
• Should maintain internal equity with comparable salaries for comparable jobs

Benefits
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• Often more important than salary to employees
• Insurance
  • Health, Life, Disability
• Continuing Education
  • Tuition reimbursement
• Uniforms
• Hiring bonus
• Child care
• Free parking
• Retirement and pension plans

Changing compensation
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• Employees often feel they are not compensated adequately, but institutional salary structures are usually quite rigid
• When there is justification to increase an employee's salary the following are available:
  • Annual cost of living increase
  • Merit increases
  • Promotion to a higher grade or step
  • Reclassification to a new position
  • Inequity adjustments
    • e.g. is MT paid less than a RN?
  • Incentive and profit sharing systems
  • Spot bonuses

This information is intended for physicians and related personnel, who understand that medical information is often imperfect, and must be interpreted in the context of a patient's clinical data using reasonable medical judgment. This website should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a licensed physician.

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