Speak up Be heard: Human Resources

I am seeking clarification regarding the contribution withdrawal policy. A few years ago, I was able to withdraw funds from my contributions to help with a financial matter. However, about a year later, when I attempted to request another withdrawal, I was informed that this option was no longer available. I’m confused about this change, as it was never officially communicated. If the policy has been in place for some time, I’m wondering how I was previously able to withdraw funds and pay off my balance. At that time, I received a check directly from Fidelity. Could you please clarify when this policy change took effect and why?

A few months ago, two directors in my department were speaking with a group of staff members. During the conversation, they began discussing how expensive the candies and cookies were at their children’s school. One of them said, “I can’t believe how pricey they are,” without considering how this comment might land with the staff listening, many of whom are in single-income households and earning significantly less, often two to three times less than these directors.

To those in leadership positions or higher salary brackets: please be mindful. Casual remarks about financial discomfort can feel out of touch and dismissive to those of us who are truly struggling to make ends meet. We’ve been carrying the weight of stagnant wages for years.

It’s deeply discouraging to see that the university has been slow to take action on meaningful salary increases. Meanwhile, we witness favoritism in promotions and rewards—where recognition goes not to the most dedicated or long-serving staff, but to those who are simply liked by their supervisors or who fit into a hidden agenda. Many employees who once showed initiative have since withdrawn, not because they lack dedication, but because they no longer feel seen, valued, or supported. Instead of encouragement, we are met with criticism and increasing demands.

We are repeatedly told that our work is appreciated, yet those words are often hollow. True appreciation is not expressed through staged events or gestures—it is reflected in fair compensation, equitable treatment, and ethical leadership.

Lastly, it is demoralizing to see individuals who have faced disciplinary action or demonstrated prejudiced behavior being promoted, while others with integrity and years of service are overlooked.

It’s time for real change. We ask our leadership to reflect on these concerns, act fairly, and create a workplace where dignity, respect, and equity are more than words.

Workday has function to integrate staff recognition program that allows staff recognition to be converted to points and can be used to purchase gift cards once certain number of points are accrued. Does ASU plan to look into this to improve the current recognition program?

What is ASU going to do in the coming year to adequately address the persistent gap between our salaries and the market averages for staff positions? For example, in the 2024 ABOR Personnel Report (see here: https://www.azregents.edu/sites/default/files/reports/2024-Personnel-Report.pdf), it shows ASU would need to increase our salaries 9.2%-14.3% in 2025 to achieve market averages for our positions. This gap is persistent across ABOR Personnel Reports (see here: https://www.azregents.edu/personnel-report-archives) for the last several years. A canned response about merit pay and "total benefits" is not what is needed here, nor is a canned response about professional development opportunities (that would simply lead to another paid under-market average staff position at the University) or "job architecture." What concrete actions are being taken that take this persistent gap seriously? Staff deserve take home pay that is truly commensurate with our peers outside the University and pay that can keep pace with the staggering inflation and rapidly increasing cost of living in the broader Phoenix metro area.

I have worked extremely hard at ASU for the past 7 years in 3 different departments, and in every department I’ve been employed in as university staff, the units are constantly facing understaffing the resulting additional work load beyond Job Descriptions and Duty Statements.

ASU is constantly pushing forward that we are a high ranking place to work in publications like Newsweek and Forbes, placing it on our staff main page and continually using it as a shield when very real, negative workplace issues that employees are facing due to ASU Human Resources policies and Benefits.

Are you listening when we express concern to the outlets that you have given us to have a voice? Income disparity exists between those who are classified as managers and directors, versus the people that are doing the work that those same people oversee. 

To add to this, the concept of increasing minimum levels of PTO vacation accruals, in lieu of livable wages, by design will create more workload for those attempting to use it. Additionally, departments and units will put large bars and blackout dates for employees where they are unable to use their PTO due to understaffing in units. ASU HR is aware that it is a cheaper option for the university business to offer increased PTO instead of wage increases. This is a disingenuous offering that has been implemented in corporate institutions such as Change.org, where employees are given “unlimited” PTO by theory inside of a policy, yet the policy is left purposely ambiguous when it comes to implementing it. In multiple positions, I have seen the result, as individual managers across the board are left with the only option to keep their units functioning with their lower staffing levels. They implement constraints on who can take vacation time due to workload, which includes the arbitrary in-person coverage in non-front facing offices.

I know that the University places itself first in this matter, always making decisions for our pay and our benefits which serve the business’s interests firsts, and then try to sell an idea of larger amounts of PTO as a way to respond to higher living expenses in one of the countries highest rising rates of rent, housing, transportation, and expenses across the board since the pandemic started in 2020. Given all of this feedback, how will the administration respond? We are not looking for boiler plate responses, which attempt to downplay or dismiss our urgent concerns as either a personal problem or a singular departmental problem. 

It is inhumane to effectively gaslight your employees that their struggles are not real and valid, while they are responding in clear language about issues they are experiencing. Your staff are literally begging for better working conditions and monetary compensation. What can we expect from the Administration, and when can we expect a response these issues that address our humanity as those who make education and innovation possible?

Currently, as an ASU salaried employee, I can not make enough money to afford to live as a Skilled Professional l barely clear 2K a month post taxes and deductions on a 50K Salary. This is insufficient to afford the current economy's rent, transportation, food, and clothing costs. I hear senior leadership boast about the benefits we get are amazing but they are the bare minimum expected of any organization we need money in hand not on an unused benefit. Government positions traditionally paid about 10k under market rates as ASU employees we are now falling to nearly 20k under standard market rates for my position. With the Proposed tariffs under the new administration costs are expected to rise even more which will drive ASU employees to be unable to afford the cost of living and use government programs that are expected to be cut. What is ASU going to do to make sure its employees can actually afford to live and work?

I have been trying to communicate with ASU International Employee Management regarding questions or concerns about my employment but the responses I have received are very rude and do not answer my questions. As an international employee and someone trying to reach out to them to ask questions I would hope to receive more professional communication.

In previous years, the December designated holidays have been 12/24 and 12/25. Some staff have raised concerns about the change to 12/26 as a holiday this year and for 2025 instead of 12/24. While they understand that a change to the 2024 holiday schedule is not possible, they are requesting that administration consider designating 12/24 and 12/25 as holidays in 2025 going forward. We appreciate you taking this to the appropriate administrative office for further review and consideration.

While ASU offers some staff discounts for the bookstore, we would like to see more discounts are available for ASU staff gym membership, ASU dining, ASU events, and ASU parking. While ASU's compensation is relatively low, it would be nice that ASU offers more discounts to its employees than just tuition benefits and bookstore discounts.

SPP 704–05: Bereavement Leave Benefits states, "Bereavement leave may be used if an employee must be absent because of the death of a parent, parent-in-law, brother, sister, spouse, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and any person who was a member of the employee’s established household, as well as a relative of a member of the employee’s established household. For the death of a relative not covered under this policy, refer to SPP 701–01, “Sick Leave Benefits.” I don't understand why aunts and uncles are not included in this policy, and I'd like it to be looked into, please. While I know that employees can use sick time for the death of an aunt or an uncle, it just doesn't make any justifiable sense to me as to why they were left off this policy. It especially makes no sense that in-laws (brother-in-law, sister-in-law, etc.) are written into the bereavement policy over those who could be blood relatives (aunts and uncles) who many people are oftentimes very close to. If you could please look into this and provide an explanation or get the policy changed, I'd really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.