Competitive Offers

The university seeks to retain employees whose performance and skills are critical to the attainment of department and/or university goals. A competitive offer situation exists when a department seeks to make a counteroffer to an employee who has received an outside offer (from an outside organization or other state agency, not within the university). The department and senior management (dean or vice president) of the area should work with their Human Resources representative to determine if a counter-offer is appropriate and desirable, and the amount of an appropriate counteroffer.

Guidelines for competitive offers

• Can be any amount up to the amount of the outside offer.   
• Cannot exceed the outside offer amount.
• Cannot exceed the maximum of the pay band.
• Do not affect eligibility for the annual review/increase process.
• Include documentation from the employee receiving the outside offer such as a copy of the offer letter from the competing employer or a signed statement from the employee indicating the offer amount.    
• Must be submitted and approved on a Staff and Faculty Actions or Change of Status Form (P3A).
• Must be approved by the dean, vice president, or designee and the compensation manager.