Salary Surveys are tools used to determine the median or average compensation paid to

employees in one or more jobs. Compensation data, collected from several employers, is
analyzed to develop an understanding of the amount of compensation paid.
Salary Survey
A salary or wage survey is a collection of hourly wage figures and annual salary numbers for a
given industry. A business compiles this data to establish an industry prevailing wage for various
job titles common in that industry. This helps the business determine competitive wages and
appropriate pay increases for newly hired workers and existing employees. A wage or salary
survey is time-sensitive and falls out of relevance very quickly. A survey of this type must
always have the year or the particular financial quarter the data came from clearly stated on the
document.
Collecting Salary Data
A business looking to compile wage data for a salary survey can enlist the assistance of an
employer association, including the Society for Human Resource Management. This type of
organization can obtain wage and salary data as a neutral third party for a given industry, a
geographic area or target marketplace. Using an employer association is beneficial because
businesses may otherwise be hesitant to give financial data to the competition for fear of losing
quality employees to better benefits packages.
Wage and Hour Division (WHD)/Government Contracts
Wage Surveys
Frequently Asked Questions: Conformances
Frequently Asked Questions: Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
Staff Contacts
DBRA Regions
When initiating a wage survey, WHD sends out survey forms to interested parties and any
contractors identified as working on projects in the survey area during the designated time frame.
Data may also be submitted by any other contractors and interested parties. The Form WD-10 is
used to submit data for DBRA wage surveys. All submitted survey data is analyzed, clarified,
and reviewed by staff in the five regional offices of WHD. In order to ensure the accuracy and
completeness of the data submitted, a two step verification process is used.
Upon completion of the verification process, and after any necessary changes are made,
prevailing wage rates are calculated. WHD calculates the basic hourly rate first and then
calculates any prevailing fringe benefits.
The regulations define the prevailing wage rate as the rate paid to the majority of workers in a
classification. If the same rate is not paid to a majority of workers, then a weighted average is
calculated. In determining fringe benefits, WHD determines in the classification if there is a
prevailing practice of paying a fringe benefit. If a majority of the workers in the classification are
not paid a fringe benefit, no fringe benefit will be calculated. If a majority of workers are paid
fringe benefits, then the fringe benefit will be calculated in a manner similar to the basic rate
calculation. If a majority of the reported workers receive the same fringe benefit, then that fringe
benefit will prevail. If the same fringe benefit is not paid to a majority of the reported workers, a
weighted average is calculated.
Wage rates often are calculated and issued on a county basis. If there is insufficient data to issue
a rate on a county basis, then the geographic area used to determine prevailing wage rates may be
expanded. 29 CFR Part 1.7
There are minimum sufficiency requirements that must be met to publish a classification and rate
on a WD. If a classification or particular rate does not appear on a WD, it is because insufficient
information was received for that classification or rate during the survey process. After
completion, survey results are tabulated on WD-22 (Wage Compilation) and on WD-22a (Project
Compilation) by Wage and Hour Staff. After tabulation, survey results are then submitted for
publication. The web site www.wdol.gov (Wage Determinations On-Line) contains copies of all
published wage determinations.
A listing of surveys planned, ongoing, completed, and published by state is available on the
survey status map. If you wish to participate in one of the ongoing surveys, please contact the
regional contact person listed for that surve
A salary survey is a tool specifically for remuneration specialists and managers to define a fair
and competitive salary for the employees of a company. The survey output is data on the average
or median salary for a specific position, taking into consideration the region, industry, company
size, etc. Input data is aggregated directly from an employer or employee.[1]y.

Types of salary surveys by data source[edit]

Salary surveys are differentiated based on their data source into those that

obtain data from companies, or

obtain data from employees.
Salary survey operators strive to obtain the most relevant input data possible. There is no way to
generalize which approach is correct. The first option may satisfy large companies, while the
second is largely for smaller companies.

Salary surveys based on data from companies[edit]

This is the traditional approach where consulting companies obtain survey input data from
specific companies. Companies are provided with a wide-ranging questionnaire to gather
information about the company and its employees.

Advantages of salary surveys using data from employers[edit]

Long-term experience - these are global companies with long histories in the vast majority of
cases.
Brand recognition - these companies are well-established on the market and have already created
a reputation. Brands such as PayWell (PricewaterhouseCoopers/PwC), AON Hewitt, Mercer and
the Hay Group are recognised by nearly all human resources and remuneration specialists.
Consulting activities - given that salary surveys are one of the primary lines of business for these
companies, they have consultants on staff who can deliver their consulting expertise in obtaining
input data (ensuring data is aggregated using the correct method) and other more wide-ranging
consulting activities. Such consulting may include job descriptions, evaluating specific jobs and
even the creation of a salary system.
Detailed catalogue of positions - jobs must be assigned to the correct position during the survey
to ensure the compared salary corresponds to the work performed. Positions are described in
detail in the survey given the long-term experience and direct connection to parent companies.
The same is true of responsibilities, powers and subordination, and superiority structures, in
addition to the actual job description itself.
They facilitate international salary comparison - international salary comparisons for individual
positions are possible given that the operators of these salary surveys are companies with
international know-how, and identical methods are applied in dozens of countries around the
world.
Disadvantages of salary surveys using data from employers[edit]
Lengthy process of completing the form - time demands are high given the detailed nature of the
form used to obtain input data. The questionnaire includes questions that require answers from
multiple departments: financial (company profits) and human resources (salaries, numbers of
employees, training and education costs, etc.). A company may not answer some questions
clearly if it monitors specific indicators in a different structure and if estimates are provided in
the questionnaire, which deform the results.
Partial coverage of the entire market - the goal of any salary survey is to include all types of
companies, big and small, domestic and foreign, in various industries, etc. Given that only the
companies that buy such a survey are involved, these surveys do not cover the entire labour
market. Often they only include large and wealthy industries such as IT, telecommunications,
pharmaceuticals, banking, cars, electronics, etc. Other industries such as sales, other industry,
construction, etc. are composed of companies that cannot afford such a salary survey, which
means their industries are not completely covered.
Sensitive data - not every company wants to disclose sensitive data on profitability, fluctuations,
and employee salaries in any specific form. Survey participants cannot avoid these questions.
Non-current data - salary surveys based on data from employers aggregate input information
over a matter of months. The standard data aggregation period is 3 to 4 months. Processing
follows, which may take another 2 months. Companies may only receive the data they need after
a half-year delay. The labour market changes over this time, in particular in times of economic
growth, and the data is no longer up-to-date after aggregation, processing and evaluation.
High price - salary surveys based on this approach are expensive. Prices are in the thousands of
euros, depending on if the company is actively involved in the survey or does not participate and
only purchases the survey results (more expensive in this case).
Salary surveys based on data from employees[edit]
Aggregating data from employees primarily refers to the aggregation of data using the Internet.
Such methods have long been established in the USA and Western Europe, and are now
establishing themselves in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Advantages of salary surveys aggregating data from employees[edit]

Large sample of respondents - salaries are of interest to every employee, and providing
information about themselves gives the opportunity to compare their current situation with others
on the labour market. It is no surprise that these types of salary surveys have a large sample of
respondents. Surveys are equipped with technical resources to expose duplicate records, thereby
rendering fears of misuse unjustified.[2]
All types of companies - employees in all types of companies are interested in salaries,
regardless of the type of work, region, industry, size, company ownership, etc. Such surveys
aggregate data from a multitude of different companies.
Transparency of results - this method provides fast access to the most in-demand information to
support decision-making; the information is also transparently depicted and easy to understand.
Results without providing company data - companies use the results of such surveys without
actually providing their own data. This provides an opportunity to exploit information about the
market without concerns over a loss of sensitive data.
Easy access to the required data - salary surveys of this type are accessible over the Internet.
Companies have access to them anywhere with Internet connection: in offices, cafs, hotels, at
home, etc.
Currentness - data is continuously added to this type of survey; the database is propagated with
new data on a daily basis with old (year-old) data automatically replaced.
Financial accessibility - the survey method based on data from employees does not incur the
same costs as surveys based on data from employers. These surveys are at a much more
accessible price point for this reason. Small and medium enterprises primarily use this type of
survey.
Real employee salaries and benefits - surveys based on data from employee are directly
connected to the specific positions in which the employees work. The resulting data describes the
situation of a specific employee and not the general situation in the company. Companies often
declare benefits such as company mobile phones, but in practice an employee may actually only
be eligible for such benefit in select positions and after working for the company for at least one
year.
Disadvantages of salary surveys aggregating data from employees[edit]
Temporary mistrust in this method - a lack of confidence occurs in undeveloped countries based
on the argument that "people lie on the Internet". Experience has shown that people do not lie but
rather complete questionnaires accurately if they want to obtain reliable information from a
website. Respondents provide details of their own salary because they are motivated to compare
their salary with others. An attempt to provide misleading information is basically lying to
oneself.
Less brand awareness - these salary surveys do not enjoy the same brand recognition as
traditional salary surveys, and companies are only starting to have confidence in their results.
Experience from abroad shows that it is only a matter of time until this type of surveys finds
users.
Internet population - this type of survey requires that respondents are computer literate and have
Internet access. This leads to an assumption that the structure of respondents correlates to the
structure of the Internet population. This population has a lower share of employees with lower
levels of education and from smaller communities. This effect is mitigated by the increasing
levels of computer literacy and Internet coverage.
Level of detail of results - survey output data is a reflection of the data provided by the
respondents, i.e. company employees. They cannot be asked specific details concerning
remuneration as they are asked in surveys using data from companies. The average employee
does not know how much education and training activities cost, company revenues, etc. As such,
the survey outputs do not provide such detailed data. They are based on the most basic indicators
on which salaries depend: position, region, industry, previous experience, education, etc. all
questions the respondents can answer.
What data a salary survey should contain[edit]
Basic, general data at the regional or industry-wide level issued by the national[which?]
statistical office is now[when?] insufficient to define correct salary amounts. Salary surveys
should concern specific positions defined as precisely as possible.
Average value is often communicated in salary discussions. Other indicators that more accurately
describe the salary of a given position must be used as a result. In practice, companies use
percentiles, the most common of which are the first and ninth decile, the first and third quartile,
and the media.

It is also important to define the meaning of salary in a salary survey. Are gross or net salaries
involved? Does salary include bonuses, variable salary components and other bonuses, or does it
only concern the base salary? Remuneration includes providing non-financial benefits. A
company applying such a remuneration policy should review salary surveys that analyse non-
financial benefits.

Trustworthy surveys openly discuss the size of samples from which outputs are calculated.

Salary survey selection criteria[edit]

A company should consider the following aspects:

The author of the survey - it is important that the survey is conducted by a trustworthy company.
Investigate the survey operator's background online to determine its comprehension of
remuneration-related matters and the labour market overall.
Survey scope - every company is unique with its own needs. The selected survey should take into
consideration the positions covered in the survey, the types of companies providing data, and
various aspects: company size, industry, regional representation, company ownership, etc.
Survey method - the survey method must be examined along with the obtained data, its
processing, the manner in which deviations are removed from the data, etc. The method should
meet the standards for conducting surveys.
Number of respondents - it is clear that an increase in survey respondents correlates to more
relevant results. It is essential to ensure that the number of survey respondents is published, with
the results enhanced when combined with their structure using some basic characteristics
(region, size, etc.)
Companies represented in the survey - companies use salary surveys to compare their
remuneration to the competition. Knowing the companies included in the survey is important.
Reputable salary surveys publish a list of companies that provided their salaries for comparison.
Size of the sample for the displayed results - publishing the total number of salary survey
respondents is one thing, but publishing the number of respondents for every sample result is
another. The composition of the reference sample must be considered. The greater the criteria
match a company requires, the more likely it is that the sample will be smaller. If a company
wants results for a given position, region, industry, previous experience, education and, for
instance, age, the number of respondents may not be more than 10, even if the survey sample is
robust. Some positions are simply scarce on the labour market for objective reasons.
Relevance of job descriptions when comparing positions - every company has its own
nomenclature for work positions, often based on the company's history or inherited from a parent
company. This makes it important to determine if the salary survey displays individual job
descriptions. It is impossible to expect that such job descriptions will provide a 100% match in
every company. Small and medium enterprises often combine different responsibilities into a
single position, which means these descriptions must be examined closely.
Data validity - the labour market is lively and constantly evolving. Salaries for individual
positions may rise or fall, even when the average salary in a country does not change. As a result,
current data is critical when defining salaries and planning budgets. Reputable salary surveys
publish the age of the data used to calculate salaries.
Complaints, Investigations, Enforcement, and Fines
Information on employment standards complaints including how to file a complaint, employers
responsibilities, and summaries of all employment standard enforcement outcomes from the
current year and archives of previous years.
Employment Agencies
The Saskatchewan Employment Act outlines that job seekers are not to pay fees to find or get
employment.
Employment Standards in Professions and Industries
Information on employment standards that is industry specific. Information for agricultural
employees, independent contractors, care providers, sitters, retail industry, restaurant industry
and more.
Employment Standards Training
Learn about the online Employment Standards webinars available to employers and employees.
Find the full list of topics and registration information.
Layoffs and Termination
Information about layoffs and termination including required notice, pay instead of notice and
group termination.
Vacations, Holidays, Leaves, and Absences
Information on Saskatchewans Public Holidays, annual vacations, and the different family,
medical and service leaves available in Saskatchewan.
Wages and Pay
Information on wages and pay in the workplace including information on overtime, minimum
wage, minimum call-out pay and payroll keeping requirements.
Work Schedules, Permits, and Modified Work Arrangements
Information on work schedules including hours of work and information on breaks. Learn about
modified work arrangements and permits that employers can apply for to vary certain
employment standards.
National Occupational Classification
Occupational Classification, or NOC, is a systematic taxonomy in English of all occupations in
the Canadian labour market. As a Canadian government publication it is concurrently published
in French as Classification nationale des professions. Organized into two volumes, it describes
923 distinct occupations in terms of aptitudes, interests, education, physical activities, and other
qualifiers. A separate index further classifies over 25,000 job titles from the listed occupations.[1]
The NOC is used by program planners, labour economists, rehabilitation professionals, and
others in the health and social services fields in Canada, as well as by insurance companies and
litigators. It is published by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), which
is the Department of the Government of Canada which supports public policies for labour
market, social development, early childhood and post secondary education. The first Edition of
the NOC was published in 1992, and a Second Revised Edition was offered in 2001. A minor
revision was made in 2006. It is available in printed form, on CD-ROM, and on-line. A 2011
version is in development and is expected to be published in 2016.[2][1]
The NOC supersedes the Canadian Classification Dictionary of Occupations (CCDO), which
was published by HRSDC in 1981. .
A variation of the NOC, known as NOC-S or National Occupational Classification for Statistics,
is maintained by Statistics Canada. According to the NOC-S website, "The two classifications
[NOC & NOC-S] differ only in the aggregation structure of the classification." The first use of
the NOC-S 2001 was in the 2001 Census of Population.
The NOC is one of the main data sources that supports the Working in Canada Tool which is part
of the Government of Canada's Going to Canada - Immigration Portal.

WORKERS COMPENSATION ACT 1987

- As at 14 November 2016
- Act 70 of 1987

TABLE OF PROVISIONS

Long Title

PART 1 - PRELIMINARY

1. Name of Act
2. Commencement
2A. Relationship to Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998
3. Definitions
4. Definition of injury
4A. Directors of uninsured employer not entitled to compensation
5. (Repealed)
6. Act binds Crown
7. Certain Acts not affected
7A. Application of Act in respect of coal industry
8. (Repealed)

PART 2 - COMPENSATION-LIABILITY

9. Liability of employers for injuries received by workers-general

9AA. Liability for compensation
9AB. Recognition of determination of State of connection in another State
9AC. Person not to be compensated twice
9A. No compensation payable unless employment substantial contributing factor to injury
9B. No compensation for heart attack or stroke unless nature of employment results in
significantly greater risk
10. Journey claims
11. Recess claims
11A. No compensation for psychological injury caused by reasonable actions of employer
12. Claims by trade union representatives
13. (Repealed)
14. Conduct of worker etc
 15. Diseases of gradual process-employer liable, date of injury etc
16. Aggravation etc of diseases-employer liable, date of injury etc
17. Loss of hearing-special provisions
18. Special insurance provisions relating to occupational diseases
19. Diseases deemed work related
20. Principal liable to pay compensation to workers employed by contractors in certain cases
21. (Repealed)
22. Compensation to be apportioned where more than one injury
22A. Further provisions concerning apportionment of liability under section 22
22B. Determination as to which injury gave rise to compensation liability
22C. Certain injuries not to be dealt with under sections 15 and 16
23. Age or residence not relevant to liability
24. Illegal employment

PART 3 - COMPENSATION-BENEFITS

Division 1 - Compensation payable on death

25. Death of worker leaving dependants

26. Funeral expenses
27, 27A. (Repealed)
28. Expenses of transporting body
29. Apportionment of payments between dependants
30. Review of apportionment among dependants
31. Payment in respect of dependent children
32. Payment where no dependants

Division 2 - Weekly compensation by way of income support

Subdivision 1 - Interpretation

32A. Definitions

Subdivision 2 - Entitlement to weekly compensation

33. Weekly compensation during total or partial incapacity for work

34. Maximum weekly compensation amount
35. Factors to determine rate of weekly payments
36. Weekly payments in first entitlement period (first 13 weeks)
37. Weekly payments in second entitlement period (weeks 14-130)
38. Special requirements for continuation of weekly payments after second entitlement
period (after week 130)
38A. Special provision for workers with highest needs
39. Cessation of weekly payments after 5 years
40. Entitlement after second entitlement period not affected by certain circumstances
40A. (Repealed)
 41. Compensation for incapacity after second entitlement period resulting from surgery
42. Application by worker to alter amount of weekly payments

Subdivision 3 - Work capacity

43. Work capacity decisions by insurers

43A. (Repealed)
44. (Renumbered)
44A. Work capacity assessment
44B. Evidence as to work capacity

Subdivision 3A - Review of work capacity decisions

44BA. Definitions
44BB. Review of work capacity decisions
44BC. Stay of work capacity decisions
44BD. Effect of review decision on notice period
44BE. Effect of affirmation or withdrawal on notice period

Subdivision 4 - Interpretation

44C. Definition-pre-injury average weekly earnings

44D. Definitions applying to pre-injury average weekly earnings-relevant period
44E. Definitions applying to pre-injury average weekly earnings-ordinary earnings
44F. Definition of non-pecuniary benefits
44G. Definition applying to pre-injury average weekly earnings and current weekly earnings-
base rate of pay
44H. Definition applying to pre-injury average weekly earnings and current weekly earnings-
ordinary hours of work
44I. Definition-current weekly earnings
45. Reduction of weekly payments to qualify for other benefits
46. Reduction of weekly payments to prevent dual benefits
47. Incapacity deemed to exist in certain cases
48. Compensation payable despite existing incapacity
49. Weekly compensation payable despite holiday pay etc
50. Weekly compensation and sick leave
51. (Repealed)
52. Termination of weekly payments on retiring age
52A, 52B. (Repealed)
53. Weekly payments-residence outside the Commonwealth
54. Notice required before termination or reduction of payment of weekly compensation
55-56. (Repealed)
57. Worker to notify return to work etc with other employer
58. Refund of weekly payments paid after return to work etc

Division 3 - Compensation for medical, hospital and rehabilitation expenses etc

 59. Definitions
59A. Limit on payment of compensation
60. Compensation for cost of medical or hospital treatment and rehabilitation etc
60AA. Compensation for domestic assistance
60A. Worker not liable for medical, hospital and rehabilitation charges above applicable rates
61. Rates applicable for medical or related treatment
62. Rates applicable for hospital treatment
63. Rates applicable for ambulance service
63A. Rates applicable for workplace rehabilitation services
64. Rates applicable for car travel associated with treatment
64A. Compensation for cost of interpreter services

Division 3A - Compensation for return to work assistance

64B. Workers returning to work with new employer

64C. Workers receiving weekly payments

Division 4 - Compensation for non-economic loss

65. Determination of degree of permanent impairment

65A. Special provisions for psychological and psychiatric injury
66. Entitlement to compensation for permanent impairment
66A. Agreements for compensation
66B. No proceedings to enter up award on agreement for compensation
67. (Repealed)
67A. Special provisions for HIV/AIDS
68, 68A. (Repealed)
68B. Deductions for previous injuries and pre-existing conditions-operation of sections 15,
16, 17 and 22
69-72A. (Repealed)
73. Reimbursement for costs of medical certificate and examination

Division 5 - Compensation for property damage

74. Damage to artificial limbs etc

75. Damage to clothing
76. Maximum rate for damage to artificial limbs, spectacles
77. Maximum rate for damage to clothing
78. Miscellaneous provisions

Division 6 - Indexation of certain amounts

79. Definitions
80. Adjustment of amounts of benefits according to award rate of pay index
81. Rounding off
 82. Publication of adjusted amounts

Division 6A - Indexation of weekly payments

82A. Indexation-weekly payments

82B. Indexation of certain amounts-according to average weekly earnings
82BA. Indexation-compensation amount for workers with highest needs
82C. Indexation-no reduction
82D. Indexation-rounding

Division 6B - Indexation of compensation for permanent impairment

82E. Definition
82F. Indexation-compensation for permanent impairment
82G. Indexation-no reduction
82H. Indexation-rounding

Division 7 - Payment of benefits

83. Manner of payment of compensation

84. Times for payment of weekly compensation
85. Payments to NSW Trustee for benefit of beneficiary
85A. Payment of benefits to beneficiaries
86. NSW Trustees powers of investment
87. Unclaimed money

Division 8 - Reduction of benefits where additional or alternative compensation

payable

87A. Additional or alternative compensation to which Division applies

87B. Reduction of compensation under this Act
87C. Employer etc to notify claim or payment of additional or alternative compensation

Division 9 - Commutation of compensation

87D. Definition
87E. Compensation that may be commuted
87EA. Preconditions to commutation
87F. Commutation by agreement
87G. Commutation when worker legally incapacitated
87H. Registration of commutation agreements
87I. Payment
87J. Other commutation agreements invalid
87K. Commutation payment taken to be payment of compensation