Crafts Workers/Trades

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Policy Number:
UW-5028
Old Policy Number:
10.06
Responsible Office:
Office of Human Resources

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

In accordance with Wis. Stat. Chapter 230, compensation structures and benefits administration for Crafts Workers were provided in the State of Wisconsin Compensation Plan or an applicable collective bargaining agreement. Crafts Workers who were State of Wisconsin employees were compensated at an adjusted prevailing wage rate for their trade based on the 2009 prevailing wage rate. For individual employees, this prevailing wage rate was reduced by the value of state-provided employee benefits.

Effective July 1, 2015, compensation and benefits for UW–Madison Crafts Workers are administered according to this operational policy.

In 2025, University Staff leave schedule will transition from calendar year (January 1 – December 31) to fiscal year (July 1 – June 30). This policy ensures both employees and supervisors have a clear understanding of the transition period January 1 – June 30, 2025, and of the new fiscal year policy effective July 1, 2025. For additional details on this transition, visit University Staff Leave Schedule Change.

Definitions:
Crafts Worker
A UW–Madison employee who is a skilled journeyperson, including apprentices and helpers. The classification does not include employees who do not perform skilled trades as defined by the State of Wisconsin.
Journeyperson
An individual who has attained journeyperson status within their applicable trade.
Prevailing wage rate
The amount paid by other employers in the same labor market for similar work. The rate is established by the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
Scope:

Crafts Workers at UW–Madison are University Staff employees who are skilled journeypersons in the following building trade titles:

  • Bricklayer and Mason
  • Carpenter
  • Electrician
  • Elevator Constructor
  • Glazier
  • Heat & Frost Insulator
  • Painter
  • Plasterer
  • Plumber
  • Sheet Metal Worker
  • Steamfitter
  • Terrazzo and Tile Setter
  • Welder

This policy applies to University Staff employees only. Trades Supervisors and Trades Superintendent vacancies exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) are filled as Academic Staff and are not subject to the provisions of this policy.

Policy:

Policy Summary

The purpose of this operational policy is to provide compensation structures and benefits information for University Staff  Crafts Workers at UW–Madison.

Policy Detail

  1. Compensation

    1. The pay of Crafts Workers with documented satisfactory performance are based on the adjusted rates established in 2009 by the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and/or with the Department of Administration/Division of Personnel Management Building Trades Rate Booklet (See UW–Madison Office of Human Resources Crafts Workers Adjusted Rates).
    2. Increases to the adjusted rates are done in accordance with applicable collective bargaining agreements.
    3. Crafts Workers are entitled to receive pay adjustments in accordance with Pay Adjustments policy.

  2. Additional Compensation

    1. Painters shall receive an add-on of $0.50 per hour for spray painting.
    2. Lead Crafts Workers may be provided at least $0.50 per hour. Temporary lead Crafts Workers may be provided at least $0.20 per hour.
    3. Trades Supervisors will be paid at least $1.00 per hour more than the adjusted prevailing rate for the highest paid craft worker supervised, or at least $1.00 per hour more than the adjusted prevailing rate for the craft in which they are considered a journeyperson, whichever is greater.

    4. Trades Superintendents will be paid at least $1.50 per hour more than the pay rate established in accordance with (C) above, for the highest paid Trades Supervisor supervised, or at least $1.50 per hour more than the adjusted prevailing rate for the craft in which they are considered a journeyperson, whichever is greater.

      Note: The additional pay for supervisors listed in (C) and (D) above will always be based on the rate paid Crafts Workers as adjusted for the 100 hours of annual leave. The applicable adjusted prevailing rate is considered to be the base pay rate for pay administration purposes.

  3. Vacation

    1. Crafts Workers will be provided vacation time in accordance with UW-5052 Vacation Policy including carryover provisions, except as indicated below.
    2. Crafts Workers have three vacation options. They will be granted 100 hours (12½ days) of vacation on an annual basis. They may elect an increased vacation allocation of either 140 hours (17½ days) or 180 hours (22½ days) with a corresponding reduction to their prevailing rate.
      1. Vacation will be prorated if a Crafts Worker is a part-time employee or is not employed for the entire calendar year.
      2. If an employee wants to elect a different vacation option, they must complete a Vacation Option Election – Wisconsin Building Trades Form as follows:
        1. For vacation through December 31, 2024, the Vacation Option Election must be made no later than December 31, 2023.
        2. For vacation January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025, the Vacation Option Election must be made no later than December 31, 2024.
        3. For vacation July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026, employees will be required to maintain the vacation election they made for the period of January 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025.
        4. For vacation July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027, and each fiscal year thereafter, the Vacation Option Election must be made no later than June 30 immediately preceding the new fiscal year.
        5. If no election is made by the deadline, the employee retains the current vacation allocation.
    3. Fiscal Year
      1. Through December 31, 2024 – Vacation will be granted upon hire and again on January 1 to eligible employees. Vacation granted during the year of hire is prorated based on the start date of the appointment. Vacation granted during 2024 may be used through June 30, 2026.
      2. January 1, 2025 – June 30, 2025 – Vacation will be granted upon hire and again on July 1 of every year to eligible employees. Vacation granted during the year of hire is prorated based on the start date of the appointment. To enable Crafts Workers to plan accordingly, individuals in a position on January 1, 2025, will be allocated half of their hours earned balance for use through June 30, 2026.  During the transition period (January 1 – June 30, 2025), employees may request an advance on their vacation allocation which they otherwise would receive July 1, 2025. Any advance received will reduce vacation allocation on July 1, 2025. This is a one-time allowance and is only available during the effective dates of this policy.
      3. Effective July 1, 2025 – Vacation will be granted upon hire and again on July 1 of every year to eligible employees. Vacation granted during the year of hire is prorated based on the start date of the appointment.
    4. Crafts Workers are not eligible to bank unused vacation into a Sabbatical Account or an Annual Leave Reserve Account or receive a vacation cash-out. 
    5. If a University Staff Fixed-term Finite employee moves into a university staff position, the employee:
      1. Will not receive a payout of leave accumulated in the project appointment
      2. Will be allowed to change their vacation option at the start of the University Staff position
        1. If a new election is not made, the original election from the project will carry forward to the University Staff position.
        2. If an employee wants to elect a different vacation option, the employee must submit a written request using the Vacation Option Election – Wisconsin Building Trades Form. Any new election made for vacation will be prorated for the remainder of the fiscal year (July 1 - June 30).

  4. Personal Holiday

    Crafts Workers are not eligible for personal holidays.

  5. Health Insurance Premiums

    Until December 31, 2021, if a Crafts Worker, Trades Supervisor or Trades Superintendent, chooses the health insurance offered by UW–Madison, that employee is required to pay the full cost of health insurance premiums as administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds. See Wis. Stat. § 40.05(4)(ah). Individuals in these supervisory titles that are academic staff will participate in the academic staff benefits plans.

    Effective on January 1, 2022, all represented and non-represented employees in craft-related classifications will be eligible for the monthly premiums, the Health Savings Account contributions, and the Health Insurance Opt-Out Stipend, on the same eligibility basis as other employees.

  6. Eligibility for Supplemental Health Insurance Conversion Credits (SHICC)

    1. Crafts Workers are generally not eligible for Supplemental Health Insurance Conversion Credits (SHICC) as provided for in Wis. Stat. § 40.95.University Staff Trades Supervisors and Trades Superintendents are eligible for SHICC. Individuals in these supervisory titles that are academic staff will participate in the academic staff benefits plans.
    2. There are two situations in which Crafts Workers may be eligible for SHICC:
      1. If an employee works part time as Crafts Worker and part time in a SHICC eligible position
      2. If a Crafts Worker accepts a SHICC eligible position before retirement

  7. Master Plumbers License

    If a Crafts Worker is required to obtain or retain a Master Plumbers License, UW–Madison will annually reimburse the employee the difference between the cost of a Master Plumbers License and the cost of a Journeyman Plumbers License after the employee provides proof that they have acquired or retained the Master Plumbers License.

Consequences for Non-Compliance

If a school, college, or division fails to comply with this policy, delegation to set pay may be removed.

Employees who receive salaries or benefits that are not in compliance with this policy, Board of Regents policy, or Wisconsin State Statutes will have their salary or benefits adjusted and may be required to refund erroneous payments.

Responsibilities

  • Office of Human Resources (OHR):
    • Provides oversight to ensure compliance with campus policy
    • Conducts periodic reviews of the policy with campus human resources departments
    • Implements changes to the policy as needed
    • Reviews all updates to prevailing rate information provided by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
    • Conducts market surveys to inform pay structures for titles affected by the policy
    • Coordinates any necessary changes to HRS with the UW System Service Center
    • Implements and administers the annual vacation option election process for UW–Madison
    • Communicates employee revisions or necessary changes to HRS with the UW System Service Center
  • Deans and Directors:
    • Ensures division human resource representatives are complying with campus policy
    • Communicates division compensation strategy to affected employees
  • College/School/Division HR:
    • Ensures that all employees covered by this policy are paid in accordance with this policy
    • Ensures administrators, supervisors, and hiring managers are aware of, and comply with, this policy
    • Serves as the records custodian for all affected employees in the employing unit
    • Provides market and/or equity information to OHR on the structure of pay ranges
    • Administers the annual vacation option election process in that school, college or division
  • Supervisor:
    • Conducts performance reviews on all employees supervised
    • Ensures employees complete the annual vacation option election form
  • Employee:
    • Completes and submits the annual vacation option election form
Related UW-Madison Policies:

UW-5052 Vacation

Related UW–Madison Documents, Web Pages, or Other Resources:
External References:

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:
Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration
Policy Manager:
Associate Vice Chancellor/Chief Human Resources Officer
Contact:
HR Director & Program Officer -- Alisha Arnold, alisha.arnold@wisc.edu, (608) 265-1451
Effective Date:
07-01-2015
Revised Dates:

03-02-2020, 11-01-2021, 02-19-2024, 10-07-2024

Retrieved:
12-03-2024 00:40:02