One of the basic features of the administration of salaries paid to employees is the salary structure. The salary structure or salary scale (Annual PDF, Hourly PDF, Biweekly PDF) as it is commonly known, provides the framework within which equitable salary decisions can be made. The salary structure for Administrative and Professional (APSA) staff has been developed based on competitive market rates and consists of seventeen salary grades.

Each salary grade consists of a spread of dollar values in successive steps from a minimum to a maximum expressed as a salary range. The salary grade minimum is the salary normally paid on appointment to a position to employees who possess the minimum qualifications required to perform the responsibilities of the position unless provided otherwise by policy. The salary grade maximum is the salary attainable by fully qualified, competent employees. Over a period of seven years, starting at step one, with satisfactory performance in a position, an employee’s salary will normally move from the salary grade minimum (step one) to the salary grade maximum (step eight) of the salary grade assigned to their position.