What’s New for 2016 – 2017?
There has been an increase of 2% from the Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale 2015-2016 (MCSGS) to reflect the compensation forecast for the not for profit sector, based on research conducted by PeopleFirst HR Services.
What is a Market Competitive Salary Guideline Scale (MCSGS)?
The purpose of the MCSGS is to answer the question “how much should an ECE earn?” MCCA hired PeopleFirst HR Services to analyze the education, skills, and abilities required of Executive Directors, Early Childhood Educators, and Child Care Assistants. They used the job descriptions in the Human Resource Management Guide for Early Learning and Child Care Programs and recommended salary ranges competitive with other jobs that require similar training and responsibility. The MCSGS provides employers with a guideline for establishing fair compensation, and a logical structure that ensures equity between positions.
How much do ECE’s currently earn?
In 2016, MCCA engaged Probe Research to conduct a survey of MCCA members. Respondents reported they have on average 14.5 years of experience in child care and their average hourly wage by position is:
Director: $30.69
Supervisor/Assistant Director/Team or Unit Leader: $22.03
ECE: $18.38
CCA: $12.93
The current average for all positions is below or slightly above the recommended starting salary for all positions. For example, current average ECE is $18.38, however the recommended research based starting should be $18.87 per hour.
What do the levels mean?
Level 1 is the salary scale minimum. It is appropriate for someone who meets the educational requirements but lacks the required experience and some of the necessary skills. Level 5 is the salary scale maximum and is the end of the scale. It is appropriate for someone who meets the educational requirements, and is fully proficient in the job. Increments are earned based on length of service, high quality performance, or both, depending on the policies of the centre board.
Do child care centres have to pay market competitive wages to their employees?
No. The board of directors of each child care centre is responsible for determining compensation for their employees. MCCA recommends the boards of directors adopt the current or most affordable salary guideline scale as the minimum salary range for all employees, and to compensate all employees at a level appropriate to their educational credentials and years of experience.
How can the MCSGS be used?
The MCSGS helps ECEs and CCAs know what compensation to look for when seeking employment. The board of directors or centre administrator will find the MCSGS helpful when establishing a fair wage scale for employees, when budgeting, and also when trying to recruit new employees. MCCA provides the MCSGS to government to promote improvements to child care compensation, enhanced funding, and as a solution to address the recruitment and retention challenge. School divisions, child minding organizations, ECE training institutions, and other provincial child care organizations also refer to the MCCA wage scale as it is the only research based salary scale for the child care workforce in Canada.
Categories: News
Posted by Jodie Kehl at 8:29 pm
