Total Compensation Bulletin: FY25
Fiscal Year 2025 Salary Updates (July 2024-June 2025)
The legislature provided funding equivalent to a 3% labor market increase for state employees as follows:
The 3% labor market increase will be administered to all non-judicial officer employees.
Salary ranges for non-judicial officer jobs will increase by 3%.
The salary increase will go into effect on June 22, 2024 and will appear on employee paychecks beginning with the July 19, 2024 pay date.
For additional information about the pay cycle, please visit this link to review the pay period schedule.
The legislature approved funding for Pay for Performance increases for state employees.
Employees at the maximum salary range or above the maximum salary range are also eligible to receive an increase.
Additional information about this year's administration of pay for performance can be found here.
Judicial Officer Compensation (SB 8)
The legislature approved funding to provide increases for judicial officers. Details are as follows:
Each year, the legislature determines the compensation of district, juvenile, and appellate court judges and justices of the Supreme Court in an appropriations act as governed by UCA §67-8-2. The 3% labor market increase that was approved for state employees does not apply to judicial officers.
"The Legislature intends the salary for a District Court judge for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025, shall be $213,900. The Legislature intends that other judicial salaries shall be calculated in accordance with the formula set forth in UCA Title 67 Chapter 8 Section 2 and rounded to the nearest $50."
Therefore: District Court Judge FY25 salary: $213,900
Juvenile Court Judge FY25 salary: $213,900 (100% of District Court Judge salary)
Appellate Court Judge FY25 salary: $224,600 (105% of DCJ salary rounded up to nearest $50)
Supreme Court Justice FY25 salary: $235,300 (110% of DCJ salary rounded up to nearest $50)
Court Commissioner Compensation
Each year, the Judicial Council determines the salary of court commissioners as a part of the annual budget process, and no later than the month of June so that any changes can be processed for the new fiscal year beginning in July. The 3% labor market increase that was approved for state employees does not apply to court commissioners.
Once finalized, the Judicial Council's decision regarding Court Commissioner salary is memorialized in meeting minutes found on the Council's website.
**IMPORTANT** The Office of the Guardian ad Litem (GAL) budget is its own separate line item, and GAL employee compensation is administered independently by the GAL Director. Specific questions about GAL employee compensation should go to the GAL Director.
Retirement Legislative Updates
SB 8 State Agency and Higher Ed Compensation Appropriations (effective 7/1/24) - This bill provides funding for a 0.7% salary enhancement for non-public safety and firefighter employees participating in the Tier 2 retirement plan. The additional salary enhancement is designed to offset the Tier 2 Hybrid contribution rate increase about the threshold previously set by the state (10% for Public Employees). The Tier 2 Public Employee retirement system members will receive a 0.7% salary enhancement effective July 1, 2024 (Pay Period #13). The salary enhancement will be permanent. If the URS contribution rate decreases in the future, Tier 2 members will continue to receive this salary enhancement. In the event further contribution rate increases would trigger a deduction from your paycheck, it's likely the Legislature will not provide another salary enhancement to offset the contribution rate increase.
HB 251 Postretirement Reemployment Restrictions Amendments (effective 7/1/25) - This bill creates an alternative method for a retiree within the Utah Retirement Systems (URS) to be eligible to return to work with a URS-participating employer and still receive a retirement allowance. A retiree may seek reemployment after retirement:
Public Employees: After a 90-day separation of service with a 20% reduction in their retirement allowance during reemployment.
Reemployed retirees will not be eligible for the annual COLA during the reemployed period.
User Fee: The employer must contribute the normal contribution rate plus the amortization rate for the reemployed retiree.
Legislative Updates Impacting Leave Benefits
HB 75 Paid Leave Modifications (effective 5/1/24) - This bill addresses paid leave for certain state employees, which includes non-judicial officer employees of the judicial branch. With respect to parental leave:
Clarifies that to be eligible for parental leave, an individual must be a state employee at the time the qualifying event occurs.
Clarifies that to be eligible for parental leave, a state employee must use parental leave to bond with a child or an incapacitated adult with whom the employee is assuming a parental role.
Makes parental leave available to an eligible state employee who fosters a child.
With respect to postpartum recovery leave, it clarifies that a state employee may use postpartum recovery leave to recover from a childbirth that occurs at 20 weeks or greater gestation.
SB 174 Safe Leave Amendments (effective 1/1/25) - This bill establishes safe leave as a form of paid leave available to certain state employees, which includes non-judicial officer employees of the judicial branch. It requires managers to allow an employee described above to use up to one week of paid safe leave per calendar year under certain conditions for a reason related to:
The employee having been the victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
The employee's immediate family member having been the victim of an incident described above.
Medical, Dental, Vision Updates
Open enrollment begins on April 15th and runs through May 31st, to learn more about Open Enrollment, please visit our Open Enrollment page and/or PEHP's open enrollment page for a virtual presentation.
Premiums Increase
Medical Premiums: Employee premiums increased by an average of 7.2% for all plans. 2024-25 biweekly rates can be found here.
Dental Premiums: Employee premiums for PEHP dental plans increased by 0.9%, and premiums for the EMI dental plan increased by 4.9%.
New Cost Differences Between Advantage & Summit Networks
» Your PEHP network determines which doctors, hospitals, and clinics you visit for in-network healthcare.
» If you’re on the Advantage Network, you will pay more per paycheck.
» If you’re on the Summit Network, you will pay less per paycheck.
» The difference in cost is because healthcare facilities in the Advantage Network charge more than healthcare facilities in the Summit Network for the same services.
STAR HSA Plan Changes
» The deductible will increase to comply with minimum deductible limits under federal law for qualified high-deductible health plans.
» The out-of-pocket maximum (OOPM) is changing to align them with the Traditional Plan.
» For double/family plans, there will be an individual OOPM cap of $4,000, providing relief for a member facing high healthcare costs. This means that if one family member’s out-of-pocket spending will be capped at $4,000 rather than having to meet the entire family OOPM as in the previous plan year.
» If you’re on the single plan, your employer HSA contribution will increase by $125 to make up for your higher plan limits. More details
HCR 2 Concurrent Resolution for State Health Plan (effective 7/1/24) - The resolution directs the Public Employees' Benefit and Insurance Program to:
Include an actuarially substantiated member premium differential between networks
Advantage Network - Adds 1% of total premium to the employee share for the Traditional, STAR HSA and Consumer Plus Plans.
Summit Network - 2% total premium reduction from the employee share on the Traditional Plan. Removes employee premium of the STAR HSA Plan. Adds the equivalent of 2% premium to the state's STAR HSA contribution.
Increase STAR HSA Plan deductible to comply with federal law: $1,600/$3,200 double or family
Add an embedded individual out-of-pocket maximum to the STAR HSA Plan for double and family coverage ($4,000).
Increase the out-of-pocket maximum of the STAR HSA Plan: $3,000/$6,000/$9,000.
Increase the state's STAR HSA contribution for single coverage by $125.
Health Savings Account (HSA) Contribution Limit Updates
Employer HSA Contribution Changes: The annual HSA contributions will increase as follows. All other HSA contribution amounts will remain the same.
STAR HSA Plan: Single $1,037.28 (was $909.36)
Consumer Plus Plan - Summit Network only
Single: $1,973.52 (was $1,824.72)
Double: $3,972.24 (was $3,649.68)
Family: $4,089.36 (was $3,649.68)
2024 HSA Limits Increased: These contributions follow a calendar year.
$4,150 single
$8,300 double/family
Flexible Spending Account (FSA/FLEX$) Updates
The FLEX$ rollover limit increased to $640. Therefore, you may roll over up to $640 into the new plan year. Anything beyond that will be forfeited.
New FLEX$ Limits
Up to $3,200 for healthcare expenses
Up to $5,000 for dependent day care expenses for individuals and married couples filing jointly, and up to $2,500 for a married person filing separately.
Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) Updates
If you choose the STAR HSA or Consumer Plus plans and are not eligible for a health savings account (HSA), your employer contribution will be deposited into an HRA instead.
An HRA is an employer-paid fund that reimburses you for qualified medical expenses for you and your dependents. However, unlike with an HSA, you can’t make personal contributions to an HRA. Funds rollover year-to-year, however, if you leave employment there is only a three-year period to spend the funds or they are forfeited. Check with your employer on how much and how often they contribute to the HRA. For more information about FLEX$, HSAs, or HRAs, call 801- 366-7503 or 800-753-7703.
Lastly, the HRA is NOT eligible for the cash conversion options available for HSAs.