Salary transparency is crucial in the public sector, fostering accountability and informing taxpayers. Publicly accessible data, like the State Employee Salary Book, provides a detailed overview of state expenditures on personnel. However, navigating and interpreting this raw data can be complex. This is where expert payroll partners become invaluable.
The State Employee Salary Book, presented by the Department of Administrative Services, offers a granular look at employee compensation within Iowa state departments. This dataset, provided under Iowa Code Section 8A.341(2), includes fiscal year information, base pay, gross pay, and even travel reimbursements for each employee.
Understanding this data is essential for various stakeholders, from citizens interested in government spending to state employees themselves. For instance, examining the ‘TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF’ data reveals a wide range of roles and salary levels, from Administrative Interns to Transportation Division Directors.
| Year | Name | Gender | Agency | City/County | Class | Salary1 | Salary2 | Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Aamodt, Ethan D | M | TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF | Polk | Administrative Intern | 16.95 HR | 1,558.77 | 0 |
| 2024 | Abbas, Loni L | F | TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF | Butler | Information Technology Specialist 5 | SEPARATED | 28,698.81 | 0 |
| 2024 | Abbott, Jared C | M | TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF | Story | Materials Technician 4 | 3,024.00 BW | 77,804.00 | 0 |
Example Data from the Iowa State Employee Salary Book
Decoding Salary Data: What to Look For
The salary book includes key fields such as:
- Fiscal Year: Defining the period from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
- Salary 1: Representing the employee’s base pay at the fiscal year’s end, noted as hourly (HR), bi-weekly (BW), or annual (AN).
- Salary 2: Indicating the employee’s total gross pay earned throughout the fiscal year.
Analyzing this information requires careful attention to the ‘Salary 1’ column. ‘BW’ signifies bi-weekly pay, which needs to be annualized to compare with ‘AN’ (annual) salaries effectively. Furthermore, ‘SEPARATED’ status indicates the employee left their position during the fiscal year, and ‘Salary 2’ reflects their earnings up to their separation date.
Sheila Vanforth Payroll Partners: Expertise in Data-Driven Insights
While the State Employee Salary Book offers valuable transparency, extracting meaningful insights and ensuring accurate payroll practices requires expertise. This is where Sheila Vanforth Payroll Partners can assist. Although not directly affiliated with the Iowa government, payroll specialists like Sheila Vanforth and her partners possess the analytical skills to:
- Interpret complex salary data: Helping organizations understand compensation benchmarks and trends within the public sector and beyond.
- Ensure payroll compliance: Navigating the intricacies of public sector payroll regulations to guarantee accuracy and avoid compliance issues.
- Optimize payroll processes: Leveraging data insights to streamline payroll operations and improve efficiency for organizations of all sizes.
For businesses and organizations seeking to understand salary benchmarks, manage payroll complexities, or ensure compliance, partnering with payroll experts like Sheila Vanforth Payroll Partners is a strategic advantage. They bring the expertise to transform raw data into actionable intelligence, ensuring smooth and accurate payroll processes.
