PORT OF SEATTLE 
MEMORANDUM 
COMMISSION AGENDA               Item No.      7d 
STAFF BRIEFING 
Date of Meeting    September 27, 2016 
DATE:    September 15, 2016 
TO:     Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
FROM:    Cynthia Alvarez, Employee Relations Manager, Human Resources 
SUBJECT:  Human Resources Compensation Equity Study Briefing 
SYNOPSIS 
The purpose of this briefing is to present the results of a Port-wide Compensation Equity
Study. 
BACKGROUND 
The purpose of the compensation study was to conduct a strategic and proactive review
that examined differences in compensation for all Port employees, represented and nonrepresented
, due to race or gender. Human Resources hired Peoplefluent, an outside
expert, who is an affirmative action consultant, to conduct the study. 
Peoplefluent conducted a compensation study aligned with how the Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs or OFCCP would conduct a compensation study.1 The
compensation review  included statistical analysis and a hands-on review  of Port
employee compensation data.  The statistical analysis looked  at the employee
compensation data three different ways: 1) by job title; 2) by affirmative action job
categories and pay grade; and 3) by department and pay grade.  The hands-on review
included an examination of over 600 employees where differences in compensation could
not be readily explained by years of service.  We took a deep dive and examined
individual pay history.  The statistical analysis and hands-on review concluded no
disparities in pay due to race or gender. 
We consider the OFCCP-style methodology used by Peoplefluent in its Port 
compensation study a best practice. We have implemented a practice of conducting this
style of compensation study on a bi-annual basis.

1 The purpose of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is to enforce, for the
benefit of job seekers and wage earners, the contractual promise of affirmative action and equal
employment opportunity required of those who do business with the Federal government. (OFCCP
Mission Statement, United States Department of Labor) 
Template revised May 30, 2013.

COMMISSION AGENDA 
Ted Fick, Chief Executive Officer 
September 15, 2016 
Page 2 of 2 
The results of this study indicate we have good pay practices in place. However, we 
recognize the need to continue our on-going monitoring of pay. We continue to monitor
pay in three ways: 
1)  Our on-going review of pay and equity adjustments as appropriate; for
example, when jobs in an entire department are re-evaluated, we take the
opportunity to do an equity review to ensure no pay disparities. 
2)  The practice whereby managers can request pay equity reviews within their 
workgroup. 
Conduct an OFCCP-style methodology compensation study as a bi-annual
review 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
Computer slide presentation. 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None