An-Najah National University : Living Wage and Fair Compensation Policy

Policy Statement

An-Najah National University guarantees that every employee is paid at least a living wage. This applies to all academic, administrative, technical and support staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent or on contract, local or international, and to workers employed by the University's contractors on its premises.

Palestine has no official living wage, so the University sets its own clear benchmark: the higher of the national minimum wage set by the Palestinian Council of Ministers and the poverty line published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, expressed both monthly and per hour. Every year, the University verifies that its lowest salary is above both. When either benchmark rises, the University raises its lowest salaries accordingly, so that no employee's pay ever falls below the living wage.

Pay at the University is fair and transparent. Salaries follow one unified, published pay scale, in accordance with the unified framework for Palestinian higher education institutions issued by the Palestinian Higher Education Council. Men and women, and local and international staff, receive equal pay for work of equal value, and the University measures pay equity every year and corrects any gap without delay.

Purpose

This policy aims to:

Guarantee that no employee earns less than the living wage defined in Section 4.
Set out how the living wage is calculated, verified and updated.
Ensure fair and transparent pay through a unified pay scale.
Commit the University to measuring and closing gender pay gaps.
Comply with Palestinian Labor Law No. (7) of 2000 and Prime Minister’s Office Decision No. (121) dated 23/08/2021.

Scope

This policy applies to all University employees on all campuses: academic, administrative, technical and support staff, whether full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary or on contract. It also applies to the workers of contractors and subcontractors who provide services on university premises, as set out in Section 8.

Definitions

Living wage: Palestine has no official living wage. The University defines it as the higher of the national minimum wage and the PCBS poverty line for a household of [four/five], expressed both monthly and per hour.
National minimum wage: The minimum wage set by the Palestinian Council of Ministers, currently by Decision No. (121) of 2021: [1,880] NIS per month.
Poverty line: The monthly household poverty line published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), using its latest release.
Hourly wage: Monthly salary ÷ (standard weekly hours × 52 ÷ 12). Standard weekly hours are [45] under Palestinian Labour Law No. (7) of 2000.
Pay scale: The University's unified salary scale, based on the framework of the Palestinian Higher Education Council.
Gender pay gap: The difference between the average salaries of men and women, as a percentage of the average salary of men.

Living Wage Commitment

The University pays every employee at least the living wage, as defined in Section 4.
The lowest salary on the University's pay scale must be above both the national minimum wage and the PCBS poverty line, both monthly and per hour.
Part-time employees are paid at least the living wage per hour worked.
Allowances that are not paid regularly, such as overtime or one-off bonuses, do not count toward the living wage.
If the minimum wage or the poverty line rises above the lowest salary, the University raises the lowest grades of the pay scale from the next payroll cycle, and no later than [3] months after the new figure is published.

Calculation and Verification

Each year, by [31 August], the Human Resources Department:

Records the current national minimum wage and the latest PCBS poverty line.
Identifies the lowest monthly and hourly salary paid to any employee, including part-time and contract staff.
Confirms in writing that the lowest salary is above both benchmarks.
Reports the result to the University Administration, using the table below.

Equal Pay and the Unified Pay Scale

Equal pay for equal work: employees doing work of equal value receive equal pay, regardless of gender, nationality, religion, age, disability, marital status or any other protected characteristic.
Objective factors only: an employee's salary is set only by job category, grade, academic qualification and years of service. Employees who are equal on these four factors receive the same salary, including men, women and international staff.
Transparency: the pay scale, its grades and the rules for annual increments and allowances are published to all employees. Every employee may see how their own salary was calculated.
Gender pay gap: the University is committed to measuring, monitoring and closing gender pay gaps. Each year HR compares the average salaries of men and women within each category and grade, and across the University as a whole.
Corrective action: any pay difference within a category and grade that the four factors do not explain is corrected within [3] months, with back pay. An overall gap caused by fewer women in senior grades is addressed through the University's recruitment and promotion policies.

Contractors and Outsourced Workers

Every contract for services performed on university premises, such as cleaning, security and catering, must include a clause requiring the contractor to pay its workers at least the living wage defined in this policy. The Procurement Department checks compliance when contracts are awarded and renewed, and may end a contract if the clause is breached.

Roles and Responsibilities

University Administration: Approves the pay scale and its updates, and ensures funds are available to meet this policy.
Human Resources Department: Applies the pay scale, carries out the annual living wage check (Section 6) and the gender pay gap review (Section 7), and recommends corrective action.
Finance Department: Applies salary updates in payroll on time.
Procurement Department: Includes and enforces the living wage clause in service contracts.
Employees' Union: Receives the annual report and may raise concerns about pay with the Administration.

Monitoring, Reporting and Review

HR submits an annual report to the University Administration by [31 March]. It covers the living wage check, the gender pay gap by category and grade, and any corrective action taken. A copy goes to the Employees' Union.
A summary of the report, without personal data, is published on the University website.
This policy is reviewed every year, and whenever the minimum wage or the PCBS poverty line changes.

Related Policies and References

Effective Date: October 12, 2021

Review Date: Sep 7, 2026

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Living Wage and Fair Compensation Policy

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