The State of California Employment Development Department indicated that California’s unemployment rate average was 12.8% for the month of February (county specific rates).  Some Executive Directors or people in management of rape crisis centers think that employees should be happy to have a job and be grateful that they are getting a paycheck.  To a certain extent this may be true.  However, when you are leading an organization instead of just managing it, you look at hiring that highly skilled person with a heart for service and keeping the passionate and knowledgeable staff that will provide better services to your clients and the community at large.
Paying your staff fairly is a good business practice.  Underpaying your staff will result in employees looking for better offers and leaving when they find them.  Overpaying your employees can result in the agency and its programs being financially malnourished.  Where does your agency rank with agencies of similar characteristics when it comes to the compensation of staff?
Having current, accurate, and relevant data from other crisis centers with similar demographics as your agency can be extremely valuable when working with your Board of Directors, stakeholders and donors, as well as recruiting potential employees and keeping great employees.
If you are an Executive Director, Associate Director, or part of the administrative team of a California rape crisis center; it is imperative that you complete the CALCASA Rape Crisis Center Salary Survey.  100% participation from all centers will ensure that we have accurate and complete information to provide you with a relevant and current report of aggregated data.  If you have already completed the survey, thank you.  If you have not, then I look forward to receiving your information.  If you have additional questions regarding the Rape Crisis Center Salary Survey contact me at (916)446-2520 ext 305 or kavin@calcasa.org