The newly released Compensation Data Utilities 2009 survey results show pay increase budgets have fallen to 3.3 percent. With pay increase budgets down this year, the utilities surveyed have projected a slight decrease in 2010 to 3.1 percent. These numbers further reinforce predictions of little economic growth in the coming year.

“For many years, pay increase budgets were stagnate across all industries. The recent downturn is indicative of increased economic pressure,” said Amy Kaminski, manager of marketing programs for Compdata Surveys. “With layoffs commonplace, many companies are working to keep current employees on staff, while keeping the organization afloat. Increasing pay is of little concern.”

The Compensation Data Utilities results found pay increase budgets are highest in Missouri at 3.8 percent. New York follows with an average of 3.6 percent. New Jersey has the lowest pay increase budget, 2.8 percent.

Pay increase budgets vary within the utility industry. Water, sewage and other systems have the highest percentage, 3.7 percent, but their projected budgets for 2010 are only 2.9 percent. In comparison, electric power generation, transmission and distribution organizations have the lowest pay increase budget, 3.2 percent. Natural gas transmission and distribution utilities are at 3.3 percent for 2009. The 2009 Compensation Data Utilities results show projected budgets for 2010 are 3.2 for natural gas and electric companies.

Compensation Data Utilities 2009 contains data on over 100 industry-specific job titles and more than 250 benchmark titles ranging from entry-level to top executives. Data is collected annually from employers across the country. The results provide a comprehensive summary of pay data, benefit information and pay practices with an effective date of Feb. 1, 2009.

“Compdata Surveys offers pay and benefits data in eight, industry-specific sets of results for organizations across the country,” said Kaminski. “The results allow users to compare data by company size, region, state and local geographic area allowing customers to find information best fitting their needs.”