Harvard was the first institution of higher education in the United States to address worker equity issues when the University instituted its Wage and Benefit Parity Policy (WBPP) in 2002.

Through the continued implementation of the WBPP, the University seeks to ensure that contracted custodial, retail dining and security service workers at Harvard receive total compensation comparable to that offered to corresponding University employees. Harvard requires that:

• • Wages paid to vendor employees are equal to those paid to Harvard employees in the corresponding service sector;
  • Vendor employees receive the same benefits and paid time off as Harvard employees in the corresponding service sector; and,
  • Vendors participate in the University’s Bridge to Learning and Literacy Program

The major aspects of this ambitious policy have now been established and the University continues to work closely with on-campus vendors, as well as University Sourcing Managers, to achieve compliance with the WBPP.

The University continues to work with on-campus vendors providing custodial, retail dining and security services to ensure that they pay their on-campus employees total compensation (defined as wages, health and pension benefits, and paid time off) comparable to that received by corresponding University employed workers.

The Office of Labor and Employee Relations (OLER) and Strategic Procurement Management continue to identify new vendors that meet the applicability thresholds of the policy and therefore must comply with its provisions. For more information from OLER on WBPP please go to https://hr.harvard.edu/wage-benefit-parity

All of the vendors covered by the WBPP have signed the Master Services Contract, established by the University in 2002 that is administered and maintained by PMD. The Master Services Contract sets forth the requirements for covered vendors and requires them to certify their compliance with the requirements of the WBPP.