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HD 4041

An Act to provide fair wages to employees of public institutions of higher education

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by James Arena-DeRosa and 16 co-sponsors

The bill requires the Commonwealth to fund incremental wage costs and fringe benefits for public higher ed employees, aiming to bring salaries to national average (cost of living a

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Bill Summary · HD 4041

Summary: House Bill HD 4041 — An Act to provide fair wages to employees of public institutions of higher education

Purpose and intent

  • To ensure that employees of public institutions of higher education (including public universities and colleges in Massachusetts) receive fair wages.
  • To secure dedicated funding for wage-related costs negotiated under any applicable collective bargaining agreements with the University of Massachusetts (board of trustees) or the board of higher education.
  • To require the Commonwealth to assume responsibility for fringe benefits costs (pensions, health insurance) for these employees.
  • To require disclosures and certifications that incremental costs funded by the bill will move Massachusetts faculty and staff salaries toward or above national averages (adjusted for cost of living) by the end of contract terms.

Key provisions

1) Funding of incremental cost items (Section 1)
- The operating budget for the current and ensuing fiscal years must include appropriation to fund all incremental cost items for all years covered by any collective bargaining agreement to which either:
- The board of trustees of the University of Massachusetts, or
- The board of higher education, is a party.
- This funding must be separate from the appropriation for general maintenance of the universities and higher education institutions.
- Excludes positions funded by grant funds and positions funded by auxiliary enterprises.

2) Fringe benefits costs to be Commonwealth obligations (Section 2)
- The cost of fringe benefits (including pensions and health insurance) for employees of public institutions of higher education shall be the obligation of the Commonwealth.
- This provision also excludes grant-funded and auxiliary-enterprise accounts funded positions.

3) Salary adequacy certification (Section 3)
- Amends Subsection (c) of Section 7 of Chapter 150E to require that, in any relevant submission, there is a certification that incremental cost items are adequate to ensure that average salaries for faculty and staff in Massachusetts will, by the end of the contract terms, for each broad job category, be at least at the national average (adjusted for cost of living).

Who would be affected

  • Employees of public institutions of higher education in Massachusetts (faculty and staff covered by collective bargaining agreements with UMass or the Board of Higher Education).
  • Public universities and colleges, including their operating budgets and fringe benefit costs.
  • The Commonwealth as the payer of fringe benefits and incremental cost items.
  • Grant-funded and auxiliary-enterprise positions are explicitly excluded from the new funding and cost-shift provisions.

Fiscal and timeline considerations

  • The bill would require specific appropriations in the operating budget for incremental cost items across contract years.
  • Fringe benefits costs would shift from current arrangements to be borne by the Commonwealth.
  • A multi-year improvement target is embedded: average salaries should reach or exceed the national average (adjusted for cost of living) by the end of contract terms.
  • Status: The provided materials describe the bill as a proposed bill filed in 2025 (House No. 2185 / HD 4041). Specific current status (enacted, in committee, etc.) is not provided in the text you shared.

Administrative and policy implications

  • Creates a structural link between collective bargaining outcomes and state budgeting, tying wage competitiveness directly to annual and multi-year appropriations.
  • Reallocates responsibility for employee fringe benefits to the Commonwealth.
  • Introduces a measurable, standards-based target (national average, cost-of-living adjusted) for wage equity across broad job categories.

This summary captures the bill’s substantive provisions and potential impacts based on the text provided.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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