48-818.03.

School district, educational service unit, or community college; wage rates; commission; duties; orders authorized.

When establishing wage rates pursuant to subsection (1) of section 48-818 for a school district, educational service unit, or community college with their certificated and instructional employees, the commission shall determine whether the total compensation of the members of the bargaining unit or classification falls within a ninety-eight percent to one hundred two percent range of the array's midpoint. If the total compensation falls within the ninety-eight percent to one hundred two percent range, the commission shall order no change in wage rates. If the total compensation is less than ninety-eight percent of the midpoint, the commission shall enter an order increasing wage rates to ninety-eight percent of the midpoint. If the total compensation is more than one hundred two percent of the midpoint, the commission shall enter an order decreasing wage rates to one hundred two percent of the midpoint. If the total compensation is more than one hundred seven percent of the midpoint, the commission shall enter an order reducing wage rates to one hundred two percent of the midpoint in three equal annual reductions. If the total compensation is less than ninety-three percent of the midpoint, the commission shall enter an order increasing wage rates to ninety-eight percent of the midpoint in three equal annual increases. If the commission finds that the year in dispute occurred during a time of recession, the applicable range will be ninety-five percent to one hundred two percent. For purposes of this section, recession occurrence means the two nearest quarters in time, excluding the immediately preceding quarter, to the effective date of the contract term in which the sum of the net state sales and use tax, individual income tax, and corporate income tax receipts are less than the same quarters for the prior year. Each of these receipts shall be rate and base adjusted for state law changes. The Department of Revenue shall report and publish such receipts on a quarterly basis.