United Talent Agency (UTA) has implemented an across-the-board pay raise for assistants, according to a spokesperson for the agency.
The new hourly rate is now the highest among the major talent agencies. The increase places UTA amongst the top 10% of entertainment companies in compensation for entry-level professionals. The raise will affect all hourly positions and hundreds of employees will receive an increase.
The new entry-level hourly rate is $22.00.
UTA has also implemented a generous pay scale for its Agent Training Program–a new hourly rate of $26.00 per hour, depending on tenure. The goal was to implement a wage that allows candidates to meet their financial obligations and have work-life balance while working at the agency. In order to effectively address entry-level wages, the agency looked at competitors, market value, minimum wage and cost of living based on: state, city and industry benchmarks, and pre-existing financial commitments.
The announcement follows the news earlier this month that the talent agency will reinstate full pay for its employees, CEO Jeremy Zimmer said in a memo to staff.
“We’ve been able to manage through this period as well as we could have hoped-in great part because of the shared sacrifice you have made these past six months through the pay reductions. We know this has been a difficult time and I’m pleased to share that time is over,” Zimmer wrote in his memo.
Back on March 23 UTA, like many other Hollywood agencies and businesses, was forced to cut staff and institute salary cuts in order to help cut down on costs and keep the agency afloat as the pandemic put a chokehold on the industry.
Variety first reported the news.
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