Direct answer
A title is a band, and a band is a salary, bonus, equity, and promotion velocity. The highest-leverage negotiation is the level, not the base. The mapping rules decide the money. Levels move everything; base bumps move one number. The total-comp scorecard is in the offer evaluation guide , and the due diligence checks in the diligence checklist . Mid-cycle moves are in the mid-cycle guide .
Updated November 9, 2026 · Reviewed against US DOL — workplace standards
A title is a band, and a band is a salary, bonus, equity, and promotion velocity. The highest-leverage negotiation is the level, not the base. The mapping rules decide the money.
The Level Read
- Posted level: the req states the band and level; the range must be disclosed in transparency states (see the bands guide).
- Scope-to-level: your scope in the offer should match the level. "Senior" titles with mid-band pay usually mean the level is the cap.
- Level bumps: moving one level raises base, bonus, equity refresher, and the next cycle. The refresher path is in the refresher guide; the promotion case is in the promotion generator.
The Negotiation Sentence
The scope we discussed is the [X] level, and the band for [X] is [range]. I'm asking for the level, not a base bump.
Levels move everything; base bumps move one number. The total-comp scorecard is in the offer evaluation guide, and the due diligence checks in the diligence checklist. Mid-cycle moves are in the mid-cycle guide.
Put the rule into action
Rule windows that move a level change
A level change runs on two clocks: the comp cycle and the band. The band is the published minimum, midpoint, and maximum for a level, and a raise request quoted against the midpoint is a data argument, not a preference. In pay-transparency states the posted range must be disclosed, so negotiate from the range, not from your history. Ask for the band and the level in writing, and get the effective date in the same document.
The scope is the level. A senior title paid at the mid band usually means the level is the cap. Put the offer and the target through the salary counteroffer calculator: base, bonus percentage, equity, PTO weeks, and remote days, with the annual cash delta and the percentage you are asking for.
What to document before you act
Build the level file before the conversation:
- The posted level and the range, with the date the req went live. Save the screenshot.
- The scope evidence: the deliverables that sit in the next level, each with a date and a measurable outcome.
- The band midpoint in writing, from the req, the offer, or the comp partner. The midpoint is the reference number for the ask.
- The last two ratings, written. The calibration room distributes ratings to fit a curve, and a rating that matches the quota is argued with evidence, not adjectives. See the calibration room.
Numbers you should get in writing
Five numbers move with a level: base, target bonus percentage, equity refresher, PTO weeks, and the effective date. Ask for all five in one document. A level bump raises the band, the bonus, the refresher, and the next cycle, so the ask is the level, not a base bump.
Write the sentence with the numbers inside it: the scope you discussed sits at the level, the band for that level is the range, and the placement you are asking for is inside the range. The salary band ask generator keeps the wording factual, and the promotion request generator formalizes the case after two quarters of documented delivery.
Scripts and wording
Quote the band, not your history:
“The scope we discussed is the [level] level, and the band for [level] is [range]. I am asking for placement at the midpoint of that band, with the effective date written in the offer. Can you confirm the level and the range in writing?”
Keep the paper clean: the range in writing, the level in writing, the effective date in writing. A verbal level promise that never reaches the document is the most common path to a mid-band placement with senior scope. Write the promise list with the offer acceptance email generator so every term the recruiter confirms is in the record.
What the level controls
| Item | Why the level matters |
|---|
| Base band | The salary range for the level |
|---|
| Bonus percentage | Tied to level, not title |
|---|
| Equity refresher | Higher levels refresh larger grants |
|---|
| Promotion velocity | The level sets the next-cycle path |
|---|
| Posted range | Pay-transparency states require it in postings |
|---|
For the current text behind these numbers, start with the California job exit rules page and the New York job exit rules page, along with the At-Will Employment definition and the hiring references non competes guide hub. Those sources state the rule in full; this page only points at them.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why negotiate the level and not the base?
- A level moves base, bonus, equity refresher, and promotion velocity. A base bump moves one number and resets next cycle.
- Do I have to give salary history?
- In states with a history ban, a history question is unlawful. Negotiate from the posted range, and ask for the range in writing.
- What is compa ratio?
- Your pay divided by the band midpoint. A raise request quoted against the midpoint and the level mapping is a data argument.
- When does a level change get approved?
- At the comp cycle, with written scope evidence. A band-adjacent bump can be manager-approved; a new level usually needs the committee.
Sources (official record — verify before filing)
US DOL — workplace standards