Topeka ? More than one-third of the in-grade pay increases for state employees, which have been criticized by labor groups, have been made in the Kansas University system, officials said Thursday.

By an executive order in 2004 from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, state agencies can grant extra pay raises to some employees who take on additional workloads.

Previously, classified state employees received raises through cost of living adjustments and step movement increases, though there have been no step increases the past several years.

Jack Rickerson, director of the state’s Division of Personnel Services, said the ability to give raises within an employee’s “grade” is needed to retain and recruit highly qualified workers.

“In my 30 years with the state of Kansas, this is undoubtedly the most important new compensation capability I have seen,” Rickerson told the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

Of 56 requests for in-grade pay increases since the executive order was made, 37 were approved, he said. Of those approved, nine were at KU and four at the KU Medical Center, he said.

He declined to name the employees or their positions. But in each instance, he said, the employee who received the raise took on more responsibilities because of vacant positions.

“Employees stepped up and took on a whole lot of extra work. It’s far cheaper for universities to do it this way,” he said.

KU officials did not return a phone call seeking comment.

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Andy Sanchez, with the Kansas Association of Public Employees, criticized the new pay raise method, saying it could be abused.

“These are more cases than I expected,” Sanchez said. “As the Legislature becomes more accustomed to this, they’ll look the other way, and there is the potential for abuse, and certainly favoritism,” he said.