In budget terms, what does scale + 10% indicate?

• A. It means 10% higher than market wages for all staff
• B. It means minimum wages for union employees, which varies by union, with +10% added for the agent.
• C. It refers to overtime rates
• D. It means negotiated wages with 10% discount

Answer: (B)

Scale refers to the union-defined minimum wage for a given job category, and those minimums vary by union and by role. When you see scale + 10%, it means you budget the base scale amount plus an extra 10% to cover the talent agent’s commission. Agents typically take a 10% fee of the actor’s wages, so the budget shows the base scale plus that agent’s cut. Put simply, the wage cost you budget is the scale rate plus 10% of it. Overtime rates and market-based pay aren’t what this term describes, and a discount isn’t implied here.