Section 17: Compensation
Human Resources shall maintain a system of compensation and benefits for management and confidential employees consistent with the Board adopted policy and the limits of College resources. Such compensation and benefits shall be designed to represent a total compensation package consistent with the appropriate labor market for the services performed by the employees.
Salary Level Placement
Human Resources compensation staff will assist managers in determining appropriate job class and salary level (for both general fund and non-general fund positions) prior to submitting a grant proposal or requisition for advertising and hiring.
Initial Salary Placement
Salary placement will depend on the evaluation of the employee’s qualifications applicable to the job. Generally, new employees who meet minimum education and experience requirements for a position will be placed at the entry salary for that level. New employees may be placed above the minimum of the salary range if they have performed major job duties related to the position for which they are being hired for substantially more than any minimum time required. Such advanced salary placement may require approval by Human Resources or the President. (See Authorizations for Advanced Placement below for additional information on approvals which may be required.) A final consideration is equity among incumbents within a specific job classification and/or pay grade. The Compensation and Benefits Manager or the HR Director need to review initial salary offers before those offers are discussed with the candidate(s). Hiring managers can facilitate this discussion through their HR Representative to get that review, or contact the Compensation and Benefits Manager directly.
Salary Placement upon Promotion, Reassignment, Transfer or Reclassification to a Higher Level
There will be no change in salary as the result of a transfer to another job at the same salary level.
As with “Initial Salary Placement,” salary placement in these situations must be reviewed by the Compensation and Benefits Manager or HR Director prior to being discussed with the candidate. This discussion may be facilitated through the hiring manager’s HR Representative. If an employee is promoted, reassigned, transferred or reclassified to a job at a higher salary level on a permanent basis the employee’s salary placement will be set taking the following into consideration:
- the new salary must be within the pay grade; i.e., the salary cannot be less than the minimum of the pay grade nor greater than the maximum; and,
- a general guideline of a five percent (5%) increase above the employee’s current salary will be used. Other factors that may influence the adjustment percentage include new salary below the minimum, the skills and experience of the employee that are directly related to the position being assumed and the pay of current incumbents in the same classification and/or pay grade. Salary placement which exceeds current incumbent pay would be discouraged unless there is objective information which demonstrates the employee being promoted, reassigned, etc. has directly-related experience that goes beyond others being surpassed in the classification.
If a full-time faculty member, academic professional or classified employee, applies for and is selected to fill a full-time management or full-time confidential position, the same placement criteria defined above for promotions shall be applied.
Salary Placement Upon Transfer to, Application for, or Reclassification to Lower Level
The provision for Initial Salary Placement shall apply to salary placement upon transfer to, application for, or reclassification to lower level.
Salary Placement When Designated “Interim”, “Acting In Capacity” or for Temporary Assignment
When a management employee is designated in writing by the District President or an Executive Officer as an “interim appointment” or to “act in capacity” of a higher level manager for a period of 30 days and no longer than six months, the interim or acting manager assuming a temporary assignment will not have a change to their classification. They shall be compensated as follows:
- if assuming the full scope and responsibilities of the position there is a general guideline of 5% of base pay for the acting manager plus additional benefits if assuming an executive-level position.?Other factors that may influence the adjustment percentage include new salary below the minimum, the skills and experience of the employee that are directly related to the position being assumed and the pay of current incumbents in the same classification and/or pay grade. Salary placement which exceeds current incumbent pay would be discouraged unless there is objective information which demonstrates the employee being promoted, reassigned, etc. has directly-related experience that goes beyond others being surpassed in the classification.
- if assuming a substantial portion of the responsibilities of the position, there is a general pay adjustment guideline of not less than 3% but not more than 5% of base pay, without additional benefits which may be associated with an executive-level position. Even though the classification would not be changed, a review of the resulting pay relative to other incumbents in the same classification is a second consideration in determining the percentage adjustment which is appropriate. Determination of the proposed percentage adjustment shall be reviewed by the Compensation and Benefits Manager or HR Director for approval prior to communication with the employee. Managers may work through their HR Representatives to facilitate that review.
If an employee receives a temporary appointment by being promoted, reassigned or transferred to a job at a higher salary level, the employee’s salary placement for the period of that assignment will be treated in the same way as if the employee were promoted, reassigned or transferred on a permanent basis. (For salary placement related to short term interim appointments, see above.)
If at the conclusion of a temporary appointment the employee returns to the prior position, the employee’s prior salary shall be adjusted to reflect any increase the employee would have received had the employee not been in the temporary appointment.
If the employee remains in the temporary assignment at its conclusion, assuming the position on a permanent basis, there may or may not be a further pay adjustment based on a review by the Compensation and Benefits Manager or the HR Director.
Market Adjustments
Periodically, but not less than every five years, the College shall review the master salary schedule based on a survey conducted by Human Resources staff or a qualified consultant. Based on a review of appropriate market data, an incumbent’s salary and/or a position’s assigned pay level may be adjusted.
Transfer to Classified, Academic Professional or Faculty Positions
Transfers from positions covered by this handbook to classified, academic professional or faculty positions will comply with the provisions of the appropriate bargaining unit agreements including the provisions for salary placement.
Authorizations for Advanced Placement Upon Hire, Promotion or Reclassification
New employees may be placed above the minimum of the salary range if they have performed major job duties related to the position for which they are being hired and if the years of experience for those duties goes beyond the minimum requirements for the job. The second consideration would be a review of the pay placement of other incumbents and their levels of experience to safeguard against the pay of less experienced employees surpassing the pay of employees with more directly-related experience.
Proposed salary placements which are contrary to the statement above made as a recognition of special skills, talents, or accomplishments brought to the job or as a result of special labor market conditions must be reviewed by the Compensation and Benefits Manager or HR Director prior to any discussions with the candidate. This discussion may be facilitated by working through the manager’s HR Representative. Pay placement above the midpoint requires the approval of the President.
Annual Salary Adjustment
Employees who continue in the same position or in a position at the same salary level will receive a Board adopted annual pay adjustment. The Board may adopt an annual compensation package that includes market considerations, longevity or merit or any combination thereof. The annual salary increase (AKA the “general adjustment”) will be prorated for employees who were hired after September 30th of the preceding year. If the increase puts an individual’s salary over the maximum amount of the salary range established for the position, the individual’s salary will be placed at the maximum amount of the salary range. An Executive Officer may recommend that an annual salary increase be denied to a subordinate based on an unsatisfactory performance.
End of Probation Adjustment – Non-exempt Confidential
A non-exempt confidential employee who satisfactorily completes an initial probationary period shall receive an increase of 2.5%. This increase applies only to staff hired into a confidential position and does not apply to employees who move into confidential positions through any other process (e.g., reclassification).