Position Review
Requests for position reviews must come from the department head to the Management Services Department’s Compensation Program Administrator. The procedure for position review is outlined in the summary entitled PROCEDURE FOR POSITION REVIEW in the APPENDIX.
The Mayor, the Mayor’s designee, the City Council and/or the Compensation Program Administrator may initiate a position review without a request. Unless specified otherwise by the Mayor, the Mayor’s designee, the City Council or the Compensation Program Administrator, position reviews shall be conducted by the Compensation Program Administrator, assisted by the HR Consultant assigned to the respective department.
There must be a position description for all positions. Position reviews start with an updated description or the completion of a Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ) by the incumbent and his or her supervisor. Contact the Compensation Program Administrator if a PAQ is needed.
Notes:
1. Approved reclassifications are effective on the beginning of the payperiod first following a review finding that a reclassification is warranted.
2. Reclassifications resulting from position reviews may not be made retroactive. This means that no matter how long the review takes, a reclassification will not be made effective before the date on which the review produced a conclusion that a reclassification was justified. Although in prioritizing review requests consideration will be given to the request date, such date is otherwise immaterial.
3. Implementation may await the beginning of the new fiscal year, if a salary increase linked to the reclassification would result in a budget impact, and the change has not been budgeted in the current fiscal period. This generally pertains only to stepped plans, since position review reclassifications in open range plans are not accompanied by salary increases unless recommended by the Compensation Program Administrator and approved by the Mayor or the Mayor’ designee (Procedure 3 below).
4. Results of position reviews are not grievable.
5. The City uses several methods to evaluate positions. These methods include point-factor analysis, promotional separation analysis, and market comparison. In some cases involving appointed positions, pay level assignment is decided by executive discretion.
o “Point-Factor Analysis” is a process in which points are awarded for the know-how, problem-solving, accountability, and working condition requirements of the job.
o “Promotional separation analysis” starts with a position that has been given a pay level assignment based on market data or other analysis. This position is then used to determine the pay level assignment of a position in the same chain of command or job family, but for which there is no market data or other reliable analysis method.
o For example, market data might be available for an entry level accountant and a senior accountant, but not for an intermediate accountant. The pay level assignment for the intermediate position can be decided by placing it logically between the entry and senior levels.
o Similarly, if the pay level assignment has been decided for only one position in a particular grouping, the pay level assignment of another position in the same grouping can be set a reasonable distance up or down, as the case may be. The distance will depend on a number of factors, including responsibility and/or skill- set differences and whether a lower position is to be regarded as a stepping stone to a higher position. There are no set rules on how much separation is appropriate, but common practice suggests a general guideline of 3.5 percent to 7.5 percent at lower supervisory and technical levels; 5 percent to 15 percent at intermediate supervisory and technical levels; and 10 percent to 30 percent or more at the top leadership and technical levels.
Market comparison will take precedence over other evaluation methods when data on comparable positions is available. Data is sought from those employers with whom the City competes for personnel. This means that in most cases, the data will be from local employers, both public and private.
The City uses published data from credible survey sources, as well as data gained from its own surveys or from surveys in which the City has participated. Certain benchmark positions—such as those in maintenance, equipment operation, accounting, budget, finance, customer service, planning, law, fire, police, information technology, and executive leadership—serve as barometers to ensure that our pay structures maintain alignment with standard market practice. Data is gathered on these and other positions regularly so that the integrity of our system is continuously being checked. A flag goes up if we’re off the mark on these benchmarks, which in turn prompts an examination of other positions that rely on the same or similar skills and qualifications.
Again, approval of reclassification proposals for positions in stepped plans depends on available funding.
Exempt Vs. Non-Exempt Classification
As a routine part of position review, the Compensation Program Administrator, in consultation with the City Attorney’s Office, decides whether each job is to be treated as exempt or non-exempt from the overtime requirements set by Department of Labor regulations. Any employee who feels that he or she has been misclassified on this basis is asked to complete a position analysis questionnaire (PAQ) that will provide the Compensation Program Administrator with sufficient information to evaluate the case.
Compensation Plans Administration
Responsibility for administering the City’s compensation plans rests with the Management Services Department’s Compensation Program Administrator.
The Compensation Program Administrator reviews all reclassifications, and all pay actions outside of guidelines. These are flagged by IMS on a payroll approval screen. The administrator notifies the respective HR Consultant when a department submits a pay action needing mayoral approval. The administrator does not clear the action for payroll until he/she receives written approval by the Mayor or the Mayor’s designee.
In the administrator’s absence, such review and approval for payroll clearance is handled by the City Controller.