AGENDA #4f
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TO: |
Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager |
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FROM: |
Pam Eastwood, Human Resources Director |
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SUBJECT: |
Recommended Classification and Pay Changes |
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DATE: |
April 11, 2007 |
The purpose of this memorandum is to present recommended position classification grade and pay changes for selected Town positions. Enactment of the attached Ordinance would revise the Town Position Classification and Pay Plan to implement these changes effective April 11, 2007.
In prior years, the Town’s practice in job classification reviews was to conduct large-scale studies including all positions every three to four years, with little activity in the interim. These studies, conducted by outside consulting firms, were costly and required considerable staff and employee resources to prepare new descriptions, interview employees and supervisors, and make recommendations.
In November 2003, we proposed and the Council authorized a new practice in which smaller groups of jobs are reviewed during the course of each year. We have presented small groups for review on a regular basis since 2003. The Council last reviewed and approved changes to a group of jobs in January 2007, representing studies completed in fall 2006. The recommendations presented below are based on job reviews of selected Town positions completed in spring 2007.
We believe this practice of several cycles of review annually for selected positions is effective and economical. Reviewing smaller groups of jobs and making pay adjustments in shorter time frames smoothes out the costs (rather than requiring large lump-sum expenditures) and achieves more consistent pay equity within the organization and more competitive pay relationships with area organizations with whom the Town competes for employees.
We believe this approach improves recruitment and retention for Town jobs and produces higher quality and productivity of work performed. We believe employee morale is enhanced when employees can expect that significant and permanent changes in their duties and requirements will be addressed in a timely way.
The Human Resources Department conducted these job reviews in spring 2007. Jobs were selected for review through discussion between department heads and the Human Resources Department. Criteria for selection of a job for review was that either job duties, responsibilities or requirements had changed significantly and on a permanent basis and needed re-evaluation for level, title and/or pay grade or that the Human Resources Department had identified significant and continuing recruitment or retention difficulties in filling the job.
Job descriptions for selected positions were updated by the employee and supervisor and an independent analyst interviewed the employee, supervisor and department head to gather detailed information.
All actions recommended are changes in title and/or pay grade.
These recommendations are based on one or both of the following factors:
For each position, we present information on the change proposed, the basis for the change, and whether a pay increase for the current employee(s) is recommended. If approved, these grade and/or title changes and pay adjustments would be implemented effective April 11, 2007. Sufficient funds have been identified in the department budget to cover the costs of these changes.
The next cycle of job reviews will be completed in summer 2007 and we anticipate the next report to Council will be submitted in fall 2007.
Information obtained from the 2006 Town Pay Survey indicates that the current pay grade for the Stormwater Engineer position is significantly below the average for this position in the regional labor market. Based on this information, we recommend the Stormwater Engineer position be changed from pay grade 43 to pay grade 45. This action should maintain the pay for this position at a competitive level. No pay change is recommended for the current employee in this position
We recommend that the Executive Assistant position be changed from pay grade 35 to pay grade 37 and that the title be changed to Paralegal, with a 5% pay adjustment for this employee in recognition of this expanded role. The funds to cover this cost for the remainder of this budget year have been identified in the current budget; no additional funds are requested. The duties of this position have been expanded as the employee has acquired additional training and certification in the legal field. Labor market data indicates that the recommended pay grade is appropriate.
We recommend the title of the Transit Operations Support Specialist be changed to Administrative Assistant. The department requested this change, which more accurately reflects the work of this position. No other changes are recommended to this position.
We recommend that the Council enact the attached Ordinance to implement these changes effective April 11, 2007.