Human Resource Management, Administration

Rule R477-6

Compensation

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 34442
Filed: 02/15/2011 03:18:59 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The amendments remove requirement of increases and decreases to be administered in half-percent increments. Language is added to allow increases and decreases to be administered with a minimum of half-percent or to the range minimum or maximum. These requirements, having been in place since 07/01/2010, created complex variances and inequities in calculations. Salary action for career mobility assignments are moved from Section R477-4-12 and are more appropriately placed under compensation. (DAR NOTE: The proposed amendment to Section R477-4-12 is under DAR No. 34443 in this issue, March 1, 2011, of the Bulletin.)

Summary of the rule or change:

The language that requires pay increases and decreases in 1/2% increments is changed to reflect a 1/2% minimum or the range min or max pay rate as a minimum. These changes are made to Subsections R477-6-1(c), subsections throughout Section R477-6-4, and Subsection R477-6-7(1)(a). Subsection R477-6-4(11) is added to define the salary actions of a career mobility assignment.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 63F-1-106
• Section 67-19-12
• Subsection 67-19-15.1(4)
• Section 67-19-6
• Section 67-19-12.5

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

These changes are administrative and do not directly impact state budgets.

local governments:

This rule only affects the executive branch of state government.

small businesses:

This rule only affects the executive branch of state government.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

This rule only affects the executive branch of state government.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

This rule only affects the executive branch of state government.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

Rules published by the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) have no direct effect on businesses or any entity outside state government. DHRM has authority to write rules only to the extent allowed by the Utah Personnel Management Act, Title 67, Chapter 19. This act limits the provisions of career service and these rules to employees of the executive branch of state government. The only possible impact may be a very slight, indirect effect if an agency passes costs or savings on to business through fees. However, it is anticipated that the minimal costs associated with these changes will be absorbed by agency budgets and will have no effect on business.

Jeff Herring, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Human Resource Management
Administration
450 N MAIN ST
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84114-1201

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• J.J. Acker at the above address, by phone at 801-537-9096, by FAX at 801-538-3081, or by Internet E-mail at jacker@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

03/31/2011

This rule may become effective on:

04/07/2011

Authorized by:

Jeff Herring, Executive Director

R477. Human Resource Management, Administration.

R477-6. Compensation.

R477-6-1. Pay Plans.

(1) With approval of the Governor, the Executive Director, DHRM, shall develop and adopt pay plans for each position in classified service. Positions exempt from classified service are identified in Subsection R477-3-1(1).

(a) The General Pay Plan shall include salary ranges with established minimum and maximum rates.

(b) A salary range includes every pay rate from minimum to maximum.

(c) Pay rate increases and decreases within salary ranges shall be [in increments of]at least 1/2%, or to the range minimum rate with a decrease or maximum rate with an increase, except for legislatively approved salary adjustments and longevity.

 

R477-6-4. Salary.

(1) Merit increases. The following conditions apply if merit pay increases are authorized and funded by the legislature:

(a) Employees, classified in position schedule B, shall be eligible for the merit increase if the following conditions are met:

(i) Employee may not be in longevity.

(ii) Employee may not be paid at the maximum of their salary range.

(iii) Employee has received a minimum rating of successful on their most recent performance evaluation, which shall have been within the previous twelve months.

(iv) Employee has been in a paid status by the state for at least six months at the beginning of the new fiscal year.

(b) Employees designated as schedule AA, AQ, AU, IN, and TL are not eligible for merit increases.

(c) All other position schedules will be reviewed by DHRM in consultation with the Governor's Office to determine if they are eligible for merit increases.

(2) Promotions.

(a) An employee promoted to a position with a salary range maximum exceeding the employee's current salary range maximum shall receive a salary increase[:

(i)] of at least 5%[, and

(ii) any increase above 5% shall be in increments of 1/2% or up to the salary range maximum.]

(b) An employee may not be placed higher than the maximum or lower than the minimum in the new salary range. Placement of an employee in longevity shall be consistent with Subsection R477-6-4(4).

(c) An employee who remains in longevity status after a promotion shall retain the same salary.

(d) To be eligible for a promotion, an employee shall meet the requirements and skills specified in the job description and position specific criteria as determined by the agency for the position unless the promotion is to a career service exempt position.

(3) Reclassifications.

(a) At agency management's discretion, an employee reclassified to a position with a salary range maximum exceeding the employee's current salary range maximum may receive a pay rate increase [in increments] of at least 1/2% or [up to] the salary range maximum rate.

(b) An employee may not be placed higher than the maximum or lower than the minimum in the new salary range. Placement of an employee in longevity shall be consistent with Subsection R477-6-4(4)

(c) An employee who remains in longevity status after a reclassification shall retain the same salary.

(d) An employee whose position is reclassified to a position with a lower salary range shall retain the current salary. The employee shall be placed in longevity at the employee's current salary if the salary exceeds the maximum of the new salary range.

(4) Longevity.

(a) An employee shall receive a longevity increase of 2.75% when:

(i) the employee has been in state service for eight years or more. The employee may accrue years of service in more than one agency and such service is not required to be continuous; and

(ii) the employee has been at the maximum of the current salary range for at least one year and received a performance appraisal rating of successful or higher within the 12-month period preceding the longevity increase.

(b) An employee in longevity shall be eligible for the same across the board pay plan adjustments authorized for all other employee pay plans.

(c) An employee in longevity shall only be eligible for an additional 2.75% increase every three years. To be eligible, an employee shall receive a performance appraisal rating of successful or higher within the 12-month period preceding the longevity increase.

(d) An employee in longevity who is reclassified to a position with a lower salary range shall retain the current actual wage.

(e) An employee in longevity who is promoted or reclassified to a position with a higher salary range shall only receive a salary increase if the current actual wage is less than the salary range maximum of the new position. The salary increase shall be [in increments of]at least 1/2% or [up to] the range maximum rate of the new position.

(f) Employees in Schedules AB, IN, or TL are not eligible for the longevity program.

(5) Administrative Adjustment.

(a) An employee whose position has been allocated by DHRM from one job to another job or salary range for administrative purposes, may not receive an adjustment in the current actual wage.

(b) Implementation of new job descriptions as an administrative adjustment shall not result in an increase in the current actual wage unless the employee is below the minimum of the new range.

(c) An employee whose position is changed by administrative adjustment to a position with a lower salary range shall retain the current salary. The employee shall be placed in longevity at the employee's current salary if the salary exceeds the maximum of the new salary range.

(6) Reassignment.

An employee's current actual wage may not be lowered except when provided in federal or state law. Wage rate decreases shall be [made in 1/2% increments]at least 1/2% or [not less than] the minimum rate in the salary range.

(7) Transfer.

Management may decrease the current actual wage of an employee who transfers to another position. Wage rate decreases shall be [made in 1/2% increments]at least 1/2% or [not less than] the minimum rate in the salary range.

(8) Demotion.

An employee demoted consistent with Section R477-11-2 shall receive a reduction in the current actual wage [in 1/2% increments]of at least 1/2%, or [not less than] the minimum rate of the new position's salary range as determined by the agency head or designee. The agency head or designee may move an employee to a position with a lower salary range concurrent with the reduction in the current actual wage.

(9) Administrative Salary Increase.

The agency head authorizes and approves administrative salary increases under the following parameters:

(a) An employee shall receive an increase [in 1/2% increments]of at least 1/2% or [up to] the maximum rate of the salary range.

(i) The Executive Director, DHRM, may authorize limited exceptions to this subsection when administrative salary increases are requested for equity purposes.

(b) Administrative salary increases shall only be granted when the agency has sufficient funding within their annualized base budgets for the fiscal year in which the adjustment is given.

(c) Justifications for Administrative Salary Increases shall be:

(i) in writing;

(ii) approved by the agency head or designee;

(iii) supported by unique situations or considerations in the agency.

(d) The agency head or designee shall answer any challenge or grievance resulting from an administrative salary increase.

(e) Administrative salary increases may be given during the probationary period. Wage rate increases shall be [made in]at least 1/2% [increments]or the maximum rate of the salary range. These increases alone do not constitute successful completion of probation or the granting of career service status.

(f) An employee at the salary range maximum or in longevity may not be granted administrative salary increases.

(10) Administrative Salary Decrease.

The agency head authorizes and approves administrative salary decreases for nondisciplinary reasons according to the following:

(a) The final salary may not be less than the minimum of the salary range.

(b) Wage rate decreases shall be [made in]at least 1/2% [increments]or the minimum rate of the salary range.

(c) Justification for administrative salary decreases shall be:

(i) in writing;

(ii) approved by the agency head; and

(iii) supported by issues such as previous written agreements between the agency and the employee to include career mobility, reasonable accommodation, or other unique situations or considerations in the agency.

([d]c) The agency head or designee shall answer any challenge or grievance resulting from an administrative salary decrease.

(11) Career Mobility

(a) Agencies may offer an employee on a career mobility assignment a salary increase or salary decrease by any amount within the new salary range.

(b) If a career mobility assignment does not become permanent at its conclusion, the employee shall return to the previous position or a similar position and shall receive, at a minimum, the same salary rate and the same or higher salary range that the employee would have received without the career mobility assignment.

 

R477-6-7. Employee Converting from Career Service to Schedule AC, AD, AR, or AS.

(1) A career service employee in a position meeting the criteria for career service exempt schedule AC, AD, AR, or AS shall have 60 days from the date of offer to elect to convert from career service to career service exempt. As an incentive to convert, an employee shall be provided the following:

(a) an administrative salary increase of at least 1/2% or[up to] the maximum rate of the current salary range[ in 1/2% increments]. An employee at the maximum of the current salary range or in longevity shall receive, in lieu of the salary adjustment, a one time bonus, as determined by the agency head or designee, not to exceed limits in Subsection R477-6-5(1)(b);

(b) state paid term life insurance coverage if determined eligible by the Group Insurance Office to participate in the Term Life Program, Public Employees Health Plan:

(i) Salaries less than $50,000 shall receive $125,000 of term life insurance;

(ii) Salaries between $50,000 and $60,000 shall receive $150,000 of term life insurance;

(iii) Salaries more than $60,000 shall receive $200,000 of term life insurance.

(2) An employee electing to convert to career service exempt after the 60 day election period may not be eligible for the salary increase, but shall be entitled to apply for the insurance coverage through the Group Insurance Office.

(3) An employee electing not to convert to career service exemption shall retain career service status even though the position shall be designated as schedule AC, AD, AR or AS. When these career service employees vacate these positions, subsequent appointments shall be career service exempt.

(4) An agency head may reorganize so that a current career service exempt position no longer meets the criteria for exemption. In this case, the employee shall be designated as career service if he had previously earned career service. However, the employee may not be eligible for the severance package or the life insurance. In this situation, the agency and employee shall make arrangements through the Group Insurance Office to discontinue the coverage.

(5) A career service exempt employee without prior career service status shall remain exempt. When the employee leaves the position, subsequent appointments shall be consistent with R477-4.

(6) Agencies shall communicate to all impacted and future eligible employees the conditions and limitations of this incentive program.

 

KEY: salaries, employee benefit plans, insurance, personnel management

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [July 1, 2010]2011

Notice of Continuation: June 9, 2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 63F-1-106; 67-19-6; 67-19-12; 67-19-12.5; 67-19-15.1(4)