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Home My WebLink AboutBPW-09-16-98-01HR AuthorityRESOLUTION BPW-09-16-98-01 WHEREAS, on June 18, 1998, the Carmel Common Council passed Resolution No. CC- 06-18-98-01, adopting therein the principles of a grade and step compensation system, and on July 30, 1998, passed Ordinance No. D-1397-98, which implemented a compensation system based upon such principles; and WHEREAS, operating guidelines are necessary in order to ensure clear and consistent decisions with regard to compensation under the City' s new grade and step compensation system, and in order to inform managers and employees of the criteria used in making such decisions. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the attached Grade and Step Plan Guidelines, dated September 1998 ("Guidelines"), shall direct the implementation and operation of the compensation system adopted by the Carreel Common Council, pursuant to Resolution No. CC-06-18-98-01 and Ordinance No. D-1397-98. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Carmel Director of Human Resources is authorized to interpret the Guidelines, amend the Guidelines, or promulgate such additional guidelines as are necessary for the equitable and consistent implementation and operation of the grade and step compensation plan, provided that any additional guidelines are first reviewed and approved by the Carreel City Attorney or his or her designee. BE IT FlIRTHER RESOLVED that, as provided by statute, all final compensation decisions shall be made by the Cannel Common Council through approval of departmental budgets and the annual Salary Ordinance. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Carmel, Indiana, this ~3d day of _//,.,/~7~Y.,~,~. ,1998. Billy, alker, ~ ~/C~ ~~t urke, Member Grade and Stev Plan Guidelines Introduction The following guidelines are established for the implementation and operation of the City of Carmel's compensation system, a grade and step plan effective January 1, 1999. The guidelines may be amended from time to time, as necessary to address new issues that may arise and to maintain a comprehensive and consistent pay policy. The guidelines are premised upon the availability of sufficient funds, as appropriated annually by the Carreel Common Council. If any term or provision contained in these guidelines is invalid or unenforceable under any statute, regulation, ordinance, executive order or other rule of law, such term or provision shall be deemed reformed or deleted, but only to the extent necessary to comply with such statute, regulation, ordinance, order or rule, and the remaining terms and provisions of these guidelines shall remain in full force and effect. Definitions GRADE---pay category to which a City position is assigned; each position is placed within a hierarchy of Grades (see attached matrix), based on the knowledge, skills, abilities and responsibility required by the position. STEP--established point between the Range Minimum and Range Maximum of a Grade; each Grade has six (6) equidistant Steps, which are adjusted annually. MARKET--municipalities and other employer organizations selected by the City as the basis for salary comparisons. RANGE MINIMUM--lowest pay rate (Step 1) for a City position in a particular Grade; generally, the rate at which a new City employee will be paid. RANGE MAXIMUM--highest pay rate for a City position in a particular Grade; generally, the rate at which an employees with five (5) or more years of experience in a particular job will be paid. COST OF LIVING INCREASE--annual pay adjustment based on changes in the cost of living and/or changes in the labor market; cost of living increases will be recommended by the City's independent consultant. STEP INCREASE--annual pay adjustment based on an additional year of service and the increased knowledge, skill and ability that the year of service represents; employees in Steps one ( 1 ) through five (5) will generally move to the next higher Step on January 1 of each year. 9/98 1 PROMOTION---change of positions that results in a higher Grade. RE-EVALUATION--review of a position's assigned Grade brought about by an increase (or decrease) in knowledge, skill, ability and responsibility requirements; a Re-evaluation, which is performed by the City's independent consultant, may result in a higher Grade, a lower Grade or no change in Grade. Imtdementation Guidelines When a new position is created, the department head or his or her designee will fill out a position questionnaire for the position. Based on the questionnaire, the City's independent consultant will write a job description and evaluate the position, assigning it to the appropriate Grade.* 2. When an existing position is to be filled, the department head or his or her designee will review the existing job description and make any necessary corrections. If these corrections are deemed significant, the City' s independent consultant will write a new job description, Re- evaluate the position and assign it to the appropriate Grade. * , New employees will be hired at Step 1 for the assigned Grade. All requests for exceptions must be put in writing by the department head and approved by the Director of Human Resources and/or the Compensation Review Committee (see #12 below). , Step Increases will be given in January only; increases are to be given the rest of the year only as the result of a Promotion or a job Re-evaluation by the City' s independent consultant. All such increases must place the employee at a specific Step in the appropriate Grade. , An employee will not receive a Step Increase in January unless he or she was hired prior to October 1 of the previous year. Employees hired between October 1 and December 3 1 will receive a Cost of Living Increase but no Step Increase. , Step Increases will be granted automatically to employees at Step 5 or below. EXCEPTION: If a department head or his or her designee has documented a performance problem with an employee, such employee may, at the department head's discretion, be given a Cost of Living Increase but no Step Increase. An employee who is in jeopardy of not getting a Step Increase due to performance problems shah be notified as soon as the problem is apparent, as part of the counseling/disciplinary process. Also, Step Increases may be contingent upon meeting certain pre-established criteria, such as education and certification requirements. Employees subject to such requirements shah be made aware by their existence immediately upon inception of the requirements, or acceptance of a job that carries such requirements. , Every employee will move up one Step each year without skipping intermediate Steps. EXCEPTION: Public safety employees (Police, Fire and Communications) hired prior to 1999 with the expectation of programmed raises based on longevity shah continue to receive 9/98 2 , those raises, regardless of the time of year they occur or how many Steps the pay increase encompasses). Public Safety employees hired on or af[er January 1, 1999 will receive annual raises in January based on consecutive Steps No employee's salary will be allowed to exceed the Range Maximum (Step 6) for his or her Grade, unless his or her salary was already above Step 6 on January 1, 1999. EXCEPTION: In the interest of maintaining equality within the ranks of the Police Department and the Fire Department, exceptions will be made for First Class Patrol Officers, Police Majors, First Class Firefighters and Fire Lieutenants. Individuals entering those positions by reason of longevity or Promotion shall receive the same base salary as others already in those positions, even though the base salary exceeds the Range Maximum. Other exceptions may be made under very rare circumstances, with the written request and explanation of the department head and the approval of the Director of Human Resources and/or the Compensation Review Committee (see #12 below). An employee whose pay is adjusted due to a Promotion will be placed in a Step that will ensure an appropriate pay increase, such Step to be recommended by the department head and approved by the Director of Human Resources and/or the Compensation Review Committee (see #12 below). 10. Pay adjustments for demotions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. 11. Director positions will have open ranges (a Range Minimum and a Range Maximum, but no Steps). Directors' salaries will be set by the Mayor, based upon an evaluation of the incumbent' s individual performance and departmental performance. 12. To promote interdepartmental equity and to reduce the influence of any one person in setting individual rates of compensation, the Director of Human Resources will select a Compensation Review Committee to consider requests for exceptions to the established Grade and Step guidelines. Such committee will consist of department heads who will meet as required to address such requests. 13. A copy of the 1999 Grade and Step matrix is attached. This matrix will be updated in April of each year to enable accurate budget calculations for the following year. *The cost for writing a job description and evaluating (or re-evaluating) a position is $150 per position. In 1999, Human Resources will cover all such expenses. From 2000 on, the cost will be borne by the department adding (or changing) the position and should be included in the departmental budget. 9/98 3