Current  SPA Classification and Compensation Guidelines

It should be noted that these guidelines are not inclusive of all Office of State Personnel policies that govern the salaries of SPA employees. These are, however, those methods that are utilized most frequently in the review and creation of SPA positions at UNCA. Please contact the Human Resources Office with any questions / concerns. Thank you.

Overview

Wages for SPA employees are governed by the Office of State Personnel compensation program. The program is affected by labor market trends, legislative actions, and the availability of funds.

The compensation program is based upon a structure of salary grades covering all positions subject to the State Personnel Act. Assignments of classifications are based upon the content of the job and not the performance and qualifications of the individual incumbent.

Each classified position is assigned to a salary grade that defines the salary range for the classification (hiring, minimum, midpoint, and maximum salaries). Salary levels associated with the salary grade structure are determined by the General Assembly, with input from the State Personnel Commission and various State agencies. The salary levels of the entire structure or selected grades or classifications may be increased or decreased based upon factors such as labor market trends and availability of funds.

SPA Position Classification & Salary Increase Processes

SPA Classification / Reclassification Process

Each staff position that is subject to the State Personnel Act is "classified" into one of the position titles that exist within the State Personnel System upon the initial creation of the position. A reclassification is possible only when job duties change significantly. To begin the SPA classification / reclassification process, a department submits a Position Classification / Reclassification Request Form to the Human Resources Department, accompanied by a narrative position description. As of July 1, 2005, all SPA position descriptions are to be completed utilizing OSP Career Banding format. 

The University's Department of Human Resources reviews the description and determines the most appropriate classification / reclassification by comparing the functions of the position to the classification specifications of the State Personnel System and to "benchmark" positions at the University.

Once classified/ reclassified, the position then is subject to the State's "salary range" for each position. Departments may hire individuals into the position at any salary within the range, provided that the individual "qualifies" for the salary. Reclassifications are subject to maximum increase of 5% per pay grade.

SPA In-range Salary Adjustments

An SPA employee's salary can also be affected through a variety of human resources transactions that do not involve reclassification. These actions are referred to as in-range salary adjustments. Only permanent full-time or permanent part-time employees, or employees with permanent time-limited appointments, are eligible for increases under this policy.

In-range salary increases can be based n one of these three factors:

1. Job Change:  This type of adjustment is to compensate for changes in job duties and responsibilities of a position as documented in position descriptions and work plans, which are at a higher level, but not enough to justify a reclassification to a higher salary grade, or a salary range revision; or, are at the same level, but the changes increase the variety and scope of duties and accountability of the employee. If the change in duties and responsibilities exists only for a limited time period, the employee's salary shall be reduced to the previous level when the additional duties and responsibilities are removed.
2. Labor Market Conditions:  This type of salary adjustment may be made to reduce or avoid turnover due to market or other conditions that affect retention.  Conditions to be met are:
   • the position duties are key to agency or program mission accomplishment;
   • the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of an incumbent are clearly identified as difficult to recruit or the occupational group is acknowledged by the Office of State Personnel as having a critical labor market shortage;
   • the university must confirm that the use of other established personnel policies/ actions are not feasible alternatives and that other management alternatives are not feasible.
3. Salary Equity:  Situations in which salaries of employees in the positions of the same classification differ by more than 10% when education, skill, related work experience, length of service and performance levels are considered.

Vice Chancellors and Department heads shall set an overall priority list of potential in-range adjustments for their divisions. Decisions shall be based on organizational priorities, budget considerations, other priorities considering other salary administration decisions (such as hiring, reclassification, or promotion), and fairness within the overall employee population of the division.

Operating Procedures

Individual salary adjustment requests originate at the Vice Chancellor level with input from the individual departments. It is the responsibility of departmental management to assess salary administration priorities, availability of funds, and departmental needs in developing and processing in-range salary adjustment requests.

It is the responsibility of the Vice Chancellor with input from the department to identify funds sufficient for all approved requests sent to Human Resources Office. Each request must show a proposed percentage increase based on current salary. The maximum increase is 10% for an employee in any 12-month consecutive period.

Required Information

Requests should be made through the In-Range Salary Adjustment Form, which includes the following information:

• Summary of job changes (including whether this change represents a higher level of duties and / or increased variety and scope of duties).
• Whether the change is permanent or temporary (and estimated ending date if temporary).
• Reason for the job changes (i.e. new programs, loss of staff, etc.)
• Justification and budget availability authorization for percent increase requested.

Determining Percent Increase

The ability to grant in-range adjustments is limited by State policy. The following limitations are applicable:

• No employee shall receive an in-range adjustment which will result in the employee salary being above the maximum of the current salary grade.
• No salary increase shall create significant salary inequities with other employees in the department who are similarly situated.
• No employee shall be granted an in-range adjustment based on duties and responsibilities which have already been recognized through a previous salary increase. This includes salary increases given for reclassifications made prior to the adoption of this policy, as well as prior in-range increases.
• No employee shall receive an in-range adjustment for the addition of duties which are already recognized in another position. This does not include temporary increases proposed for temporary assumption of duties in vacant position.
• Increases are not available under this policy when an employee transfers laterally from one position to another, either within the University, or from another state agency or university.
• No employee can receive increase(s) amounting to more than 10% in any consecutive 12-month period.

For all increases based on Salary Equity, employees must qualify for the proposed salary increase according to the State's education and experience guidelines.

* It should be noted, that the Human Resources Department has the responsibility to adjust the proposed salary increase if it is in violation of Office of State Personnel policies.

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Comments to: Joy Duran