STATEMENT:

The University recognizes that a uniform and consistent method of salary administration for classified staff contributes greatly to an equitable workplace and employee satisfaction. It is therefore the institution’s practice and policy to administer all salary actions for classified staff in a non-discriminatory and legal fashion in full compliance with all applicable state and federal rules, regulations, and statutes.

PROVISIONS:

GENERAL PROVISIONS and AUTHORITY
This policy is administered under the guidance and interpretation of WV Procedural Rule, Title 133, Higher Education Policy Commission Series 8, WV Code § 18B-1-6, §18B-9-4,  and the   Classification System. All newly hired employees are paid in “arrears,” which is to say, for any given pay date the individual is receiving pay for the two-week period immediately preceding (i.e. prior to) the current pay period ending date. All individuals are paid by direct deposit of their paycheck and receive a Notice of Deposit in lieu of an actual paycheck. The employee may choose to enroll in the voluntary state-sponsored Electronic Notice of Deposit System or “ENODS” to eliminate the paper Notice of Deposit and thusly, access their payroll information electronically.

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

The Classification System in use by the State system of higher education mandates that all full-time, part-time, and temporary classified staff positions be identified with a job title and pay grade. Items common to all classified staff positions under the Classification System include:

Job Title: The label that uniquely identifies and generally describes a job. The same descriptive job title shall be given to a group of jobs, regardless of institutional location, which are substantially the same in duties and responsibilities and which require substantially the same knowledge, skills, and abilities performed under similar working conditions.

Pay Grade: A range of compensation values for a job defined by a series of step values. Positions which occupy the same job title shall be assigned to the same pay grade. Job titles having similar factor levels shall be classified within the same pay grade. The pay grade is further defined in salary schedules published from time to time by the Higher Education Policy Commission as approved by the WV Legislature. In general pay grade steps correspond with an individual employee’s credited and completed years of service and range from step “0” through step “15.”

FTE: Full time equivalency is the percentage of time for which a position is established, with a full-time position working 1950 hours per year being equal to 1.00 FTE. All other work schedules /FTE are derivatives of the preceding values.

PIQ or Position Information Questionnaire: This document describes the set of typical duties and responsibilities of a position including such items as essential and non-essential functions at a particular institution.  It is the source document which is used to establish a job title and pay grade under the Classification System utilizing a point-factor methodology.  A PIQ may describe a position with a single incumbent or may apply to a position with a number of employees at the institution each doing substantially similar work under the same job title and pay grade.

FULL-FUNDING

Effective July 1, 2008, the University achieved full-funding of the 2001 Classified Staff Salary Schedule. It is the University’s intention to maintain all staff at full-funding consistent with the 2001 Schedule and any and all subsequent salary schedules as may be distributed by the state. In consideration of fiscal responsibility and budget, and in the event that any subsequent salary schedule approved by the Legislature and adopted by the Board cannot immediately be fully funded by the University, full-funding of the salary schedule may be implemented over a period of time as determined by the Board of Governors in consultation with the University’s President and CFO.

Full-funding exists when all classified staff employees are at 100 percent of their appropriate salary step within their respective position’s pay grade. Such determinations are to be made in consideration of each employees qualifying years of prior eligible service within the State of West Virginia.

ENTRY RATES

At full-funding, an individual with no prior eligible service will be employed at step “0” of the position’s respective pay grade. Subsequently, such employees advance to the next pay grade step by completing at least 9 months’ service in any fiscal year (July 1st through June 30th). Individuals with prior eligible state service are hired at 100 percent of the respective step level which corresponds to the year of eligible service. Verification of prior eligible service must be obtained prior to placement at a starting step higher than step “0.”  In cases where verification has not been obtained, the individual will be employed at step “0” and, only after verification, will the pay step be adjusted to reflect prior eligible service. In cases where full funding does not exist, the University shall employ all individuals at step “0” and adjustments for prior service, where applicable, shall occur at the next scheduled general salary increase or adjustment, irrespective of the individual employee having completed 9 months of service since their (re)hire.

PROMOTIONS and DEMOTIONS

A “promotion” is movement from a position requiring a certain level of skill, effort, and authority to a vacant or newly created position assigned to a different job title and higher pay grade requiring a greater degree of skill, effort, and authority. Under full-funding, individuals are moved to 100 percent of the appropriate step of the new pay grade in consideration of the individual’s credited years of service. Where full funding does not exist, individual employees are moved an amount equal to 5 percent per pay grade or the minimum of the new pay grade, whichever is higher.

A “demotion” is movement from a position requiring a certain level of skill, effort, and responsibility to a vacant or newly created position assigned to a different job title and lower pay grade requiring a significantly lesser degree of skill, effort and responsibility. A demotion may be voluntary or involuntary

UPGRADES and DOWNGRADES

An “upgrade” is an advancement of the employee’s current position to a higher pay grade as a result of a significant change in the position’s existing duties and responsibilities. When a position is upgraded, the employee does not move to a different position in a higher pay grade. Rather, it is the employee’s position that is moved to a higher pay grade because of a significant increase in the position’s existing responsibilities as determined by job evaluation. Consistent with full-funding, the employee will move to their appropriate step placement in the new pay grade effective with the date of the upgrade. In cases where the University may not be in full-funding, the employee’s base salary will be increased by five (5) percent per pay grade movement (This does not include the employees then current pay grade).

A “downgrade” is a reassignment of the employee’s current position to a job title assigned to a lower pay grade as a result of a significant reduction in the existing position’s duties and responsibilities. When a position is downgraded, the employee does not move to a different position in a lower pay grade. Rather, it is the employee’s position that is moved to a lower pay grade because of a significant decrease in the position’s existing responsibilities as determined by job evaluation. Consistent with full-funding, the employee will move to their appropriate step placement in the new pay grade effective with the date of the downgrade. In cases where the University may not be in full-funding, the employee’s base salary will be lowered by five (5) percent per pay grade movement (This does not include the employees then current pay grade).

SALARY ADJUSTMENTS IN GENERAL

In WV Code Section 18B-9, to be eligible for a general “annual salary increase or adjustment”, typically called the “annual adjustment,” an individual must have completed at least 9 full months of service in the preceding fiscal year. In cases where the annual adjustment does not fall on an effective date of July 1st, the individual must have completed 9 full months of service by the date immediately preceding the effective date of the adjustment.  For eligible individuals at a step level contained within the  Salary Scale within their position’s respective pay grade, the annual salary adjustment would advance the individual to the next step within grade. The maximum step within grade being step 15 under the current salary schedule.

A “base salary adjustment” is the amount that a base salary increases within the pay grade to reward performance, to rectify inequities, or to accommodate competitive market conditions.  It is not considered the same as an “annual salary increase or adjustment (annual adjustment).” Base salary adjustments are not typically made on any regular basis and may be made by system or Salary Schedule changes.

As long as the University remains fully-funded, it may grant general salary increases or adjustments to those employees who have reached the maximum of their respective pay grade, i.e. step “15.” Under conditions where full-funding does not exist, no employee may receive a general salary adjustment or increase which would place them above 100 percent of step “15” (or the highest step of any subsequently adopted salary schedule, as appropriate). Where full-funding does not exist any employee whose base salary is already above the maximum step for their pay grade, shall receive no further increase in salary, though no salary reduction shall otherwise occur.

PAY CALCULATIONS

Employees may not be paid for services not rendered.  Base salary is calculated on a thirty-seven and one-half (37- 1/2) hour work week. The workweek consists of 168 hours in the form of seven (7) consecutive twenty-four (24) hour periods. The work week begins at 12:01 a.m on any given Sunday and ends at 12 midnight the following Saturday.

Overtime pay for nonexempt employees is calculated at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) times the regular hourly rate, which is the total base salary plus any incremental pay divided by 1,950 hours. Overtime does not commence until forty (40) hours actually have been worked within one (1) work week. Regular hourly pay, also known as “straight time,” is paid for work time between thirty-seven and one-half (37 1/2) hours and forty (40) hours in a work week.

Only actual hours worked are included in calculating overtime. Pay which is received for holidays, annual leave, sick leave, or work release time is not counted as working hours for purposes of the overtime calculation.

Annual leave, sick leave, and longevity do not accumulate in any part of a month for which an employee is off the payroll on a leave without pay or during a terminal leave period. A terminal leave period is that time between the employee’s last day of work and his/her last day on the payroll.

INTERIM RESPONSIBILITIES

A significant change in duties and responsibilities of an employee on a temporary basis may justify an interim promotion or upgrade for salary purposes. Such a temporary reassignment shall be for no less than four (4) consecutive weeks and no more than twelve (12) consecutive months and shall only occur when the responsibilities being undertaken by the employee are those of another position that is vacant because of the incumbent’s illness or resignation or because of temporary sufficient change in the duties and responsibilities of a filled position. The affected employee shall have his/her base salary adjusted upwards consistent with a promotion or upgrade for the duration of the interim period. At the end of the interim period or assignment, the affected employee shall have his/her salary reduced to its original level (but, including any salary increase which the employee would have received in his/her regular position had the interim assignment not occurred).

TRANSFERS

A “transfer” is movement from one position or job title to another position or job title requiring the same degree of skill, effort, and authority. Both positions are in the same pay grade. No pay adjustments are made as a result of a transfer. Transfers may be voluntary or involuntary, though transfers should be made in consideration of the best results for all parties. Transfers are not to be made due to work performance-related matters.

EXCLUSIONS and LIMITATIONS

Student employment, Casual employment, faculty employment (including adjunct), and Non-Classified Staff employment types are specifically excluded from coverage under this policy.

RESERVATIONS

The University reserves the right to interpret applicable policies, rules, and regulations to resolve any salary dispute that may arise with the intent of reaching an equitable and non-discriminatory resolution, as long as such resolution does not conflict with said policies, rules, and/or regulations.
Adjustment and resolution of salary issues is considered by the administration to be, in all cases an  individual situation and each is considered based on the unique factors associated with it.

Approved by the West Liberty University Board of Governors: