LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROCEDURE
SUBJECT - Compensation
REFERENCE - Policy 4400
DATE
- 1/3/89
REVISED – 4/8/14 – See Policy and Procedure 6.1 Series for Classifications
NUMBER - 4400
I. Introduction
All benefited positions are assigned to one of six employment groups: 1) faculty instructional, 2)faculty non-instructional, 3) nonteaching professional staff-exempt, 4) educational services staff-exempt, 5) educational services staff-non-exempt, and 6) administrative, as defined under Employment Categories (Personnel Procedure 4100). These six employment groups are assigned to one of four compensation plans each having a separate salary schedule: faculty, educational services staff, nonteaching professional and administrative. The responsibility for administering the college's classification and compensation system is assigned to the director of human resources under the supervision of the President.
II. Faculty Compensation
A. Faculty Salary Schedule
Faculty instructional and faculty non-instructional employees are compensated on the basis of a uniform faculty salary schedule
(Attachment 3A). This schedule consists of columns which represent educational attainment and steps which represent longevity. A faculty member's placement within the schedule is determined by level of education and service.
The salary schedule is reviewed annually by the Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee and is responsible for recommending salary schedule adjustments to the President. The President will consider recommendations from the committee and the President's staff in making an annual recommendation to the Board of Trustees regarding specific dollar increments assigned to the faculty salary schedule.
B. Initial Salary Placement
New faculty will be placed on the appropriate educational column of the salary schedule in accordance with salary advancement
(II.C. below). Initial step placement is based on the following criteria:
1. The entry level at which a faculty employee can be hired is step zero (0). If the appointment is less than 100 percent and/or greater than nine months, the salary will be prorated based on the percent and/or months of appointment.
2. The maximum step at which a faculty employee can be placed is the middle step of the assigned educational column.
3. A new employee will be placed on step by giving one (1) step for each two (2) years of applicable full‑time experience.
4. If circumstances warrant (i.e., limited number of qualified applicants, inability to compete in a specific job market), the President has the authority to make an exception to II.B.2 and 3 (above).
* Applicable experience is defined as experience which is directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled, or professional experience requiring related education, skills, knowledge and ability to perform duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Full-time applicable experience is credited on a one to one ratio.
New employees can be given some credit for applicable part-time experience. If a new employee's full-time experience adds to a fraction of a year, the director of human resources can recommend that the President count part-time experience to make up the difference for a full year of experience. In the event a new employee's full-time experience adds up to a whole number and the employee has substantial part-time experience, the director of human resources can recommend that the President give credit for one additional year of full-time experience. Experience gained as a student (i.e., graduate assistant, student teacher) will not be given credit as applicable experience. Also, incidental substitute teaching experience will not be given credit as part-time applicable experience.
C. Salary Advancement for Education
An employee shall not be eligible for initial placement or advancement to or beyond the master's column of the faculty salary schedule without earning a master's degree from a regionally accredited (i.e., North Central, New England, Western, Northwest, Southern, Middle States) college or university.
The following criteria apply to qualifying for a ten (10)-hour educational column advancement on the faculty salary schedule:
1. Educational advances are granted in September and January. Evidence of completed credit (official grade report or transcripts for credit courses; and certificate of completion or other appropriate documentation for workshops, seminars, work experience and other approved noncredit training or experience) must be submitted to the Human Resources Office by September 20 to be effective in September and January 20 to be effective in January. Faculty must receive a grade of C or higher, or P or S in a pass/fail course in order to receive credit towards advancement.
2. Ten (10) hour blocks of educational advancement are based on the following:
a. One-half (5 of 10) hours must be credited at the graduate level. Courses accepted by the offering college or as graduate level, will be considered as level credits toward advancement on the salary schedule.
b. The remaining five (5) hours must be at the college/university junior or senior level, or through credit indicated in 3. and 4. (below).
3. Part or all of the remaining five (5) hours may be approved by the Faculty Development Committee (FDC) for noncredit workshops, seminars, on-the-job training, educational field experience, work experience or nontraditional educational activities. FDC approval procedures as follows:
a. PRIOR to course/activity, complete the FDC form for education approval (Attachment 4) and submit to your for signature and processing. This form provides the FDC with information for credit consideration. Additional information may be requested.
b. The FDC determines the number of hours and the level of credit to be granted. The following criteria will be used to determine credit equivalencies for non‑credit activity.
(1) Fifteen (15) hours of classroom instruction equals one (1) semester credit hour.
(2) Thirty (30) hours of laboratory instruction equals one (1) semester credit hour.
(3) One (1) thirty-forty (30-40) hour week of laboratory or workshop experience equals one (1) semester
credit hour. Fifteen (15) but less than thirty (30) of laboratory or workshop experience equal one-half (1/2) semester credit hour.
(4) Forty (40) hours of work experience or on-the-job equals one (1) semester credit hour.
(5) One (1) calendar week (7 days) of educational experience equals one (1) semester credit hour.
c. Upon completing the course/activity, employee is required to submit documentation of to the FDC as follows:
(1) Credit course work - transcript/official grade record.
(2) Non-credit education or training - certificate/letter of completion/attendance.
4. Exceptions to college/university junior or senior level courses and FDC approval for non-graduate level courses are as follows:
a. One (1) Wyoming State Department of Education credit equals one-half (1/2) semester credit hour.
b. One semester participation in the college's Faculty and Staff Wellness Program equals one‑half (1/2) semester credit hour.
c. Completion of computer course(s) while employed at the college will be counted as full credit up to a maximum of eight (8) semester hours.
D. Salary Step Advancement
Step increments represent longevity. Depending on the availability of funds, satisfactory job performance, and the Board of Trustees' annual decision regarding salary increases, an employee may advance one (1) step on the salary schedule for completing one (1) year of service, not to exceed the step maximum of the assigned educational column. In the event of a salary freeze, due to budget constraints, a step advancement may either be delayed or withheld. A step adjustment may be withheld or postponed for disciplinary reasons. Faculty hired after the beginning of the school year are required to complete at least one (1) semester of service to be eligible for a step advancement at the beginning of the new faculty contract year.
III. Educational Services Staff Compensation
A. Staff Salary Schedules
1. Educational services staff, both Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exempt and nonexempt employees are compensated on the basis of a uniform educational services staff salary schedule (Attachment 3B). This schedule consists of salary grades which represent level of responsibility or relative worth within the college of assigned positions and steps which represent both longevity and educational advancement.
2. Nonteaching professional staff are assigned to salary ranges (Attachment 3C) which represents education, experience and level of professional responsibility required to perform the job.
3. The salary schedules are reviewed annually by the Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee. The Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee is responsible for recommending salary schedule adjustments to the President. The President will consider input provided by the committee and the President's Staff in making an annual recommendation to the Board of Trustees regarding specific dollar increments assigned to the educational services staff salary schedule and specific dollar amounts assigned to salary range minimums and maximums of the nonteaching professional staff salary schedule.
B. Initial Placement
New educational services staff employees will be placed in the salary grade assigned to the position which they fill. Initial step placement is based on the following criteria:
1. If an educational services staff employee meets the minimum qualifications for the position being filled, the lowest placement is step 1 (salary grade minimum). If however, the college is unable to fill a position with someone who meets the minimum qualification, that person will be considered a "trainee" and placed below the minimum of the salary grade at an amount which equals one (1) step for each year of education and/or experience the employee is deficient in meeting the qualifications. If the appointment is less than one hundred percent (100%) and/or less than twelve (12) months, the salary will be prorated based on the percent and/or months of appointment.
2. Typically, the highest level an educational services staff employee can be hired is step four (4). If circumstances warrant (i.e., limited number of qualified applicants, inability to compete in a specific job market, employee exceptionally well qualified for the position being filled), the President has the authority to make an exception.
3. Depending on internal equity (starting salary in relation to other employees), a new employee may be placed on a step by giving one (1) year of credit for each applicable year of experience* and/or education" beyond the minimum qualifications to a maximum of step four (4). For example, a new employee with two (2) years of applicable experience or education beyond the minimum qualifications may be placed at step two (2). If circumstances warrant as in B.2. (above) the President has the authority to make an exception to this procedure.
* Applicable experience is defined as experience which is directly related to the duties and responsibilities of the position being filled, or experience requiring related education, skills, knowledge and ability to perform duties and responsibilities of the position being filled. Full-time applicable experience is credited on a one to one ratio. New employees will be given credit for applicable part-time experience as noted in II.B. (above). Incidental uncompensated experience will not be given credit as part-time applicable experience.
* * Applicable education is defined as education related to the education defined in either the minimum or preferred qualifications of the position being filled.
C. Salary Step Advancement for Education
Educational services staff employees are encouraged to improve their job performance through college course work, independent study, or technical training. Employees may move on the salary schedule one (1) step for each ten (10) semester hours (or equivalent) of approved education or training successfully completed.
The following criteria apply to qualifying for a ten (10)-hour educational step advancement on the educational services staff salary schedule;
1. Employees requesting credit for educational step advancements are required to submit an "Educational Advancement Proposal" (Attachment 5) through the administrator over their work unit and the director of human resources for approval. This prior approval is necessary to ensure that the employee's course/training schedule is not in conflict with his/her work schedule and for the director of human resources to indicate whether or not education, or other non-credit educational endeavors are relevant to the employee's current or potential future work assignments.
2. The "Educational Advancement Proposal" provides the director of human resources with the information necessary to decide whether and how much credit is to be granted for educational advancement. Credit must be relevant to the employee's current or potential fixture work assignments. The determination of job relevancy will be made by the director of human resources in consultation with the administrator over the employee's work unit.
3. Educational advances are granted in July and January. Evidence of completed credit (grade report or official transcripts for credit courses and certificate of completion or other appropriate documentation for workshops, seminars, work experience and other approved noncredit training or experience) must be submitted to the Human Resources Office by July 20 to be effective in July and January 20 to be effective in January. Employees must receive a grade of C or higher or P or S in a pass/fail course in order to receive credit towards advancement.
4. Employees are eligible to receive credit for educational step advancements through noncredit workshops, seminars, on-the-job training, work experiences or similar nontraditional educational endeavors providing these are relevant to employee's current or potential future work assignments. The following criteria will be used to determine credit equivalencies for noncredit educational endeavors indicated above:
a. Fifteen (15) hours of classroom instruction equals one (1) semester credit hour.
b. Thirty (30) hours of laboratory instruction equals one (1) semester credit hour.
c. One (1) thirty-forty (30-40) hour week of laboratory or workshop experience equals one (1) semester credit hour.
d. Laboratory or workshop experience of fifteen (15) but less than thirty (30) hours equals one-half (1/2) semester credit hour.
e. One (1) Wyoming State Department of Education credit equals one-half (1/2) semester credit hour.
f. Forty (40) hours of work experience or on-the-job training equals one (1) semester credit hour.
5. Employees are eligible to receive one-half (1/2) hour credit a semester for participation in the college's Faculty and Staff Wellness Program.
6. Employees are eligible to move a total of seven (7) steps on the salary schedule for educational advancement. Employees who have received educational step advancements and have reached their maximum step shall be allowed to advance beyond their assigned salary grade maximum one (1) step for each educational step advancement received.
D. Salary Step Advancement for Longevity
Depending on the availability of funds, satisfactory job performance, and the Board of Trustees' annual decision regarding salary increases, an employee may advance one (1) step on the salary schedule for completing one (1) year of service. With the exception of III. C.6. (above), employees shall not exceed the maximum step of their assigned salary grade. In the event of a salary freeze, due to budget constraints, a step advancement may be either delayed or withheld. A step adjustment may be withheld or postponed for disciplinary reasons. Employees eligible for a step advancement, effective July 1 must be employed in benefit status on or before April 1 of that year.
E.
Overtime Compensation
The
college is under the Wage and Hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act
(FLSA). In accordance with this
law, employees with "nonexempt" status as defined by FLSA are
eligible for overtime compensation at a rate of time and one‑half for all
hours worked in excess of forty (40) in a workweek. The following
criteria apply to payment for overtime:
1. Employees eligible for overtime compensation are those assigned to the employment category Educational Services Staff (FLSA Nonexempt).
2. Hours worked is defined as all hours an employee is in pay status. For example, sick leave, vacation, personal leave, holiday and emergency closure time will be counted towards the employee's forty (40) hour workweek.
3. All hours worked over forty (40) in a workweek must be at the discretion of and have PRIOR approval of the employee's supervisor. All overtime must be recorded on the employee's time sheet and signed by the employee's supervisor. A record of overtime will be maintained in the payroll office.
4. Overtime will be paid to the employee at a rate of one and one-half 1/2)times the employee's regular rate of pay, or the employee may be given compensatory time off (comp time) at a rate of one and one-half (1/2) hours off for each hour of overtime. The employee has the option to be paid for overtime or receive comp time, providing comp time does not exceed forty (40)hours as indicated below.
a. All supervisors of nonexempt employees are encouraged to schedule the employee's work within a forty (40) hour workweek to avoid overtime payment and/or comp time.
b. Scheduling of overtime is allowed only when funds are available within the department's budget.
c. If comp time is used in lieu of overtime payment, the maximum accrual shall be forty (40) hours which is twenty-seven (27) hours of actual work calculated at time and one half
(1) Any employee who has more than forty (40) hours of
accrued comp time at the time this procedure is revised
(10/9/97) shall have one year to reduce comp time to
forty (40) hours or less.
(2) Any comp time hours in excess of forty (40) at the end of
the one year period (10/8/98) shall be paid to the
employee from funds within the department's budget.
d. If an employee transfers to another department, the employee must be paid all overtime and comp time from the department where the time was earned.
5. The official college workweek is 12:01 a.m. Sunday through
midnight Saturday.
6. Upon termination of employment, employee will be paid for all uncompensated overtime from funds within the department's budget.
F. Nonteaching Professional Staff Salary
Nonteaching professional staff procedures for starting salary,
salary advancement for longevity and performance, and salary advancement
for education are the same as
administrators in IV. B., C., and D. (below.
IV. Administrative Compensation
A. Administrative Salary Schedule
The salary schedule is reviewed annually by the Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee. The Faculty and Staff Welfare Committee is responsible for recommending salary schedule adjustments to the President. The President will consider input provided by the committee and the President's Staff in making an annual recommendation to the Board of Trustees regarding specific dollar amounts assigned to the salary range minimums and maximums of the administrative salary schedule.
B. Starting Salary
The President, in consultation with the director of human resources, shall determine an administrator's (and nonteaching professional staffs) starting salary based on the following criteria:
1. If an administrator (and non-teaching professional staff) meets the minimum qualifications for the position being filled, the lowest salary placement will be the salary minimum of the administrative level assigned to the position. If the appointment is less than one hundred percent (100%) and/or less than twelve (12) months, the salary will be prorated based on the percent and/or months of appointment.
2. An administrator's (and nonteaching professional staffs) starting salary may be placed beyond the range minimum in accordance with the following criteria:
a. Employee's qualifications - education and experience beyond the minimum qualifications for the position, and/or employee's education and experience in relation to the preferred qualification for the position.
b. Internal equity - employee's starting salary compared to other administrators in relation to education, experience and length of service.
c. Market impact- salary required to compete for qualified applicants in a particular job market.
C. Salary Advancement for Longevity and Performance
The President shall grant annual salary adjustments to administrators (and nonteaching professional staff) based on availability of funds, service completed, job performance including but not limited to one's ability to successfully accomplish the goals and objectives of the position, and the Board of Trustees' annual decision regarding salary increases. Employees shall not exceed the maximum of the salary range assigned to the administrative level of their position. In the event of a salary freeze, due to budget constraints, an annual adjustment may be either delayed or withheld. An annual adjustment may be withheld or postponed for disciplinary reasons. Employees eligible for annual adjustments effective July 1 must be employed in benefit status on or before April 1 of that year.
D. Salary Advancement for Education
Administrative (and nonteaching professional staff) employees are entitled to receive a five (5) percent adjustment to their regular salary for achieving a master's degree or a doctorate degree in accordance with the following provisions:
1. Advanced degree shall be relevant to the administrator's (or nonteaching professional staff s) responsibilities at the college.
2. Administrative (or nonteaching professional staff) employee is required to have approval from the President PRIOR to taking advanced courses and receiving five (5) percent salary adjustment upon completing advanced degree.
3. Administrative (and nonteaching professional staff) employee is not entitled to any increase which would place salary beyond the maximum of assigned salary range.
V. Position Classification
The director of human resources, with final authority resting with the President, is responsible for administering the classification system for educational services staff and administrators. This responsibility includes assigning positions to salary grades/ranges based on internal equity or the position's relative worth within the college.
NOTE: Faculty employees are compensated on the basis of level of education and service and faculty positions are not assigned to salary grades or ranges based on responsibility. Therefore, faculty positions are not considered in a classification system.
A. Position Descriptions
All benefited positions, regardless of which category
(faculty, educational services staff, administrative ), are to be accurately described on a position description form (Attachment 6).
For educational services staff and administrative positions, the position description form will be evaluated to determine the appropriate salary grade/range assignment. In addition, the position description establishes a formal document to inform both the employee and supervisor of the duties and responsibilities assigned to the employee's position.
B. Position Reclassification
If a significant change in duties and responsibilities of an educational services staff or administrative position are determined to be necessary by the administrator over the position, such change(s) must be approved by the dean over the position (if applicable) and the President. The request to change job duties must be approved PRIOR to the point in time when the duties are actually assumed by the employee. In the event of an anticipated significant change in duties and responsibilities, which may result in a classification change, the review and decision process is as follows:
1. Request for review - The administrator over the position must complete a "Duties/Responsibilities Change Form" (Attachment 7). If the dean and the President approve the change(s), the form will be routed to the director of human resources.
2. Position review (audit) - Upon receipt of the "Position Duties/Responsibilities Change Form" with appropriate approvals, the director of human resources will conduct an audit of the position. The director of human resources will discuss the position with the employee, immediate supervisor, and (if necessary) other individuals having knowledge of the position.
3. Classification decision - The director of human resources will evaluate the position based on both written and verbal information obtained during the review (audit) process. The director of human resources will make a recommendation to the President who will make the final decision regarding the classification/salary assignment. The director of human resources will inform the individuals involved in the review process (i.e., employee, supervisor) of the classification/salary decision.
NOTE: A position review (audit) can result in one (1) of three (3) actions: be reclassified to a higher level, be retained at its current level, or be reclassified to a lower level.
VI. Emergency Closure
In the event of an emergency (e.g., snow storm, natural disaster, or man‑made disaster), the President has the authority to close the college for the safety of the students and employees. If this occurs, all benefited employees will be compensated at their regular rate of pay for hours normally worked during the closure. In addition, the administration may require some employees to provide service to the college during the closure. Educational services staff (FLSA nonexempt) employees specifically requested to work by the administrator over the unit, in order to perform services essential to the operation of the college, during an emergency closure will be compensated for each hour worked in accordance with overtime compensation provisions III.E (above). Employees not entitled to overtime who are required to work during an emergency closure are eligible to receive compensatory time on an hour for hour basis for all hours worked. A record of such compensatory time hours shall be kept between the employee and the administrator over employee's work unit.
VII. Temporary Appointment to a Full-Time Benefited Position
An employee temporarily appointed to a full-time, benefited vacant position for an expected duration of at least three months shall be entitled to employee benefits for the period of the temporary appointment.
LARAMIE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
OVERTIME/COMP TIME PROCEDURE
(Approved by College Council 10/09/97)
Procedure 4400 (Compensation)
3. Educational Services Staff Compensation
E. Overtime Compensation The college is under the Wage and Hour provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In accordance with this law, employees with "nonexempt" status as defined by FLSA are eligible for overtime compensation at a rate of time and one-half for all hours worked in excess of forty (40) in a workweek. The following criteria apply to payment for overtime:
1) Employees eligible for overtime compensation are those assigned to the employment category Educational Services Staff (FLSA Nonexempt).
2) Hours worked is defined as all hours an employee is in pay status. For example, sick leave, vacation, personal leave, holiday and emergency closure time will be counted towards the employee's forty (40) hour workweek.
3) All hours worked over forty (40) in a workweek must be at the discretion of and have PRIOR approval of the employee's supervisor. All overtime must be recorded on the employee's timesheet and signed by the employee's supervisor. A record of overtime will be maintained in the payroll office.
4) Overtime will be paid to the employee at a rate of one and one‑half (1/2) times the employee's regular rate of pay, or the employee may be given compensatory time off (comp time) at a rate of one and one‑half (1/2) hours off for each hour of overtime. The employee has the option to be paid for overtime or receive comp time, providing comp time does not exceed forty (40) hours as indicated below.
a) All supervisors of nonexempt employees are encouraged to schedule the employee's work within in a forty (40) hour workweek to avoid overtime payment and/or comp time.
b) Scheduling of overtime is allowed only when funds are available within the department's budget.
c) If comp time is used in lieu of overtime payment, the maximum accrual shall be forty (40) hours which is twenty-seven (27) hours of actual work calculated at time and one-half.
i) Any employee who has more than forty (40) hours of accrued comp time at the time this procedure is revised (10/09/97) shall have one year to reduce comp time to forty (40) hours or less.
ii) Any comp time hours in excess of forty (40) at the end of the one year period (10/08/98) shall be paid to the employee from funds within the department's budget.
d) If an employee transfers to another department, the employee must be paid all overtime and comp time from the department where The time was earned.
5) The official college work week is 12:01 a.m. Sunday through midnight Saturday.
6) Upon termination of employment, employee will be paid for all uncompensated overtime from funds within the department's budget.