Staffing, Classification and Compensation Guidelines
Introduction- Recruitment Process
- Web Posting & Employment Opportunities Bulletin
- Posting Date and Job Number
- Sunday Newspaper, Journal and Internet Ad Deadlines
- Recall , Preferential Rehire, and Priority Reassignment Referrals
- BrassRing Retreival and Referral
- The Interview
- Reference Checking
- Waiver of Recruitment
- Quick Hire
- Salary Setting
- Relocation Reimbursement
- The Hire
- Recruitment Files
- Critical Position Background Checks
- Immigration Reform Control Act (IRCA)
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- The Classification/Reclassification Process
- Equity Increases
- Stipends and Temporary Reclassifications
March 2002
These guidelines provide information and clarification on procedures and practices related to the staffing (recruitment/selection), classification, and compensation functions for positions in the Professional and Support Staff (PSS) and Managers and Senior Professional (MSP) personnel programs. Questions and/or requests for additional information should be directed to your Human Resources Client Services Analyst or Client Services Representative (CSR).
Recruitment Policy
It is the general policy of the University to openly recruit from both within and outside of its work force to obtain qualified applicants. In addition, University policy stresses the need to make special efforts to insure that the recruitment process facilitates attainment of affirmative action goals. These policies on open recruitment are designed to further our organization's objectives to foster a well-qualified and diverse work force.
In accordance with University policy, most career positions are filled through an open recruitment following a posting on the Human Resources website. Your HR Client Services Team can provide consultation and assistance and is available to discuss recruitment strategies such as networking with professional organizations & associations as well as newspaper, journal, and Internet advertising.
WEB POSTING & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES BULLETIN
The Human Resources UCSF Careers website at /careers includes postings of all Campus & Medical Center job openings. The website allows for job searches by key words, job titles, requisition number, job category, and organization. The Employment Opportunities Bulletin (EOB) is produced every Monday and contains postings of jobs opened during the previous week. The EOB is downloadable from the web to UCSF departments. In addition, California colleges, universities, and community-based organizations receive it via an email list serv.
Posting for Website
Replacement positions with no significant changes in duties: An Employee Requisition Form (ERF) submitted to the Client Services Unit will normally result in a web posting within 48 hours. The ERF requires departmental signatures, responses to all applicable fields on the form, and a short summary of the job description.
New positions or replacement positions with significant changes in job duties: A completed job description and ERF must be submitted to the Client Services Unit. These positions will require a classification review by your Client Services Analyst prior to posting. Because our intention is to ensure that positions are classified equitably across the campus, this analysis may include comparisons with other positions, application of the point factoring system, and consultation with the department. The complexity of the job, or the nature of significant changes, will have an effect on the length of this review.
The appropriate job description form will vary depending on the position.
- Staff Job Description Form for administrative and clerical support positions
- Technical Questionnaire for Lab Assistant and Research Associate positions
- MSP & PSS Job Description Form for manager and professional support positions
- Information Technology Questionnaire for computer-related positions such as Programmer Analysts
- Nursing Questionnaire for nursing positions
Your CSR can advise you on the appropriate forms. The job description forms can be downloaded from the Human Resources Forms page
Once your Client Services Analyst has posted the position on the web, you
will be notified of the web-posting deadline (standard two weeks) and the
assigned job number by your CSR via an email.
SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, JOURNAL, AND INTERNET AD DEADLINES
Please advise your CSR if you are interested in placing an ad. It is advised that hiring departments check with their Analyst to determine if there are any Preferential Rehire and/or Priority Reassignment candidates that need to be considered prior to placing an ad. Your CSR needs to know the names of the newspapers in which you wish to advertise by Thursday noon in order to meet most local deadlines for the following Sunday publications. Journal deadlines depend on the journal's publication date. Internet ads are not deadline-specific and are usually posted on the Internet Service Provider's website within 1 to 2 days after the ad is approved. Your Client Services Analyst can assist you in determining where, how, and when an ad can be placed to optimally reach your target audience.
Your CSR will need the content, the name of your department's designated contact, and the hiring department name, mailing address, and Fund/DPA number for recharge purposes. An estimate of the amount you intend to spend is also helpful. Your CSR will provide you with a draft ad copy and cost estimate for your final approval and subsequent ad placement.
Return to top
RECALL, PREFERENTIAL REHIRE, AND PRIORITY REASSIGNMENT REFERRALS
Recall
Departments must first consider their employees who have recall rights. Recall candidates are regular status employees who have been separated or whose time has been reduced because of indefinite layoff. A recall candidate shall be recalled in order of seniority into any active and vacant career position for which he or she is qualified when the position is in the same title and department at the same or lesser percentage of time as the position held by the employee at the time of layoff. It is the department's responsibility to identify recall candidates and to contact them regarding their interest in identified positions. This should be done prior to the posting of the position.
Preferential Rehire
Second consideration is given to employees who have preferential rehire rights. Preferential rehire candidates are regular status employees who have been separated or whose time has been reduced because of indefinite layoff.
Employees who were in a title covered by collective bargaining at the time of their reduction in time or layoff have preferential rehire rights for positions at the same or lower salary level (as determined by the salary range maximum) and in the same bargaining unit in any UCSF department.
Employees who were in a non-represented title at the time of their reduction
in time or layoff have preferential rehire rights for any positions at the same
or lower salary level (as determined by the salary range maximum) and in any
UCSF department.
Your Client Services Analyst will review resumes and refer
these candidates to your department if they meet the minimum qualifications of
the position.
An employee who has been re-employed through the recall or preferential rehire process may serve a period of trial employment. Please check with your Client Services Analyst if you have any questions concerning trial employment policies and procedures.
Priority Reassignment
Priority Reassignment candidates are current or former regular status employees who are precluded from returning to work in his/her regular occupation. These candidates are second in consideration for positions after Recall candidates. However, Priority Reassignment candidate resumes must be considered before Preferential Rehire candidates. Disability Management Services works with your Staffing & Compensation Analyst to refer these candidates if they meet the minimum qualifications of the position and are capable of performing the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Timely consideration of Priority Reassignment referrals will greatly expedite your recruitment process. If a candidate is referred to your position and is selected for the job, you would make an offer. If the candidate accepts the position, the recruitment would be finalized by requesting and completing a post offer form. After receiving the post offer form, Staffing & Compensation closes out the requisition.
If a candidate is referred by your Staffing & Compensation Analyst and is not selected, reasons for non-selection must be based on the fact that the candidate does not possess the skills, knowledge and abilities to perform the essential job functions (i.e., posted requirements of the position) or is not interested in the position. Prior to making this decision, you may engage in a noncompetitive interview and/or meet with the employee and Disability Management Services to engage in the interactive process. If the candidate is not selected, the reasons for disqualification must be documented on the Priority Reassignment Candidate Disposition Form, and the Reasonable accommodation Form, as appropriate. This form will then be submitted to your Staffing & Compensation Analyst. The Analyst reviews these reasons before other resumes are referred. If the reasons for disqualification are not deemed adequate, there will be further discussion with the Staffing & Compensation, Disability Management, Labor and Employee Relations and/or Legal Affairs.
BRASSRING RETRIEVAL AND REFERRAL
Your Client Services Analyst will review resumes of applicants who have specifically applied for the position. When requested, your Analyst may also conduct database searches to expand your applicant pool. Your Analyst screens resumes and typically forwards only the most qualified applicants via an e-link. An E-Link is a link embedded in an email message. Clicking on one of these links will launch your Internet browser to a web page that will include a candidate's resume, a drop down menu listing the next steps that you wish to take with the candidate, and also a Candidate Disposition form, where you will indicate a reason if you choose to disqualify a candidate. Your response to the E-Link will be instantly uploaded into the main database. The position will remain open and posted on the website until the Client Services Analyst is notified that the supervisor is no longer interested in receiving resumes.
It is the hiring department's responsibility to keep abreast of current affirmative action goals. According to University policy, if two or more applicants are equally qualified, the department shall give primary consideration to meeting its affirmative action objectives when making a hiring decision. Information regarding affirmative action goals may be obtained from the campus Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Diversity Office at http://www.aaeo.ucsf.edu, or by phone at (415) 476-4752.
The hiring department should contact selected candidates by telephone or by email to arrange for interviews, giving them reasonable time to respond. The hiring supervisor should have all finalists complete a resume supplement prior to the interview in order to get important information that is not usually provided on resumes, i.e., whether the applicant has relatives working for UCSF and their relationship, whether the applicant was convicted of a criminal offense, and the applicant's social security number, salary history information, etc. Resume supplement forms are available on the Human Resources Forms page at: http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/pubs/forms/index.html.
The interview is a critical component of the selection process. Through interviewing, supervisors evaluate an applicant's skills, knowledge and abilities. The interview process should be:
-
Standardized: The conditions and time provided to each applicant should be the same.
-
Structured: The key questions to be asked should be pre-planned. A rating guide should be used to assist in objectively evaluating candidate responses.
-
Job-Related: Interview questions should be related to the qualifications stated on the job requisition.
Some of the most effective types of interviewing questions are:
-
Open-ended: Questions may cover a major topic or time period and encourage candidates to freely express ideas.
-
Self-appraisal: Questions may ask applicants to evaluate a portion of their work history or qualifications. Example: In what ways would you say that you have grown the most professionally over the past several years?
-
Situational: Questions that pose realistic job-related situations and ask the applicant to evaluate the problem and provide a reasonable solution.
-
Probing: Questions that explain in some detail how the applicant accomplished a specific assignment.
If you have questions pertaining to the legality of interview questions or wish to discuss the interview process, call your Client Services Analyst.
As an alternative to a single interviewer, we recommend that you form a selection committee, which is usually chaired by a supervisor or manager. The remaining members often represent a diverse group of faculty and other supervisors and/or staff.
After interviewing, it is important to conduct reference checks for all finalists. The working relationship of the reference to the finalist should be verified, and questions asked of the reference should be job-related and asked consistently. Our campus practice is to obtain a minimum of two references prior to making a hiring commitment. References may be completed by mail or over the phone.
In exceptional circumstances, where staffing diversity, operational continuity, and programmatic needs may not be met unless an exception to standard recruitment practices is considered, requests for waiver of recruitment will be given consideration. In addition, recruitment may be waived for non-probationary career employees who have become disabled and have received vocational rehabilitation services.
Requests for waiver of recruitment pertain only to career positions. Waiver
of recruitment is not required if the position to be filled is a limited
appointment (i.e., established at any percentage of time, fixed or variable,
during which the appointee is expected to be on pay status for less than 1000
hours in a 12 month period; or
the position, which is a limited appointment,
has subsequently become career and is filled by an incumbent who was initially
hired through the normal recruitment process.
Before requesting a waiver
of recruitment, you should check your department's affirmative action goals for
under-utilization and weigh the need to fill the position immediately against
the department's progress toward those unmet goals. Information regarding
affirmative action goals may be obtained from the campus Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Diversity
Office at http://www.aaeo.ucsf.edu, or by phone at (415) 476-4752.
Steps in the Waiver Request Review Process
Before investing time in preparing a waiver request, consider alternative courses of action that might provide a solution to your department's needs:
- Is it possible to temporarily assign someone within your department to perform the duties while recruitment takes place?
- Can the vacancy be temporarily filled by an employee from the Temporary Employment Program while recruitment takes place? Is there someone who can be hired through a limited appointment (i.e., Quick Hire) to perform the duties while recruitment takes place?
It is advisable to contact your Client Services Analyst as soon as you are aware of a need to request waiver of recruitment. Your Client Services Analyst will, prior to consideration of any waiver request, forward applications of any candidates with preferential rehire or priority reassignment rights whose skills and background match the criteria for your position. These candidates must be evaluated prior to consideration of your waiver request.
If you and your Client Services Analyst are unable to identify any viable alternatives to a waiver of recruitment, you should then prepare an ERF, job description, and a letter requesting the waiver of recruitment. Include an updated resume for the candidate. These three documents should be forwarded to your Client Services Analyst. The written request should address the following issues:
-
Would selection of the candidate help the department reach unmet affirmative action goals?
-
Would adherence to the standard posting requirements cause undue disruption of critical departmental services? Examples include adverse impact on patient care or safety, serious fiscal impact, such as the delay or cancellation of a grant, or diminished clinical research.
-
Are there additional circumstances where waiver of recruitment might be warranted?
-
Is the position one that has a history of being difficult to fill due to the requirement of technical skills and a limited number of qualified individuals in the general work force?
-
Is the position a component of a new program that is being transferred in its entirety to the University and where identified employees are already in place?
-
Is filling the position with an identified candidate in the overall best interest of the University (e.g., resolution of a grievance)?
-
Are there any other unique circumstances to be considered?
The request will be reviewed by your Client Services Analyst, who will approve or deny the request after evaluating its appropriateness.
Limited Appointment Recruitment Policy
The Quick Hire process to hire limited appointments without recruitment has been revised to reflect the following changes:
- Appointments expected to be longer than four months at 100% or 700 hours or more must utilize the open recruitment process for the hiring of limited employees
- Appointments of four months at 100% or less and/or on-going appointments at 46% time or less may continue to utilize the Quick Hire Process
These changes are being made to ensure that the hiring of new limited employees will not lead to defaulting to career status.
What is a Limited Appointment
A limited appointment is an appointment established at any percentage of time, fixed or variable, during which the appointee is expected to be on pay status for less than 1000 hours in a 12-month rolling period. The 1000 hours includes limited service in one or more limited appointments during a 12 month period of continuous service. It is important to be aware of any other past and current limited appointment(s) that the individual may hold.
The Quick Hire process may be used:
- When a department has identified a
candidate for a limited or per diem appointment that will not last more than
four months at 100% or 700 hours-open recruitment not
required
- The hiring department is responsible
for the classification, selection, salary setting, reference checking (a minimum
of two), and payroll processing of employees hired through this Quick Hire
process.
- The hiring department is also
responsible for ensuring that limited appointments do not become career by
default. Such a default to career is a violation of
Policy.
- If the department had the need to
extend the original Quick Hire appointment beyond the original 4 months at 100%
or the 700 hours, the department will need to have an open recruitment through
Human Resources.
- The Quick Hire process does not apply to career appointments or to limited appointments that will last for more than 4 months at 100%, or more than 700 hours. All of these require an open recruitment process.
MSP Positions
The Quick Hire process does not apply to MSP level positions, which needs to be submitted to Human Resources for classification review. If a department needs to recruit through Campus Human Resources for a limited appointment or per diem position, the procedures are the same as if recruiting for a career position.
WEBLINKS REPORT
The WebLinks Employees With/Approaching 1000 Hours report can be used to check whether an employee in a limited appointment or being considered for a limited appointment is approaching the 1000 hours threshold. The report has two lists, sorted by home department:
(1) employees who have reached or exceeded the 1000 hours threshold and
(2) employees who have worked 700 hours or more as of the month prior to the report. Please note that the hours shown on the report are as of the month prior to the run date shown on the report. In other words, it is a static report and is not ‘up to date’on the day you view it.
Unlike other WebLinks reports, information for all departments is available in the same report, since it is in Adobe Acrobat Reader format. Adobe provides a search feature that makes it possible to search the report for a specific name or department number. You may add the employee’s current hours worked month-to-date to the report figure to have a more accurate read to ensure that you avoid a default to career status.
We are recommending that, once you use the Quick Hire process, any decision to change the position to career should be made by the 2nd or 3rd month at the latest. Any time beyond that and you risk running out of time to begin and complete an effective recruitment process.
For any Limited Hire, it is prudent to create a proactive ‘time line’ reflecting benchmark dates such as
- A hiring decision, to avoid a policy violating default to career
- performance review to review the Limited Hire employee’s performance.
- If they are not performing, has there been a discussion so they may remedy?;
- If they have not improved, release the employee.
Please contact your Client Services Analyst if you have questions concerning the Quick Hire Process.SALARY SETTING
UC Employees
The guidelines provided in this section are framed by Personnel Policies for Staff Members and represent prevailing campus practice. Where salary setting is specifically addressed in collective bargaining agreements, the stipulations of those bargaining agreements should guide salary-setting decisions.
An employee's salary must be set within the defined salary range for their defined title. Any exception must be approved by Human Resources.
The following are general guidelines for salary setting:
- A UC employee who is promoted to a step-based position with a higher salary range maximum may receive a salary increase to the minimum of the new salary range or the equivalent of a one-step increase, whichever is greater, provided that the resultant salary does not exceed the maximum of the new salary range.
- A UC employee who is promoted to a position with a merit-based salary range may receive a salary increase of up to 15%, provided that the resultant salary does not exceed the maximum of the new salary range.
- A UC employee who transfers laterally into a position with an equivalent salary range typically does not receive a change in salary. Exceptions are to be discussed on an individual basis with your Client Services Analyst.
- A UC employee who demotes into a position with a lower salary range maximum
may or may not receive a decrease in pay to result in a salary that must fall
within the new salary range. Any increase in an employee's salary upon demotion
requires approval from your Client Services Analyst.
New Employees
Salary setting for new employees is framed by more general guidelines. You may consult with your Client Services Analyst on available information regarding internal and external compensation trends for the classification. Along with this data, the following issues should be considered:
Market Factors, Recruitment Difficulty and Salary History
Utilize whatever appropriate market data is available to assess what you can reasonably expect to pay in order to remain competitive with the existing labor market. Market data such as salary surveys and current pay practices of local universities, hospitals or other similar organizations should be taken into consideration.
Consideration should be given to recruitment difficulties with relationship to the available trained labor force for the position. Individuals who possess skills that are scarce in the labor force may be in higher demand and require additional salary consideration. Evaluation of factors such as the scarcity of qualified applicants, the number of rejected job offers, and the turnover rate for a position may give insight into existing recruitment difficulties.
An applicant's salary history in positions related to your opening should be taken into consideration. Attention should be given to the relationship of your position to the candidate's previous positions in terms of responsibilities and required skills.
Consideration should be given to the number of years that a candidate has performed similar work and where an individual with that experience might reasonably expect to fall within the salary range for the classification.Similar consideration should be given to a candidate's educational background as it relates to an open position. Related education, beyond what is required for a position, may be used as you would use additional years of experience in evaluating where to set a candidate's salary within a range.
Relationship to Internal Peers
Salary equity among internal employees is an important consideration when setting starting salaries. Perceived inequity not only impacts employee morale and motivation but also may trigger contentions of discrimination or grievances. When setting starting salaries, the skills and background of external candidates should be compared to those of internal employees performing similar work, and this comparison should factor into the salary decision
Salary equity does not imply that all employees within a classification who have similar years of experience and education should be paid the same salary. It is assumed that recognition of varying levels of skills and performance, for example, will result in differences in salary among employees.
Other Factors
- Do pay practices already exist on campus for employees performing similar duties?
- Is your selected candidate relocating from an area where his/her salary history may not reflect the economic standards of the Bay Area?
- Are there unique circumstances to be considered?
Your Client Services Analyst is available to assist you in evaluating individual salary decisions.
RELOCATION REIMBURSEMENT
The University provides for reimbursement for moving expenses and relocation allowances to recognize the higher cost of living in California. Eligibility and the amount of reimbursement for moving and relocation allowances depend on the personnel program that the vacant position is in, related recruitment difficulties for the vacancy, and the particular circumstances of the chosen candidate. Contact your Client Services Analyst prior to making a hiring commitment.
Return to topTHE HIRE
In order to comply with Federal regulations and to monitor progress toward affirmative action goals, each department is required to document all recruitment activities.
RECRUITMENT CLOSURE
Once the job offer has been extended and accepted by the candidate, the hiring supervisor must complete the Post Offer Form online and submit it back to the CSR or Client Services Analyst in Human Resources. In addition, all Candidate Disposition forms need to be submitted online to reflect the entire candidate pool. It is the responsibility of the hiring supervisor to notify all applicants forwarded by Human Resources of the recruitment outcome.
RECRUITMENT FILES
Departments are required to maintain all recruitment files, which include all resumes/applications of applicant's referred and appropriate forms. This information must be maintained for a minimum of three years.
CRITICAL POSITION BACKGROUND CHECKS
See also: Request for Sensitive Employee FingerprintingIn order to minimize risks to campus safety and security, employees and/or applicants for certain positions designated as "critical" must undergo background checks.
Critical Position: a position whose responsibilities include any of the following:
- A requirement for a professional license, certificate or degree, the absence of which would expose the University to legal liability and/or adverse public reaction.
- Direct access to and/or responsibility for information affecting national security.
- Master key access to residence and other facilities
- Direct responsibility for the care, safety, and security of persons, or the safety and security of personal or University property
- Responsibility for operating University owned vehicles, machines or toxic systems in the course of their normal job duties that could cause accidental death, injury or health problems
- Direct access to or responsibility for controlled substances
- Extensive authority for committing the financial resources of the University
- receipts
These criteria apply to all levels of University employment.
Policy
A. All applicants selected for critical positions are required to undergo a background check which includes being fingerprinted by the campus Police Department. Employees who are licensed by the State of California and currently enrolled UCSF students are exempted.
B. In accepting a critical position, it is understood that continued employment is contingent upon a satisfactory background check. A satisfactory background check is the absence of a criminal record which bears a demonstrable relationship to the applicant/employee's suitability to perform the required duties and responsibilities of the position.
C. All job announcements for positions that have been designated as critical must state that fingerprinting and background checks are required.
Responsibility
A. Departments will identify critical positions and inform Human Resources--Staffing and Compensation when there is a change in assignment that would affect such a designation.
B. Human Resources has been delegated authority to review any staff positions for the purpose of determining whether the position should be designated as critical.
IMMIGRATION REFORM CONTROL ACT (IRCA)
Departments are responsible for ensuring that all applicants have the legal right to work in the United States. Contact your Client Services Analyst if you have questions.
FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA)
All applicants for non-exempt positions not covered by Collective Bargaining Agreements must be informed of the FLSA policy that any overtime worked will be compensated either by cash or compensatory time off at the University's option.
THE CLASSIFICATION/RECLASSIFICATION PROCESS
Overview
The process of classification involves the assignment of a set of duties and responsibilities to an appropriate job family and level within that family. Classification of a position takes place when a job is newly created or when there are significant changes in the duties assigned to an existing position.
When there is a significant change in the duties assigned to a position, it may be necessary to request a reclassification. It is important to remember that the duties and responsibilities assigned to a position, rather than the individual occupying the position, are the focus of the classification process. Therefore, a complete and accurate description of these duties serves as the primary basis for classification decisions.
There are a number of resources available to you in the process of putting together a reclassification request:
a) System-wide Specifications Job descriptions by Classification/Title Code
b) Internal Guidelines for Clerical/Administrative Analyst Titles
c) Clerical or PSS/MSP Point Factor Evaluation System Guidelines
d) Job Evaluation Matricese) Your Client Services Analyst and Representative
A complete reclassification request packet includes the following:
- A cover memo from the supervisor or manager who is requesting the reclassification. If the supervisor supports the reclassification request, the specific reasons should be documented here. A summary of the duties and responsibilities which have changed since the last job description was written is especially helpful and often facilitates the classification review. This memo/letter should be addressed to your Client Services Analyst, Human Resources, Box 1202.
- The appropriate job description form will vary depending on the position. (Refer to Page 2 of this document for a list of job description forms.) The job description may be completed by the employee or the immediate supervisor, depending on which person is most familiar with the position. If the incumbent is new to the job or the position is vacant, the supervisor should complete the job description. Otherwise, the incumbent may complete it and the supervisor, who has the authority and responsibility to determine the position¹s actual duties and responsibilities, should review and validate it. In some large departments there may be a personnel analyst or assistant who can facilitate the process within the department. Signatures from the incumbent, the supervisor and the department manager should appear on the job description/questionnaire. By signing, both the supervisor and the incumbent are confirming that this is an accurate description of the duties assigned to the position. Any discrepancies should be resolved within the department prior to submittal of the request.
- An organizational chart for the unit or division indicating where the position fits within the organization.
Classification Determination
Your Client Services Analyst reviews the packet for completeness upon receipt. Requests are typically processed in the order received. The Analyst compares the job description with University classification standards and local supplements, makes appropriate comparisons, determines the appropriate classification/payroll title for the position, and informs the supervisor of the classification decision. The supervisor then informs the incumbent of the results. If the job materials do not provide sufficient information to reach a classification decision, the Analyst will contact the employee and/or supervisor to obtain additional information and/or clarification of the duties.
Job Evaluation/Classification Tools
The process of job evaluation – the analysis and assignment of positions to job titles and classification levels – involves the examination of several factors that are key components of the wide variety of work at UCSF. The Staffing and Compensation staff in Human Resources use systems designed to measure these factors (commonly referred to as compensable factors) to determine the appropriate classification level of positions. Examples of typical compensable factors used in job evaluation are:
- Nature of Work - The type, variety and complexity of duties performed.
- Independence - The authority or "fredom of action" vested in a position as well as to what extent the position is supervised.
- Knowledge - The education, specialized skills and job knowledge required for successful performance of the duties.
- Decision Making - The criticality, impact and consequence of decisions made by the position.
- Scope and Impact - The extent to which the work impacts the organization.within and outside the organization.
- Collaboration - The extent to which the work requires organizational collaboration and the degree of complexity involved in the collaboration.
- Span of Control - The extent to which the position is supervisory and the nature of the supervisory responsibilities.
Job Evaluation Matrices
One of the tools used to measure the compensable factors present in a position is a job evaluation matrix. A job evaluation matrix is an analytical tool that outlines and summarizes the various factors that are considered when determining a job level. The matrix also provides a hierarchy of work behaviors related to each factor that suggests differences between levels of work. It is important to remember that most jobs have components that fall into more than one level therefore classification decisions are influenced by where the greatestproportion of work falls.
To assist in understanding how jobs are evaluated and how classification levels are determined, we have developed job evaluation matrices for some of the most frequently utilized job families at UCSF. The Job Evaluation Matrix - Clerical/Administrative, Job Evaluation Matrix - Analyst Series, and Job Evaluation Matrix - Staff Research Associate are designed to describe the key compensable factors typically evaluated and measured for the associated job family. These matrices serve as guidelines and are used in conjunction with Systemwide specifications to understand and assign classification levels at UCSF.
Effective Dates
When a position is reclassified, the effective date of the reclassification is typically the first of the month following receipt of the request in Human Resources. Therefore, it is important that all requests be submitted promptly by the department. Any exceptions require written justification and documentation from the department.
Salary Setting Resulting from Reclassification
Upon upward reclassification, employees normally receive a one-step salary increase (approximately 5%) or go to the minimum of the new salary range. This policy applies to all positions that are listed in the UCSF Title and Pay Plan as Tier 1 (step-based) positions. For positions and titles that are listed as Tier 1 and Tier 2 (grade-based) positions, employees may receive a salary increase upon upward reclassification from zero to 15%.
A UC employee who is laterally reclassified to a classification with an equivalent salary range typically does not receive a change in salary. Exceptions should be discussed on an individual basis with your Client Services Analyst.
A UC employee who is downwardly reclassified to a classification with a lower salary range maximum may receive a decrease in pay to result in a salary that falls within the new salary range. Any increase in an employee's salary upon downward reclassification is an exception and requires approval form your Client Services Analyst. Exceptions should be discussed on an individual basis with your Client Services Analyst.
Exceptions falling outside of the above salary setting parameters will require approval from your Client Services Analyst.
Department Appeal
If the department disagrees with a classification decision and wishes to appeal, the appeal, with written reasons for disagreement, may be submitted to the Manager, Classification and Client Support Services in the Human Resources Department under the signature of the department head within thirty days of receiving written notification of the classification decision. The appeal will be assigned to another Analyst, who may contact the employee and/or the department to clarify any questions. The Analyst will typically complete the review of the appeal within thirty days. The originally submitted job description as approved by the supervisor and the written reasons for disagreement will be the basis of the appeal review. The appeal process is not intended to consider revisions of the job description directed towards achieving a desired classification. Any revisions to the originally submitted job description will constitute a new classification request.
Employee Appeal
If the department agrees with the decision but the employee disagrees, employees may request further review. Requests must be in writing and should be submitted to the Manager, Classification and Client Support Services in the Human Resources Department within thirty calendar days of the date on which the reclassification decision was issued. The request shall state the basis upon which the employee is requesting a review.
EQUITY INCREASES
A salary equity increase is a permanent increase to an individual employee's salary given to provide an equitable relationship with the salary of employees performing like work, following an examination of both internal and external comparable factors. Factors to consider with relationship to salary equity include:
- length and breadth of experience
- specialized knowledge and skills
- market salary pressures
- appropriate salary differentiation based on different levels of performance.
Requests for salary equity increases should be submitted in writing to your Client Services Analyst.
STIPENDS AND TEMPORARY RECLASSIFICATIONS
Stipends and temporary reclassifications are methods of providing additional compensation when employees are temporarily assigned significant responsibilities that fall outside of the scope of their classification level. The applicable provisions of personnel policy and collective bargaining agreements cited in these guidelines provide guidance in determining the appropriate method of compensation.
Below are factors to consider when determining whether a stipend or temporary reclassification is warranted and deciding when to request a stipend or a temporary reclassification.
- Stipends are, by definition, temporary, and should not exceed 12 months.
- The proposed amount of the stipend should be set in accordance with the applicable contract or policy.
- Changes in workload may not necessarily result in changes in compensation. Examples include additional work assigned to cover short periods of vacation or other leave, acting as back-up, short-term special projects or assignments, or increases in volume when the nature/level of work is at the same level.
- For those employees covered by an agreement with a bargaining unit, if the additional responsibilities being considered fall outside of their bargaining unit and involve interim supervisory responsibilities, a temporary reclassification is to be considered as opposed to a stipend.
- When a non-exempt employee is assigned duties and responsibilities that are typically performed at an exempt level, a temporary reclassification to the exempt level classification is recommended.
- A request for a stipend needs to be submitted for approval prior to its implementation to ensure its appropriateness. No compensation commitment should be communicated to the affected employee prior to official approval.
Requesting a Stipend or a Temporary Reclassification
To request a stipend or a temporary reclassification the department should submit the following documents:
A memo from the manager or supervisor outlining:
a) the name and current payroll title of the employee involved,
b) the reason for and additional duties in support of the stipend or temporary reclassification, and
c) the beginning and end date(s) of the period involved.
Please make sure that the appropriate departmental signatures are obtained. Contact your department¹s Personnel Analyst or Management Service Officer for specific departmental procedures.