Compensation and Pay Increases

Classified Position Reviews
Exempt Position Review

Compensation and Pay Increases – Classified Position Reviews

Labor contracts and job specifications
Highline College labor contracts specify how contract-classified positions are paid, scheduled, and how they are evaluated for possible reclassification. Civil service rules specify how classified non-union/non-represented positions are paid, scheduled, and how they are evaluated for possible reclassification.

All classified employees are paid within a salary range determined by the job classification assigned when the position is created. An employee receives salary step increases in accordance with the contract or rules covering the position until the employee reaches the top automatic step of the salary range, after which there are no more automatic step increases.

On the Office of Financial Management’s website, you can find the classified job listing with titles, job specifications, pay tables, and compensation ranges. Please note below the common terms used within the classified job classification.

• Definition summarizes the duties and position purpose.
• Class Series Concept distinguishes job classes within an occupational series. They describe the duties and responsibilities that separate the class from the next lower level, and if necessary, from the next higher level class in the series.
• Typical Work statements contain examples of job duties and responsibilities normally assigned to employees in the class. These examples of duties help to define the information contained in the Definition and Class Series Concept sections. There can be considerable overlap between Typical Work statements for related job classes or similar job class series. The Typical Work and position summary (or Definition) describe the primary purpose and responsibility level of a job class.
• Desirable Qualifications section is used in recruitment to guide required qualifications for the position. It is not used to make job classification determinations. However, the incumbent must meet the minimum qualifications for the desired job class.

Classification review

There are two processes for classification review for the classified staff: employee-initiated and employer-initiated reviews.

Employee-initiated reviews:

A classified employee may request a position review if they believe their position is improperly classified (or that they have been working outside of their job classification) according to the following procedure (ref. Article 40 HC-WPEA CBA):

1. Complete and sign the Position Review Request-Employee Portion. The purpose of the Position Review Request is to gather information necessary to understand the position.
2. After you complete and sign the Position Review Request-Employee Portion form give it to your supervisor/manager, who will complete the Supervisor’s Acknowledgement portion and forward it to your Human Resource (HR) Office.
3. Once received by the HR Office your request will be date stamped and HR will ask your supervisor to complete the Position Review Request – Supervisor Portion.
4. A determination will be made within sixty (60) calendar days of the receipt of the request.
5. In the event the classified staff disagrees with the determination/decision of the employer (HR), he or she may request a review by the Director of the Office of the State HR Director in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of being provided with the results of the position review.
6. The effective date of the reallocation resulting from an employee request is the date the request was filed with HR.

Please consult the HC-WPEA CBA for additional information.

Here are the forms and a guide for this process:

• Position Review Request Guide (Word file) (Rev. 10/27/11)
• Position Review Request-Employee Portion (Word file) (Rev. 10/27/11)
• Position Review Request-Supervisor Portion (Word file) (10/27/11)
• ITPS Position Review Request Guide (7/1/19)
• ITPS Position Review Request-Supervisor Portion (7/1/19)
• ITPS Position Review Request-Employee Portion (7/1/19)

Supervisor/Manager-initiated reviews:

A supervisor/manager may also initiate a position review if they believe a position is either improperly classified or the position’s duties have changed significantly to warrant a different classification. The procedure for a Supervisor/Manager-initiated position review is as follows:

1. Supervisor to complete an updated job description.
2. Supervisor to send updated job description to the respective Vice President/Executive Director for review and approval.
3. Vice President/Executive Director to forward approved job description to HR for final review. HR will conduct a position review and make a determination within sixty (60) calendar days from receipt of the request.

Compensation and Pay Increases – Exempt Position Review

Exempt/professional salaries are usually determined based on similar positions and classifications within Highline College and in comparison with system/nearby peer colleges. As such, exempt/professional positions typically do not fall within any established state salary schedules.

An exempt/professional employee however may request a position review, when he or she believes the position’s duties and responsibilities have expanded or substantially changed from their hired job description.

An exempt/professional employee may request a position reviewed for any of the following:

• Salary increase, no change to title – review new job description and assess new duties and increased functioning relative to current salary.
• Salary increase in response to a competitive offer by an outside institution/company for a similar/equivalent position – review competitive offer.

An exempt position review may be initiated by either the individual employee or by the employee’s supervisor. The procedure for initiating an exempt position review is as follows:

1. Draft an updated job description to accurately reflect the employee’s current job duties.
2. Complete the SALARY ADJUSTMENT FORM and submit to the immediate supervisor, along with the updated job description.
3. Supervisor to forward provide completed form and job description to HR and respective appointing authority (vice president or executive director of the department).
4. HR will conduct a position review and make a determination within sixty (60) calendar days of receipt of the request.
5. For a request regarding a competitive offer, please attach the actual competitive offer.
6. If an employee disagrees with the HR determination/decision, he or she may request an appeal to a board consisting of an HR representative, the appointing authority, and a third neutral representative.