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Money MattersCompensation and Position EvaluationFirst, jobs are described in writing from information provided by incumbent employees and their administrators and reviewed by Human Resources. After the position description is prepared, a job is evaluated based on a variety of factors such as skills or knowledge required, complexity, amount of independent decision making, direction of others required, and more. It is important to remember that a job itself is evaluated -- not the person filling the job. From this information, a job is assigned an appropriate pay grade level. At this point, we also check comparative salary ranges for similar jobs at other colleges and businesses to assist us in offering salaries that are as comparable as possible. You are entitled to know your pay grade and salary range, and to see your position description. If you have any questions, ask your administrator. Position evaluation is an ongoing process because the nature of a job can change over a period of time. A position description may be changed and a new grade assigned. Because position evaluation applies to a job, not the person filling it, re-evaluation to a higher grade is usually not considered a promotion. Likewise, re-evaluation to a lower grade is not considered a demotion. If your job is re-evaluated to a higher grade, the new salary range will apply for salary increases. If your job is re-evaluated to a lower grade, your pay will not be affected by the change. A search for a job for you in a higher grade will be made over a one-year period. If a job is found, but you refuse it, your salary would immediately be administered in a lower grade and, if necessary, your salary would be reduced into the lower grade. If a job in a higher grade is not found within a year, your salary would then be administered in the lower grade. Your salary, however, will not be reduced even if it is above the maximum for the grade. First-Year Employment Annual IncreaseThe following is a schedule for first-year employment annual increase:
The next year, you will be on a regular cycle and eligible to receive a salary increase based upon performance. Merit Reviews and IncreasesYour administrator will review your work annually and rate your performance to determine if an annual increase in salary is merited. The review itself is not an increase, nor does it guarantee you will get an increase. Your salary increase depends on your performance. You earn it by meeting or exceeding the requirements of your job throughout the year. If, due to poor performance, you do not get an increase as a result of your salary review, you will still have an opportunity to improve your performance and, potentially, your salary. Your administrator will discuss the reasons for the salary increase denial with you and schedule a new review within three months. The percentage of your salary increase may grow with the improvement in your performance. Ask your administrator or Human Resources about your job grade and salary range. You should know how your salary and performance are determined and how you can improve on both. Promotion Reviews and IncreasesPrior to your review for a promotion increase, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate your abilities in your new job. Your administrator will check your performance and help you understand your duties. He or she can also explain the factors being considered for your increase in relation to your duties. The exact timing of the review can vary. Normally a promotional increase may occur no sooner than three (3) months after you begin your new job. Getting an increase -- like getting a promotion -- depends on how much of yourself you put into the job and how well you perform. If your performance is less than satisfactory, your administrator may delay a promotion increase. He or she will explain the reason for the delay and set a date for a new promotion review to take place within the next three months. Promotion increases depend on (1) your performance in your new job, (2) your past performance, and (3) your current salary in relation to the new grade. OvertimeNo matter how well we plan, on some days there is simply more work than time. If that means you are asked to work overtime it could mean extra money for you. Your administrator will not ask you to work overtime unless it is necessary. When requested, you are expected to put in the extra time. Your administrator will try to give you advance notice to help accommodate your personal schedules and preferences. Support staff employees are paid their regular hourly salary for all hours worked through 40 hours per week. You will be paid 1 1/2 times your normal rate for any hours worked over 40. All hours you work over your regular schedule count toward overtime pay. Vacations, personal time, sick time and holidays do count toward overtime pay. By law, non-exempt support staff employees may not take compensatory time for working overtime. Off-Hour Premium (Shift Differential)If you are scheduled to work an off-hour shift, you will receive a premium of $.50 added to your base salary. This premium is meant to compensate you for the possible inconvenience of working late/early. An off-hour shift is defined as a shift where 50% or more of your hours in a calendar month fall between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. If you are assigned to such a shift for a period exceeding three months, it is considered permanent, and the $.50 premium would begin when you are assigned to the shift. If you are temporarily re-assigned to a day shift for less than three months, you would continue to receive the $.50 premium. If you are permanently assigned to the day shift, you will no longer receive the off-hour premium. While College benefits (Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, etc.) are calculated on your base salary, you will receive your off-hour premium on sick days, vacation days, and holidays if you are permanently assigned to an off-hour shift. Also, overtime pay is calculated on combined salary which includes your premium. Compensatory DaysIf you are a continuing full-time support staff employee, you are entitled to a compensatory day off if a paid holiday falls on one of your vacation days, when you are asked to work on a day that you are normally scheduled off, or while you are on military training leave. The compensatory day off may be taken no earlier than two months before and no later than two months after the holiday. The exact time must be approved by your administrator. Continuing part-time support staff employees are eligible for a compensatory day only when the holiday falls on a normally scheduled workday during their vacation. VacationVacation time is earned based on length of service as a continuing employee. You can request this vacation as soon as you complete your probationary period. Both full- and part-time employees (20 hours per week or more) will accrue vacation each week, according to the number of hours worked, or while on paid absences. The accruals are as follows:
You will be able to accrue vacation to your maximum accrual. The computer system will be programmed to stop accruals when you reach the maximum accrual. Additional vacation will not be credited until you take vacation, thereby reducing your vacation hours available under your maximum accrual. Vacation time cannot be accumulated above the maximum accrual level for years of service, so it is important to plan ahead and schedule the time off prior to going over your maximum accrual. In unusual situations where vacations cannot be granted due to extra heavy workloads or other problems, up to two weeks could be deferred with prior approval of the Vice President for Human Resources. There are some special situations which can affect your vacation time. If there is a death in your immediate family while you are on vacation, you may choose to have up to three days charged as emergency leave rather than vacation. In exceptional circumstances when you are seriously ill or injured during your vacation, you may charge part of the absence to sick leave rather than vacation time. You will need a doctor's certification of the illness for this to be changed. Employees who terminate before their 90-day probationary period and employees who fail to give two weeks' notice will not be paid for any earned vacation. Personal Leave DaysThe Personal Leave Day Benefit for Support Staff (who work 20 hours or more per week) is available. The guidelines and procedures for this policy are as follows:
Sick Days/Short-Term Disability LeaveIf you become ill and cannot come to work, the best medicine is to get appropriate medical care and rest until you are better. If you or a family member is ill or you have a doctor's appointment, you may use your sick-leave accumulations. Longer illnesses (six weeks or longer) fall under short-term disability -- up to four, six week periods per year. All accumulated sick leave must be used prior to the beginning of short-term disability. Illnesses longer than seven consecutive work days require a doctor's certification. It is your responsibility to notify your administrator when you cannot come to work because of an illness or injury. At the beginning of your shift, let him or her know when you expect to return to work. You should call in daily. Both full and part-time employees will accumulate sick days starting the first day of employment with Augustana. Employees will accumulate 1 1/4 days per month of sick leave on a pro-rated basis depending on the number of hours worked. You are not eligible to take any accumulated sick time until you have completed your 90-day probationary period. Employees that work less than 20 hours per week are not eligible for sick leave accrual. It is important for you to understand the value of your accumulated sick-day credits. If you have an extended illness, they act as insurance so you can continue to receive your salary while you are unable to work. Unused sick days are carried over from year to year so they can be accumulated and used when needed. Because sick days can be accumulated and are meant only to be used when you are sick, you cannot receive extra pay or extra time off for your unused sick days. Also, you will not be paid for unused sick days when you leave or retire. The Human Resources Department is responsible for approving your medical eligibility for work and for disability leave. If you are absent over seven consecutive work days, you will have to present proof of disability (i.e., a doctor's statement) when you return to work. Sick Leave Lending PolicySupport Staff employees with more than 200 hours of sick leave can lend some of their earned sick leave hours to an employee who has a serious illness/extenuating circumstances, has run out of sick leave and does not qualify for short/long term disability. Contact Human Resources for loan procedures.
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