Apr 18, 2024  
CC Policy Manual 
    
CC Policy Manual

Compensation for Classified Staff Employees 3.0


Compensation for Classified Staff Employees Approved Date    11-13-2018
    Effective Date    11-13-2018
    Revision No.    3.0
    Reviewed Date

1.0    Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for compensating classified staff employees.

2.0    Revision History

Date Rev. No. Change Ref Section
5-21-13 1.0 Policy rewrite.  
5-21-13 1.1 Changed initial step placement from step 1 to a max of step 5 to be able to consider experience and education when determining initial placement.  
5-21-13 1.2 Changed the step placement of employees who move from a lower grade job to a higher grade job from a salary increase of at least 10% to a step placement that reflects the employee’s experience and education, comparable internal salaries and results in a salary increase. Current practice can create compensation discrepancies among jobs.  
5-21-13 1.3 Changed the step placement of employees who move from a higher grade job to a lower grade job from a step decrease of at least 2.5% per grade change to a step placement that reflects the employee’s experience, and education, comparable internal salaries and results in a salary decrease. Current practice can create compensation discrepancies among jobs.  
5-21-13 1.4 Added a clause about employees notifying the college when they are pursuing an advanced degree.   
5-21-13 1.5 Defined accredited institution of higher education.  
5-21-13 1.6  Removed the requirement that employees pursuing an associate’s degree must earn 18 or more degree applicable credits from Casper College while employed at the college.  
5-21-13 1.7 Removed disciplinary action and performance deficiency as reasons for movement to a lower grade. The college addresses these issues in the employee performance policy.  
4-18-17 2.0 Changed the responsibility of classifying jobs from the Classification Committee to the HR director for placement consistency.  
11-13-18 3.0 Changed maximum initial placement from step 5 to step 6. 7.2.1
11-13-18  3.1 Set annual deadline to request job reviews that aligns with budgeting. 7.3.3
11-13-18 3.2 Replaced annual stipend with a onetime bonus for earning an advanced degree, set a grandfather schedule for employees already enrolled in a qualifying program, and changed the payout date. 7.4

3.0    Persons Affected

3.1    Casper College classified staff employees.

4.0    Policy

The policy of Casper College is to ensure the following.

4.1    The college has a uniform process to compensate classified staff employees.

4.2    The college is an equal opportunity institution and as such, does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, veteran status, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law in compensating employees.

5.0    Definitions

5.1    Classified Staff. This job classification includes operational support jobs. These jobs are non-exempt positions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

5.2    Regular Full-Time. Employees who hold these classified staff jobs are regularly scheduled to work 40 hours per week for a nonspecific period.

5.3    Regular Part-Time (non-benefited). Employees who hold these classified staff jobs are regularly scheduled to work fewer than 20 hours per week or 80 hours per month for a nonspecific period.

5.4    Temporary/Seasonal. Employees who hold these jobs may be scheduled to work either full-time or part-time and for a period not to exceed six months. Temporary/seasonal employees must be completely separated and off payroll for 26 consecutive weeks before becoming eligible for re-employment in a temporary/seasonal job. Regularly scheduled holidays and summer do not count as breaks in employment.

5.5    On-call. Employees who hold these jobs are called to work on an as needed basis, often on short notice, for an intermittent, nonspecific period during peak operational times or events. These employees are not intended to relieve employees of their regular duties.

5.6    Classified Staff Salary Schedule. The college uses this schedule to determine classified staff employee compensation. The current schedule shows a job’s grade (rows) and steps (columns). The steps represent compensation movements during an employee’s time at the college. The compensation schedule is used for both full-time and part-time jobs.

5.7    Advance Degree Notification. Employees use this form to notify the college that the employee is pursuing an advanced degree. This form lists the degree the employee is pursing, the institution providing the program, anticipated graduation date, and signature lines for the employee, employee’s supervisor, and the Human Resources (HR) director.

6.0    Responsibilities

6.1    The HR director is responsible for maintaining compliance with this policy.

6.2    The Board of Trustees (BOT) is responsible for approving compensation recommendations based on available funding.

7.0    Procedures

7.1    Classification of New Jobs

7.1.1    HR determines the initial grade level for a job based on job attributes and current market conditions.

7.2    Initial Placement for New Employees

7.2.1    The HR director places new employees on the Classified Staff Salary Schedule at the grade assigned to the job and the step that reflects the employee’s experience, education, and skill sets. Step 6 is the maximum initial step placement.

7.3    Movement on the Salary Schedule: Classified staff employees may move on the Classified Staff Salary Schedule by board approval, changing jobs, or job reclassification.

7.3.1    Board Approved Movement

7.3.1.1    The president may recommend the BOT approve a recommended step movement for eligible classified staff employees. Classified staff employees who are at step 18 are not eligible for a step movement.

7.3.1.2    The BOT may approve the recommended movement given available funding.

7.3.2    Job Change

7.3.2.1    Classified staff employees who move from a lower grade job to a higher grade job are placed on the Classified Staff Salary Schedule by the HR director at the grade assigned to the job and the step that reflects the employee’s experience, education, and comparable internal salaries and that results in a salary increase. The college implements the salary change when the employee starts the new job.

7.3.2.2    Classified staff employees who move from a higher grade job to a lower grade job are placed on the Classified Staff Salary Schedule by the HR director at the grade assigned to the job and the step that reflects the employee’s experience, education, and comparable internal salaries and that results in a salary decrease. The college implements the salary change when the employee starts the new job.

7.3.2.3    Classified staff employees who move to a new job that is at the same grade as the employee’s current job will not change step placement.

7.3.3    Reclassification of Jobs

7.3.3.1    Supervisors may request that the HR director review an employee’s position for reclassification. Supervisors must submit review requests to the HR director no later than March 1 to be considered for any changes in the next fiscal year.

7.3.3.2    The HR director, in consultation with the employee’s supervisor and the vice president of administrative services, may reclassify the job to a higher grade or a lower grade or keep the job at the same grade. Classified staff employees whose jobs are reclassified are placed on the Classified Staff Salary Schedule at the reclassified grade. There is no change in step placement. The college implements the salary change at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

7.4    Stipends for Earning an Advanced Degree: Classified staff employees may receive a BOT approved, onetime stipend for earning an advanced degree.

7.4.1    Classified staff employees who plan to earn an advanced degree complete the Advanced Degree Notification form no later than March 1 of the first year they plan to request tuition assistance. Employees who submit an Advance Degree Notification form after March 1 are not eligible to receive tuition assistance until the following year. HR files the form in the employee’s employment records.

7.4.2    Classified staff employees who earn an advanced degree that meets the following criteria are eligible for a recommended onetime stipend.

  • The employee earns a bachelor’s, master’s degree, or doctorate from an institution of higher education accredited by a U.S. Department of Education’s nationally recognized accrediting agency.
  • The degree is at least one degree level higher than any academic degree the employee has earned prior to or after being employed by the college.
  • The employee begins working at the college prior to earning the degree.

Stipends for earning advanced degrees are as follows.

Degrees                        Stipend

  • Bachelor’s             $   500
  • Master’s                $1,500      
  • Doctorate              $2,500

Employees enrolled in a qualifying program prior to November 13, 2018 will be rewarded under Revision Number 2.0 of this policy upon completion of that program if they graduate on or before the following deadlines.

Degrees                     Degree Completion Date

  • Bachelor’s               November 13, 2023
  • Master’s                  November 13, 2022
  • Doctorate                November 13, 2022

7.4.3    Classified staff employees provide HR with official transcripts by June 15 of the year they graduate to be eligible for a onetime stipend to be paid one year after the graduation date. . Failure to meet this deadline will result in a delay of an additional year. Employees who no longer work at the college at the time payment of the stipend is due, forfeit the stipend.

7.4.4    The president may recommend the BOT approve onetime stipends for eligible employees.

7.4.5    The BOT may approve stipends given available funding.