PERSONNEL
60.12
Revised 8-05
Human Resource Services
335-4521
PDF link
POLICY
In order for compensation to accurately reflect an employee's qualifications, duties, responsibilities and work performance, the position must be properly defined and titled within the administrative professional service.
Human Resource Services (HRS) conducts position reviews to ensure that administrative professional (AP) positions are properly defined and titled. HRS also provides salary recommendations to administrators. The area's executive officer, e.g., Provost or responsible vice president, makes final salary determinations for area administrative professional staff.
The employing department is responsible for funding a salary increase resulting from an HRS position review and salary recommendation.
When Position Reviews Are Conducted
HRS conducts a position review and provides a salary recommendation when a college/department:
- Establishes a new administrative professional position. (This applies to permanent, temporary, and grant-funded positions.)
- Fills an established administrative professional (AP) position if there are changes to the duties, responsibilities, or salary.
- Seeks to reclassify a position from faculty to AP.
- Seeks to reclassify a position from civil service or collective bargaining unit to administrative professional.
- Requests an out-of-cycle salary adjustment.
- Requests a salary increase due to substantial and permanent changes in duties and responsibilities.
REVIEW PROCESS
To request a comprehensive position review and salary recommendation, the college/department provides the following documents to HRS through Position Control:
- A current position description in the administrative professional format.
NOTE: The format for an administrative professional position description is provided in the Administrative Professional Handbook. To view the instructions, go to:
Select Administrative Professional, then
Select AP Position Description.
- An organizational chart.
- A completed Position Action/PRR form with appropriate signatures. See 60.02.
HRS Process
HRS reviews the submitted documentation. HRS may meet with the appropriate college/department representatives and the incumbent if the position is currently filled.
HRS provides the following information to the appropriate college/department administrators after the position review:
- A determination as to whether or not the duties and responsibilities assigned to a position meet the criteria for exemption from the civil service rules. (RCW 41.06.070)
- A determination as to whether or not the position meets the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). (If the position is covered by the Act, the incumbent is eligible to earn overtime.)
- The assignment of a title/title code.
- A recommended salary range for the position as described.
Final Salary Determination
The Provost or responsible vice president retains the authority to make final salary decisions for positions in his or her area. If the college/department administrators, in collaboration with the Provost or responsible vice president, determine to adopt a salary outside the recommended range, they must provide to HRS written justification that identifies legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for the decision. The justification should be based upon qualifications, professional experiences, aspects of performance, and characteristics of a job that are relevant to an employee's salary. If the position is filled, the department provides the incumbent with a copy of the justification.
OUT-OF-CYCLE SALARY ADJUSTMENTS
Under certain circumstances "out of cycle" salary increases funded by the requesting department may be appropriate. These circumstances are limited to:
- Promotions or significant and permanent changes in duties that generally involve a position audit and which may include a change in title/title code.
- Retention adjustments.
- Grant cycle variations, e.g., funding fluctuations, changes in grant requirements that affect job responsibilities.
The requesting college/department submits the following documents to HRS through Position Control:
- A justification memorandum for the proposed increase describing the circumstances and basis for the request.
- An updated position description in the administrative professional format. To view the position description instructions, go to the HRS website at:
Select Administrative Professional, then
Select AP Position Description.
- An organizational chart.
- A completed Position Action/PRR form with appropriate signatures. See 60.02 and 58.02.
Upon receipt of these documents, HRS performs an analysis of the request and communicates with the appropriate college/department representatives. A position audit may be performed which may or may not result in a change to the title/title code for the position. HRS provides a written salary recommendation to the appropriate college/department administrators and the Provost or responsible vice president.
Final Salary Determination
The Provost or responsible vice president retains the authority to make final salary decisions for positions in his or her area. If the college/department administrators, in collaboration with the Provost or responsible vice president, determine to adopt a salary outside the recommended range, they must provide to HRS written justification that identifies legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons for the decision. The justification should be based upon qualifications, professional experiences, aspects of performance, and characteristics of a job that are relevant to an employee's salary. The administrators are to provide the written response to HRS and the employee within 30 days.
EMPLOYEE-REQUESTED SALARY REVIEW
Any administrative professional employee can initiate a salary review of his or her own position. To initiate such a review the employee must provide HRS and her or his immediate supervisor with the following:
- A request memorandum describing the circumstances and basis for the request.
- A signed administrative professional position description that includes current duties and responsibilities. To view the position description instructions, go to the HRS website at:
Select Administrative Professional, then
Select AP Position Description.
- An organizational chart.
The HRS review includes a position audit and a salary review.
The review may or may not result in a title/title code change and a different salary range. Upon completion of the review, HRS provides a written summary to the employee, the college/department administrators, and the Provost or responsible vice president who is responsible for making the final salary determination.
The Provost or responsible vice president, or his or her designee, and college/department administrators are to provide a written response to HRS and the requesting employee within 30 days of receiving the report and salary range from HRS.
ANNUAL INCREASE
Most salary increases for administrative professional employees are granted only as a part of the University-wide salary increase process that distributes funds allocated by the Legislature and Board of Regents. Administrative professional salary determinations may be based upon merit, equity, and/or market conditions.
SALARY DATA
Annually, HRS provides the Provost, vice presidents, and deans with summary salary information for positions assigned to the administrative professional service. The WSU administrative professional salary data is compiled after the regular University salary increase process has been completed.
College/department administrators may contact HRS at any time for salary information and guidance. HRS can provide summary salary data for administrative professional positions, e.g., the number of positions assigned to a title/title code, minimum, average, maximum, and median salaries. For unique positions or special circumstances the college/department may also request a market or other salary survey.