Pay Resources

Paying By The Rules

Highlights the pay rules and provides tips on how to use them.

Ø RULE 6.4: RATES IN THE PAY PLAN PLUS BASE SUPPLEMENT

A) Each grade has minimum and maximum

B) Employees must be paid within range

C) There are a number of exceptions listed in the rule:

Demotion, detail, red circle, premium pay, reduction in pay to avoid layoff, base supplement, etc.
 

Ø RULE 6.5: HIRING RATE

A) Job or Provisional Appt: When moving from a job or provisional appointment to a probational appointment if it is in the same department, to the same job, on the same or next day, then the pay is the same as it was on the job or provisional appointment.

B) Special Entrance Rate: Agency will continue to request in the usual manner with the usual documentation. After Commission approval, agency keeps copy of approval letter and form, and must then enter a pay rate change. When entering position attributes for a pay rate change, you should enter the SER exactly as it was approved and note whether the rate is flat or flexible.

For flexible rates, Compensation will need a policy stating your chosen rate and you should enter the highest rate that your agency will be utilizing. The effective date should be entered from the date of approval. Remember, do not enter the employee’s salary when doing position attributes.

To pay the employees, the agency must enter a the employee’s salary and effective date in the appropriate system.

C) Reentering the Classified Service: Pay no higher than the highest salary in a permanent job, but must be within range, no less than minimum or higher than max ( +base supplement).

D) Restricted Appointment: Can hire up to maximum of range

E) Return From Military: Paid as if employee was never gone

F) Federal law: Supersedes all C.S. rules; must pay minimum wage and HUD, contract, etc., minimums

G) Hiring to the 3^rd Quartile Based on MQs: This will continue to be done in the same manner as it is now. The agency must have a policy in-house and should send a copy to Compensation. No position attribute is entered for this. A personnel action will have to be done to appoint the employee, and to give increases to eligible employees already on board.

H) Reentering the Classified Service Without a Break in Service: Permanent employees who are required to accept probational appointments in lieu of a promotion when moving from one agency to another may receive the promotional pay that would have been due them per Rule 6.7 prospectively at any time within 1 year of date of hire.
 

Ø RULE 6.5.1 PAY UPON APPOINTMENT FROM A DEPARTMENT PREFERRED REEMPLOYMENT LIST

Subject to rule 6.14, the pay cannot be set higher than at time of layoff or if displaced, it may be the current rate of pay based on other rules. Pay can never be set higher than maximum or maximum plus base supplement.
 

Ø RULE 6.7 RATE OF PAY UPON PROMOTION

A) Requires 7% increase

B) Optional increase is tied to the number of pay grades between the new and the old job; up to 10.5% for two grades and up to 14% for three or more grade increase

C) 3 year eligibility— any eligible amount not given at the time of the promotion may be given within three years of original promotion, prospectively

D) When detailed then promoted—can’t pay less than employee is earning on detail

E) From one schedule to another: pay is based on percent difference between maximum of the old and the new job. If the maximum of the new job is <14% above the current job the promotional increase is 7%. If the new maximum is >14% but <21% above the old maximum, the increase may be up to 10.5%. If the new maximum is >21% above the old maximum, the increase may be up to 14%.

F) From position with base supplement to position without base supplement: when the employee’s pay is in the base supplement range—the promotion pay is calculated on the maximum of pay range of current job.
 

Ø RULE 6.8 PAY UPON REALLOCATION

A) Grade in same schedule goes up or  has a higher maximum in different schedule = pay like promotions

B) Grade in same schedule goes down or has a lower maximum in different schedule = same pay; if above max of new grade, then frozen until range catches up with the rate

C) Same grade in same schedule or same maximum in different schedule = same pay

D) Position is reallocated so that base supplement is reduced or lost:

Employees pay will be no higher than current salary and at whichever is higher—

1. Set at the range maximum (this is a red circle rate) or

2. Within the base supplement for new job (this is not a red circle rate)

  Ø RULE 6.8.1 PAY UPON JOB CORRECTION OR GRADE ASSIGNMENT

A) Job corrected or grade assigned is higher grade in same pay schedule or higher maximum in different pay schedule, pay shall not change.  Cannot be paid below the minimum of new grade, however.

B) Job corrected or grade assigned is lower grade in same pay schedule or lower maximum in different pay schedule, pay shall not change, subject to Rule 6.15.

C) Job corrected or grade assigned is same grade in same pay schedule or same maximum in different pay schedule, pay shall not change. 

D) Position is job corrected or grade reassinged so that base supplement is reduced or lost:

Employees pay will be no higher than current salary and at whichever is higher—

1. Set at the range maximum (this is a red circle rate) or

2. Within the base supplement for new job (this is not a red circle rate)
 

Ø RULE 6.10 DEMOTION

A) Same schedule or other schedule with a lower maximum: minus 7%, but no less than minimum

B) Repealed, effective Sept. 9, 2003

C) Repealed, effective Sept. 9, 2003

D) Appointing Authority may grant exceptions

E) Agency should have a policy in-house and should send a copy of the policy to Compensation.
 

Ø RULE 6.11 RATE OF PAY UPON DETAIL

Pay cannot be reduced when detailed. If detailed to a higher job, must be paid equal to a promotion.

A) Employee can get all eligible increases in regular job while on detail

B) When temporary detail is ended, pay goes back to whatever it is in the permanent job currently
 

Ø RULE 6.12 COMPENSATION FOR PART-TIME SERVICES

A) Hourly rate

B) Report percent full time for the position.

C) Employees who start in the middle of a pay period are paid for number of days worked in that period
 

Ø RULE 6.12.1 COMPENSATION FOR HOLIDAYS

A) Don’t pay if working less that 20 hours per week

B) Don’t pay when on restricted appointment

C) LWOP day before and after; don’t pay
 

Ø RULE 6.14 MERIT INCREASES

A) Eligible after 6 months

B) 1 year later—anniversary date which doesn’t change

C) 4% or 1.04 X’s current salary

D) Can be granted within 3 years of eligibility, but only prospectively

E) Covered in Rule 6.4—don’t pay over maximum or maximum + base supplement

F) Covered in Rule 6.5 (e)—doesn’t lose eligibility while away

G) Reemployment--same as if first time hired (6 months merit; yearly thereafter)

H) No other increase affects merit eligibility unless that rule says so

I) Don’t pay if rating is "Needs Improvement or Poor"

J) Re-employ within 1 year of layoff, keep same anniversary date and all eligibilities

K) If detailed, may receive a merit in temporary job
 

Ø RULE 6.15 RED CIRCLE RATES

Employee is paid above maximum until the range catches up with the rate. Red circle rate is rescinded if the employee is separated or demoted (non-budgetary lay-off is an exception). If pay is red-circled, the employee receives no other pay raises. Red circle rates are established for employees in situations described below:

• Job grade evaluated lower
• Reallocation downward
• Structure change downward
• Unclassified to classified only when declared by C.S. and only for two years; after two years pay must be reduced to no more than 28% above the maximum until the range catches up with the rate.
• Market grade downward
• Demotion due to non-budget layoff

  Ø Rule 6.16(a) – Premium Pay

Agency will continue to request in the usual manner with the usual documentation. After Commission approval, agency keeps copy of approval premium pay changes. Please remember that special pay information must be input into ISIS-HR in the Organizational Management/Position Attributes area. Premium pay should be entered exactly as it was approved.

Following are the earnings types most commonly used:

SPH Special Pay Hourly
SPM Special Pay Monthly
SH2 Shift Differential (2nd Shift )
SH3 Shift Differential (3rd Shift )
W/H Weekend/Holiday
WKN Weekend
OCP On Call Pay
HAZ Hazardous Duty Pay
BAS Base Supplement

The effective date should be entered as the date of approval given by the Civil Service Commission.
 

Ø Rule 6.16(f) – Base Supplement

Agency will continue to request in the usual manner with the usual documentation. After Commission approval, agency should keep a copy of approval and must enter base supplement into ISIS-HR in Organizational Management/Position Attributes. Compensation will need a policy stating what percent you are implementing and the effective date.
 

Ø Rule 6.16.1 – Rewards and Recognition

Agency will continue to request policy approval in the same manner. Agency must have a policy approved by the Commission before any payments are made. Agency will continue to send a yearly report to Compensation of all payments made.
 

Ø Rule 6.16.2 – Optional Pay Adjustment

Agency will continue to request policy approval in the same manner. Agency must have a policy approved by the Commission before any payments are made. Agency will continue to send a yearly report to Compensation of all payments made.
 

Ø Rule 6.16.3 – Gainsharing

A) Establishes an incentive program to encourage increased efficiency in governmental operations.

B) Allows payments of up to 20% of employee’s annual salary.

C) General fund agencies must receive approval from the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and should call Elise Read of the House Appropriations Committee at 225-342-1394 for any questions.

D) Non-general fund agencies must receive approval from an appropriate authority and should call Civil Service for information.

E) Civil Service Commission must approve the award plan before payment is made to individuals.
 

Ø Rule 6.17 – Pay Upon Entering Classified Service

When an employee enters the classified system from the unclassified system, pay will be determined as follows:

A) Pay rate is below the range = Pay rate should be brought up to the minimum

B) Pay rate within the range = Pay rate should stay the same

C) Pay rate above the maximum of the range = See Rule 6.15/Red Circle Rates
 

Ø Rule 6.28 – On-Call Pay and Shift Differential

On-call pay is currently authorized up to $2.25/hour. For additional amounts, submit request to Compensation. After Commission approval, agency should keep a copy of approval and must enter amount into ISIS-HR in Organizational Management/Position Attributes.
 

Ø Rule 6.30 – Adjust to Maximum

If a personnel action brings salary within $20 of maximum or maximum + base supplement, may on same personnel action move pay to max or highest rate in base supplement.