Trident Technical College

NUMBER: 8-15-1 APPROVED DATE: 04-04-1997

BASED ON POLICY NUMBER AND TITLE: SBTCE POLICY 8-2-110 CLASSIFICATION AND COMPENSATION PLAN FOR CLASSIFIED POSITIONS/PERSONNEL

SBTCE Policy 8-2-110 Classification and Compensation Plan for Classified Positions/Personnel https://www.sctechsystem.edu/faculty-and-staff/policies-and-procedures/policies/8-2-110.pdf

PURPOSE: To establish guidelines for compensating classified employees at initial appointment and determining salary adjustments.

PROCEDURES

Hiring at the Minimum

Any applicant who is given an appointment and who meets the minimum training and experience requirements for the class to which appointed shall be paid at least the minimum rate for that class.
Hiring Above the Minimum
1. Qualifications:
  Trident Technical College (TTC) may hire an individual not currently employed in a full-time equivalent (FTE) capacity within state government who has training and/or experience which exceeds the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education (SBTCE) position minimum training and experience requirements at a starting salary above the minimum of the pay band.
2. Methodology:
  The method for establishing a starting salary above the minimum is to evaluate the individual’s qualifications and determine those directly related to the requirements of the position. TTC may consider increments up to 5% for each year the individual exceeds the state's minimum requirements when determining an appropriate salary.
3. Documentation:
  To hire an employee above the midpoint of the respective pay band, the requesting supervisor must submit to the Human Resources Manager a written justification, approved by the dean/director of the unit and the appropriate vice president, and the President which specifies the requested salary, and the rationale for the salary.
4. TTC does not generally hire new employees at salaries greater than those earned by comparably qualified current employees at the same internal level. However, circumstances such as past recruiting difficulties and current market conditions may warrant exceptions.
Re-employment
1. To a position in a higher pay band:
  1. An employee who is re-employed in a higher pay band within six (6) months of separation from state service, or in the same pay band in which previously employed with higher level job duties/responsibilities, may be awarded an increase of up to the minimum of the pay band in which re-employed or 15% of the salary being paid at the time of separation, provided the increase does not place the employee’s salary above the maximum rate of the pay band. The President may approve an increase of more than 15% in limited circumstances.
  2. Documentation: The requesting supervisor must submit to the Human Resources Manager a written justification, approved by the dean/director of the unit and the appropriate vice president, which specifies the requested salary, the rationale for the salary.
2. To a position in the same or lower band: An employee who is re-employed within six (6) months of separation from state service may be paid at the rate equal to or below the rate being paid at the time of separation. The employee shall be eligible for only salary adjustments from legislative general increases and from adjustments made in the pay range while not employed. In determining the amount of adjustment, the same implementation instructions that applied to all employees in that class shall be followed.
Return from Leave Without Pay

An employee who has returned from an authorized leave of absence without pay shall be paid at the same rate being paid at the time leave was granted, except that the employee shall be granted any legislated increases and salary increases resulting from adjustments made in the pay range during the employee's leave of absence. The amount of adjustment that the employee shall be granted is determined using the same implementation instructions applied to all employees in that class.
In-band Salary Increases

In-band salary increases may result from any of the following:
1. Increases mandated by the South Carolina General Assembly.
2. Performance increases authorized by SBTCE in accordance with §8-1-160 of the South Carolina Code of Laws -- based upon funding availability and subject to guidelines provided.
3. Additional duties/responsibilities increases.
  To initiate any additional duties/responsibilities increases, supervisors must complete the reclassification or update of existing position description form provided by TTC's Office of Human Resources. Increases are subject to the following conditions:
  1. Salary increases may be granted when an employee is assigned significant additional duties and/or broader responsibilities, either within his/her current position or another position in the same pay band.
  2. Increases cannot exceed 15% of the current salary and cannot exceed the pay band maximum. The President may approve requests for more than 15% in limited circumstances.
  3. The amount of the salary increase will be awarded based upon a formula containing the following criteria: complexity of new duties, increased supervisory responsibilities, reclassification, last two year’s performance evaluations, relationship of salary to others in the same class, and date of last salary event hire, reclassification or in-band increase.
  4. Should the employee be relieved of the additional duties and/or responsibilities within six (6) months of the date that the salary increase is awarded, the salary may be reduced by the amount awarded for the additional job duties and responsibilities.
Transfer Increase

The salary of an employee transferring from another state agency (not within the SBTCE system) may be increased up to 15%, provided the employee’s job class remains the same and the increase does not place the employee’s salary above the maximum of the pay band.
Retention Increase
1. An in-band salary increase of up to 15% may be granted when an employee has a verified job offer from another employer, either within (not within the SBTCE system) or outside of state government. The increase cannot place the employee's salary above the maximum of the pay band. Increases in excess of 15% may be considered in cases where an attempt to counter a bona fide job offer from an employer outside of state government exists.
2. The supervisor must submit written justification to the department head, the dean/director, and the appropriate vice president containing the following:
  1. A statement that the supervisor has verified the job offer.
  2. Rationale that retaining the employee is critical to the mission of the unit and the college.
  3. Other extenuating circumstances.
3. An employee shall receive no more than one retention increase in a 12 month period.
Upward Pay Band Salary Increases

An employee’s salary may be increased as a result of movement to a higher pay band for the following reasons:
1. Promotional Increase
  1. A promotion is defined as an employee changing from a position in one pay band to a position in a higher salary pay band.
    1. Upon promotion, the employee’s salary shall be increased at least to the minimum rate of the pay band to which promoted.
    2. An employee’s salary may be increased by up to 15% of his/her base salary prior to promotion, or up to the midpoint of the new pay band, whichever is greater, provided such increase does not place the employee’s salary above the maximum rate of the new pay band. Exceptions must be in writing and submitted to Human Resources for consideration. An employee’s performance review date shall be reestablished upon promotion.
2. Reclassification Increase
  1. When a supervisor requests a reclassification of an occupied position having higher minimum and maximum salaries, the employee’s salary shall be increased to at least the minimum rate of the pay band of the class to which reclassified.
  2. A request for a reclassification increase must contain the following:
    1. An updated position description.
    2. Completed reclassification or in-band increase form (this form is available in TTC’s Office of Human Resources).
  3. An employee's salary may be increased by 15% of the salary prior to reclassification, provided such increase does not place the employee's salary above the maximum rate of the new pay band. TTC awards salary increase based upon the in-band increase formula and any equity considerations.
  4. The President may approve requests for more than 15% in limited circumstances.
  5. TTC will reestablish an employee's performance review date upon reclassification.
3. Reallocation
  1. When the Division of State Human Resources reallocates a class to a higher pay band or when the minimum rates for a class have been increased, the following shall apply:
    1. Employees in classes that receive pay band reallocations shall receive salary increases resulting from such reallocations to bring the salaries of employees at least to the new minimum salary for the class.
    2. Employees in classes that receive pay band reallocations may receive up to 15% salary adjustments provided such increases do not place employee salaries above the maximum rate of the new pay band. Salary adjustments shall be based upon the employee’s salary prior to the upward reallocation.
    3. A reallocation increase shall not affect an employee’s performance review date.
Effective Dates

The effective date for all salary changes shall be no earlier than the date the action is approved by the appropriate authority. Concurrent increases shall be administered in accordance with SBTCE guidelines and/or legislated guidelines.
Salary Decreases
1. Salary decreases are allowed for the following reasons:
  1. In-band salary decreases.
    1. Performance decreases
    2. Removal of additional job duties and/or responsibilities
    3. Assignment of lower level responsibilities
      (a) Voluntary
      (b) Involuntary
  2. Salary decreases resulting from downward pay band changes.
    1. Demotion and downward reclassification decreases.
      (a) Voluntary
      (b) Disciplinary or performance
      (c) Involuntary or non-disciplinary
  3. Downward pay band allocation
2. All salary decreases must follow the guidelines provided by SBTCE and of the Division of State Human Resources.
Adjustments

Special salary adjustments are those outside the provisions of this procedure. The President must approve all special salary adjustments.
Temporary Salary Actions

TTC permits temporary pay adjustments for employees in FTE positions who assume additional job duties and/or responsibilities not performed in their primary position for a specific period of time, not to exceed one year. The supervisor submits written documentation of the temporary nature of the duties to TTC's Office of Human Resources. TTC's Office of Human Resources will inform the affected employee in writing that the additional duties are of a temporary nature, that the salary adjustment will not be added to the base salary and that the salary adjustment will be discontinued when the duties are no longer being performed. An employee’s salary may exceed the maximum of the salary range during the period that the temporary salary adjustment is in effect.
Records

TTC's Office of Human Resources collects and maintains all supporting documentation for pay actions.

Updated: 02-23-2010

Updated: 08-26-2015

Updated: 09-27-2018

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