DRIPPING SPRINGS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT Compensation Plan Guidelines School Year 2017-2018
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION... 1 PURPOSE... 2 JOB CLASSIFICATION... 2 PAY GRADES... 3 INITIAL EMPLOYMENT... 3 CHILD NUTRITION PAY CERTIFICATION PAY PROGRAM... 5 NEW-EMPLOYEE HIRING INCENTIVE GUIDELINES... 6 PROMOTION... 7 DEMOTION... 8 REASSIGNMENT... 8 RAISES... 9 SALARY RANGES... 10 MAINTENANCE ON-CALL ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES... 11 HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION... 13 DISTRICT CAFETERIA PLAN... 13 TRAVEL ALLOWANCES... 13 INTRODUCTION These Guidelines are maintained by the Office of Human Resource Services. The Guidelines are updated as administratively necessary and are approved annually by the Superintendent of Schools. These Guidelines assist with uniform and equitable new-hire, promotion, demotion, and transfer placement according to the DSISD Compensation Plan that is updated and adopted annually by the Board of Trustees. Dripping Springs ISD does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. Additionally, the district does not discriminate against an employee or applicant who acts to oppose such discrimination or participates in the investigation of a complaint related to a discriminatory employment practice. Employment decisions will be made on the basis of each applicant s job qualifications, experience, and abilities. Board Policies DAA, DIA 1
PURPOSE This is a guide for administering salaries and wages for employees of the Dripping Springs Independent School District. Practices described are intended to implement local board policy and goals, state and federal regulations, and appropriate accreditation standards. JOB CLASSIFICATION District jobs are assigned to pay grades based upon compensable factors. These factors are skill, effort, responsibility, and (for jobs in the auxiliary job classifications) working conditions. On a periodic basis, selected jobs from each job classification will be reviewed to ensure that conditions in the district, such as organizational structure, major programs, or significant responsibilities in a particular job, have not changed to a degree warranting a change in job grade classification. This review is to be at the direction of the Superintendent. Annually, job supervisors may submit reclassification requests. The Office of Human Resource Services is the district s agent responsible for collecting and preparing information. This process determines the final outcome on the matter of job classification. Newly established jobs are analyzed and grade assignment determined by Human Resource Services with input from the administrative leadership team prior to hiring personnel for the position. This procedure accomplishes two objectives. First, the appropriate pay range becomes part of the recruitment and hiring strategy of the district. Second, a consistent practice of salary administration is established at the initiation of each job. 2
PAY GRADES Pay grades represent the internal job classification as well as external job market pay levels. The greater the level of compensable factors present in a job, the higher the placement in the pay grade structure. Jobs with similar overall degrees of compensable factors will be in the same pay grade. The use of pay grade levels facilitates payroll administration and maintains the integrity of the job worth hierarchy. The job rate or grade midpoint is the chief control point in the system. A minimum and maximum pay rate for each grade is computed from the midpoint to maintain pay equity or fair pay for each job in the system. Employees are assigned to a pay grade and paid a salary rate between the minimum and maximum (inclusive). No general pay action is intended to extend an employee s pay above the pay range or add pay to an employee s pay already above the assigned range maximum. Any exceptions require the Superintendent s authorization. INITIAL EMPLOYMENT Employment, assignment, and salary placement should be in accordance with the job requirements as specified in the job description. Where job requirements include transcripts, certificates, or licenses, these must be official and on file with the district. A Texas educator service record or chronology of prior work history (if previously employed full time) including the last current salary or wage is necessary. Salary placement will be at the direction of the Superintendent or his designee. The hiring rate will be based upon job-related qualifications, salary history, and salaries of other employees in the same position. Salary placement strategies may be different for each employee group consistent with objectives of district goals. A specific placement plan may be developed to ensure consistent treatment of employees. The written plan will be evaluated at the end of each year to determine overall effectiveness and fairness. Adjustments to the plan may be made based on careful monitoring of these individual pay actions. Teachers and Facilitators of Learning and Innovation 1. Teacher and Facilitators of Learning and Innovation will be placed in the DSISD pay structure by total years of creditable service as defined by TEA regulations. The pay structure will not place new employees above salary levels of continuing employees with similar years of experience or training. 3
Administrators/Professionals 1. Administrative and professional employees will be placed in the DSISD pay structure following a review of their prior work experience in the same or equivalent position and the placement of other DSISD employees in the same job title. Placement of new hires will be based on documented and verified work experience. The district will strive to maintain internal pay equity among district employees and to hire the best possible candidates for DSISD. 2. Professional positions such as counselors, diagnosticians, speech pathologists, etc., are career positions that typically require special licensing and certification with limited prior experience. For these positions, placement will consider total years of service in the same or equivalent job. Placement for jobs that require classroom teaching experience will also consider the DSISD teacher daily pay scale. 3. Administrative positions generally require progressive work experience that is uniquely related to each job. Placement of administrators will consider job-related experience and prior work history. New administrative hires will generally not be placed above the range midpoint. Employees who are new to the district will not be placed above other district employees who have more experience in the job. 4. These guidelines for placement of new hires in the pay structure may be modified when necessary. Pay scales are reviewed annually for alignment with market conditions and budget projections. Paraprofessional and Auxiliary Staff 1. A new employee with no experience will be placed at the minimum pay grade rate. 2. A new employee with prior related experience may be placed above the minimum rate as determined from the documented salary/wage history. This experience must be documented. 3. A new employee will not be placed above the pay grade midpoint rate, except that a new employee in a hard-to-fill position may be considered for placement above the midpoint rate with consideration given for current employees in that specific pay grade. 4
CHILD NUTRITION PAY CERTIFICATION PAY PROGRAM Pay Placement Chart for Texas Association of Child Nutrition Certifications Level 1 Certification $0.75 per hour Level 2 Certification $0.50 per hour Level 3 Certification $0.50 per hour Level 4 Certification $0.25 per hour Level 5 Certification $0.25 per hour Program Implementation Instructions Child Nutrition staff will initially be placed on the salary pay scale pursuant to relevant years of work experience. As certifications for Child Nutrition employees are submitted to Human Resources, rate-of-pay adjustments, effective from the date of certificate submission, will be made pursuant to the chart above. Program Purpose The Program is designed to: (1) assist in hiring for proven hard-to-fill, high turnover positions; (2) ensure retention of existing staff through earned rate-of-pay increases; and (3) develop specialized expertise within the public school food service industry among DSISD Child Nutrition staff. Program Funding This Program is funded in whole by the Child Nutrition Department s budget. 5
NEW-EMPLOYEE HIRING INCENTIVE GUIDELINES New-Employee Hiring Incentive New-employee hiring incentives are a one-time dollar amount paid to new auxiliary employees in the following identified hard-to-fill positions: Bus Aide Bus Driver* Child Care Provider Child Nutrition Specialist Crossing Guard Custodian Lunch Monitor The eligibility and implementation rules for payment of this incentive are as follows: Only employees hired to work in the above-named positions following the effective date of this incentive are eligible. The first installment of this incentive is to be paid on an eligible employee s pay check following 10 completed work days. The second installment is to be paid on the pay check following an eligible employee s completion of 60 continuous work days. Employees who enter into unpaid absence status during the initial 60 work days become ineligible to receive the second installment. Current employees who separate from employment with the district and return to employment with the district within three years are not eligible for this incentive. Employees are only eligible to receive the hiring incentive once, regardless of any future employment relationship with the district (separation, return, transfer, etc.). Employees who do not maintain continuous employment with the district between the first and second installment are not entitled to the second installment. *Bus drivers are not eligible to receive the new-employee hiring incentive until required license and certifications are obtained. Once fully licensed and able to meet permanent bus driver (non-trainee) status, $250.00 will be paid on the pay check following 10 completed work days in that status with the balance of the incentive to be paid following the completion of 60 continuous work days. 6
PROMOTION For compensation purposes, a promotion occurs when an employee is placed in a higher pay grade, excepting general pay structure changes or position reclassification. Pay adjustments for promotions will begin with the effective date of the new assignment. For promotions that take effect at the beginning of a school year, the promotion increase will be in lieu of any general increase granted by the school board. For promotions that take effect during the school year, the employee must work in the new assignment a minimum of 90 work days within that fiscal year to be eligible for any general increase granted by the school board for the following fiscal year. Promotion increase procedures apply for employees moving within the same salary structure. Employees moving between salary structures are treated as placement of a new employee. Promotions, determined upon approval of the Superintendent, are subject to the following guidelines: 1. A promotion increase is based on an employee s current base pay less any stipends paid for supplemental duties. Stipends paid for professional credentials will be included in the calculation of current base pay. 2. Salary placement for a promotion will be determined by these guidelines: If the employee s current base pay rate is less than the midpoint for the new assignment, the increase shall be considered at 8 percent of the new midpoint. If the employee s current base pay rate is greater than the midpoint for the new assignment, the increase shall be considered at 5 percent of the new midpoint. 3. Consideration will be given to the pay of other employees in the same position and the standard promotion increase may be reduced accordingly to maintain internal pay equity. 4. No employee will be paid less than the minimum or more than the maximum of the new pay range following a promotion adjustment. 7
DEMOTION For compensation purposes, a demotion occurs when an employee is placed in a lower pay grade, excepting general salary structure changes or position reclassification. Demotions may be voluntary or involuntary. Position reclassification or general salary structure changes are not considered demotions. Pay adjustments for demotion are as follows: 1. The employee s base pay rate will be reduced to the same relative position within the new pay range, typically measured as a ratio of the employee s salary to the range midpoint. For example, if the employee s base pay was 110 percent of the midpoint in the previous pay range, that person would be placed at 110 percent of the midpoint in the new pay range. 2. The pay adjustment for demotion will begin with the effective date of the new assignment. Pay adjustments may also be made for a longer or shorter work year associated with the change in assignment. 3. A reduction in pay as a result of a demotion will be made at the discretion of the Superintendent or his designee. REASSIGNMENT Placement in a lower grade not resulting from a demotion may not immediately reduce salary/wage. Programmatic, organizational, or funding changes are examples of conditions which may require reassignment. Administrators/Professionals Rates of pay may be held until contract is changed. Auxiliary Staff 1. An employee s rate will be within the pay range of the reassigned grade. 2. An employee s rate will be reduced proportionately to the number of grades lowered. Once this is done, the wage increases may be granted in accordance with normal practice. 8
RAISES Regular or general salary advancement within a pay grade is controlled by the midpoint rate. This is in keeping with the notion that work that is similar should be paid or increased about the same amount. Therefore, employees assigned the same pay grade and positioned comparably in the pay range will receive similar amounts of increase as long as the new rate does not exceed the grade maximum. For general salary advancement, calculated increases are added to each employee s rate up to the maximum of the pay grade. The following illustrates the procedure: Example Pay Structure Pay Grade Minimum Midpoint Maximum 1 80 100 120 2 88 110 132 Assume trustees grant a 5% salary increase. Persons 1A and 1B are in Grade 1. Persons 2A and 2B are in Grade 2. Employee Current Pay Rate 5% Salary Increase New Pay Individual % Increase 1A 85.00 5.00 90.00 5.9 1B 100.00 5.00 105.00 5.0 2A 90.00 5.50 95.50 6.1 2B 128.00 5.50 133.50 3.1 Individual percent increases determined from same dollar amount increases per grade will vary according to an employee s position in the pay range. When an employee reaches the maximum rate of pay within a pay grade, the employee shall receive only adjustments for inflation that are applied to the entire pay structure. Employee salaries shall not be increased beyond the maximum rate established for the pay grade. Any exceptions require the Superintendent s authorization. Job performance is a factor in determining individual pay advancement. Employees whose performance is not maintained at or above a satisfactory level will not receive a salary/wage advancement. General pay increase recommendations presented to the board of trustees by the administration shall be based on consideration of such factors as cost of living indexes, wage increases within competitive job markets, and budget resources. Employees who have worked in an assignment (or assignments of the same pay grade) a minimum of 90 work days within the same school year are eligible for any general increase granted by the school board for the following school year. 9
SALARY RANGES Annual salary ranges should be reviewed and recomputed to include updated economic information. Sources for making this determination include consumer price increases, chamber of commerce business changes, university reports, government statistics, and reputable economic periodicals. The district s pay ranges have been developed with the expectation that administrative personnel are to be accessible by cell phone. Adjustments to the salary structure are independent of individual pay actions. Once the adjusting percent is discerned, this value should be applied to all job grade control points. The structure should be adjusted prior to computing new salary or wage increases. Example: Adjusting by 3% Current Schedule Adjusted Schedule Grade Min Mid Max Min Mid Max 1 80.00 100.00 120.00 82.40 103.00 123.60 2 86.00 108.00 129.00 88.58 111.24 132.87 3 93.00 116.00 139.50 95.79 119.48 143.69 The system will remain viable with periodic adjustment. Random changes will modify the integrity of the job and pay structure. The width of range spread is the percentage difference between the low and high rates in the range. Wider ranges may be used for classroom teacher grades to permit greater pay differences due to experience. Ranges of 50 percent or less will be used in all other ranges to better control pay equity. On a cycle of three to five years, a survey of benchmark positions should be conducted in order to validate or cause adjustment of the salary structure grade progressions and ranges. 10
MAINTENANCE ON-CALL ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES On-Call Assignment Pay Per Assignment. A stipend of $50 per on-call assignment will be paid to maintenance workers assigned to be on call during weekend or off-duty days. The employee earns this stipend whether or not called in for a service call. This is compensation for being available after-hours and maintaining responsive proximity to district grounds, regardless of whether work is needed. Per On-Call Job. The on-call employee s hourly rate of pay will be paid (or overtime rate as applicable for that workweek) if called in to work during the listed on-call assignment period described below. The $50 stipend is paid in addition to any pay for actual work completed while on call. Two-Hour Minimum Pay. Should a call require returning to district property, a two-hour minimum will be paid. The greater of the two-hour minimum or actual hours logged to complete the on-call work will be paid. The two-hour minimum starts upon departure from the employee s location at the time of the call (if within the 60-mile geographical limit) and ends upon the employee s departure from district property. Multiple Calls Pay. If an employee receives additional on-call jobs while already working, his or her pay will continue until all jobs are complete and the employee departs from district property. However, if the employee is called in a second time or more after departing district property from the initial on-call job, a new two-hour minimum will accrue. Holidays. On-call assignments that extend beyond regular on-call weekend assignments will pay $1 per hour for each additional day of on-call status (for example, a 3-day weekend would extend the regular on-call assignment by 24 hours, paying $24.00 beyond the initial $50.00 on-call pay). On-Call Assignment Details Duties. While on call, employees may respond to a variety of needs outside the range of their regular working assignments. Employees on call are expected to respond and meaningfully attempt to address and resolve any issue that arises after hours to the extent he or she is capable before calling in additional employees for assistance. If at any time another employee with specific expertise is needed, the on-call employee s direct supervisor must be notified to make those arrangements. Weekends. On-call assignment responsibilities begin Friday at 7:00 p.m. and conclude at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning. 11
Extended Holidays. On-call assignments over holidays (non-work days listed on the 250-day calendar that are not regular weekends) will pay $1 per hour for each day of on-call status during a holiday. On-Call Assignment Expectations On-Call Cell Phone Care and Use. On-call employees will be supplied with a district-owned cell phone, with a designated after-hours phone number. Two after-hours numbers and on-call cell phones will be in rotation one for after-hours emergency maintenance calls and one for after-hours facilities use/rental matters. Employees are responsible for the care of this district property while assigned to them. Employees, while on-call, are required to keep the phone charged and volume at a level in which the after-hours calls will be heard for immediate response. Only work-related phone calls may take place on this district-issued phone. On-Call Distance Limitations. On-call employees must remain within 60 miles of district facilities when serving an oncall assignment to ensure meaningful responsive proximity to district property. On-Call Conduct. Because an employee is being paid for on-call status and may need to respond to a district call at any time, all Employee Handbook and Board Policy rules apply both on and off district property for the entire duration of the on-call assignment. Specifically, no use of alcohol or other mind-altering substances are allowed while serving an on-call assignment. The same disciplinary consequences will apply to expected conduct during regular working hours. For questions about appropriate conduct while serving an on-call assignment, please seek consultation with your direct supervisor. Please note, these are general guidelines for on-call procedures. Additional expectations, responsibilities, and procedures may be added by department supervisors as necessary at any time to ensure the success of this on-call assignment program. 12
HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRIBUTION The Board annually determines its monthly contribution to employees health insurance premiums as part of the employee compensation and benefits system. The district contribution for 2017-2018 is $275 monthly for employees enrolled in TRS-ActiveCare and working 20 or more hours per week. TRS-ActiveCare is the group health care coverage administered by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS). For employees who use the district s group health care coverage, the district also pays $50.00 per month toward the employee s Health Savings Account or Health Reimbursement Account, depending on the coverage plan selected and applicable IRS regulations. Employees (including substitute employees) who are regularly scheduled to work 10 hours or more per week are eligible, at the full cost of the health insurance premiums, to enroll in TRS-Active Care and shall be provided that opportunity upon hire and during annual open enrollment. DISTRICT CAFETERIA PLAN The district has a Section 125 Cafeteria Plan in which employees working twenty or more hours may participate. For these eligible employees, the district pays for the initial $10,000 in group life insurance. TRAVEL ALLOWANCES An employee shall be reimbursed for reasonable, allowable expenses incurred in carrying out district business only with the prior approval of the employee s immediate supervisor. In-district travel is reimbursable upon submission of mileage in accordance with Business Services administrative regulations or the Personal Vehicle Allowance list adopted annually by the Board of Trustees within the District Compensation Plan, as applicable. 13