Medical College of Georgia Administrative Policies and Procedures
Office of Primary Responsibility: Human Resources Division
No. 1.4.14

Compensation Policies For Classified Employees

1.0 Purpose
To establish an equitable and consistent pay administration system designed to attract and retain qualified employees, recognize differing levels of responsibility and work performance, and provide sufficient incentives to stimulate individual development and growth.

NOTE: The following policy does NOT apply to MCGHI leased employees who are governed by applicable MCGHI policies and procedures.

2.0  Compensation Plan

2.1 Use of Classified Titles
The Position Classification Plan is the basis for compensation policies for classified employees.  All positions are assigned to a job classification.  An Alphabetical Index of Classified Job Titles, published each fiscal year as addenda to this policy, should be consulted to determine a classification's exempt or non-exempt status and pay range.

2.2 Dual Assignments
When a classified employee occupies two part-time positions (not exceeding a full-time work commitment) in different budget units within the same department, the Director of Human Resources or designee will determine an appropriate rate of pay for all hours worked in both positions based upon the work commitment in each position and the respective pay grades.

3.0  Hiring Rate

Regular Appointment.
The hiring rate of pay for an initial appointment to a classified position should normally be the minimum rate for the classification except when authorized as follows.

When the candidate selected for a position possesses qualifications that exceed the minimum qualifications for the position, consideration may be given to the additional experience and qualifications when determining the offer amount, up to the midpoint of the published pay range for the position.  All offers are subject to the availability of funding.  Decisions relative to establishing individual salaries within the pay plan should take into consideration the individual’s qualifications and experience as well as internal equity.  The Director of Human Resources will establish the Guidelines for Determining Pay that will serve as an addendum to this policy.  These guidelines may be revised as necessary at the discretion of the Director of Human Resources. 

4.0 Temporary Emergency Personnel - See Policy 1.4.23

5.0  Periodic Increases

5.1 Merit Increases, when funded by the legislature, may be provided to selected employees in recognition of individual performance in their positions.  They are normally authorized at the beginning of a fiscal year and are subject to salary limitations and guidelines established each fiscal year.  A merit increase must be supported by a current performance evaluation.

5.2 Promotions, when an employee is promoted to a position in a classification with a higher minimum rate of pay, the employee will normally be awarded a promotion increase equal to the minimum rate of the new classification or an increase based on years of job-specific experience as outlined in section 3.0 above.  Determinations of the actual increase should consider relevant factors such as internal pay relationships and the individual’s qualifications and experience for the position. 

Promotion increases that would be in excess of 10% of an employee's rate of pay at the time of promotion may be reduced if necessitated by budgetary limitations, salary inequities, or similar circumstances. All promotional increases are subject to availability of funding and shall not exceed the maximum of the new grade. Requests for such exceptions must be approved in writing by the appropriate Dean, Vice President, and by the Director of Human Resources.

6.0  Transfers, Reclassifications & Demotions

6.1 Reclassifications
Upon reclassification of an employee's position to a classification with a higher minimum rate of pay, the employee will normally be awarded an increase to the minimum rate of the new classification or an increase based on the years of job-specific experience as outlined in section 3.0.  Promotion increases for reclassifications effective at the beginning of a new fiscal year may be subject to fiscal limitations established for that year.

6.2 Lateral Transfers
Upon transfer to another position in the same classification or in any classification with the same minimum rate of pay, an employee's rate of pay will normally remain the same.  An employee may voluntarily accept a lower rate of pay if the new position is budgeted lower than the employee's current pay rate and no other funds are available to make up the difference.

6.3 Demotions
An employee who voluntarily transfers or is demoted for cause to a position in a classification with a lower minimum rate of pay will normally receive a demotion reduction in pay.  The amount of such a reduction is determined as outlined below.  In no instance will the employee's new rate of pay be less than the minimum of the new classification.

6.3.1  If the employee has never been promoted, the reduction will normally be equal to the difference between the minimums of the new and previous classifications.  Requests for exceptions to this requirement must be approved in writing by the appropriate Dean or Vice President, and by the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee.

6.3.2  If the employee has been promoted previously, the amount of reduction will be determined by the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee upon written recommendation by departmental management.  This amount will normally be proportionate to the amount of the employee's most recent promotion increase.

7.0  Administrative Adjustments
In order to correct an administrative oversight, the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee may approve a corrective adjustment to an employee's rate of pay.  When it is deemed to be in the best interest of the Institution, the President, upon recommendation of the Director of Human Resources, may also approve an adjustment to an employee's rate of pay.

8.0  Additional Work – Non-Exempt Employees

8.1 Overtime/Compensatory Time: Supervisors are expected to manage the workload of employees so that overtime work is not necessary.  When circumstances arise that necessitate overtime, the supervisor must approve the use of overtime prior to the performance of any work.  The supervisor must also determine the method of compensating an employee for overtime hours worked.  Two options exist under the Fair Labor Standards Act,

• compensatory time at 1½ times each hour over 40 worked in a workweek, or
• overtime pay which is calculated at 1½ times the regular rate of pay for each hour over 40 in a workweek.

As an alternative and where practicable, supervisors are encouraged to schedule equivalent time off during the same workweek to preclude the requirement for overtime pay or compensatory time altogether. 

When direct payment (overtime pay) is selected, the departmental management must identify the funding to cover the overtime pay prior to authorizing overtime work by an employee.   Management must manage overtime costs within existing budgets.

When a department manager/supervisor selects compensatory time as the method of compensation, the following provisions shall apply:

8.1.1 The employing unit shall be responsible for recording any compensatory time accrued using the MCG Automated Time and Attendance System pursuant to the instructions provided by Payroll.  The Department will use this system to record hours accrued and also record hours used.  Payroll will not process payment for compensatory time not shown on the official record.

8.1.2 Accrued compensatory time is nontransferable. When an employee is transferring from one department to another and that employee has a balance of accrued compensatory time, every effort should be made for the employee to take all compensatory time before the effective date of the transfer.  When this is not possible, an employee transferring from one department to another shall receive full payment, at the employee’s regular rate of pay, for the compensatory time balance associated with the employee’s time in his/her former department. This requirement will also be enforced should the employee’s position be reclassified from non-exempt to exempt status. Such payout shall occur with the final paycheck from the department in which the comp time was accrued or the final check associated with the non-exempt position.  Such payout will be based on the rate of pay for the position from which the employee is transferring, not the rate of the new position.

8.1.3 An employee terminating from the Medical College of Georgia will be paid for all accrued compensatory time at the employee’s regular rate.  When an employee is terminating and that employee has a balance of accrued compensatory time, every effort should be made for the employee to take all compensatory time before the effective date of the termination.  When this is not possible, an employee terminating shall receive full payment, at the employee’s regular rate of pay, for the compensatory time balance. The department must note on the Personnel Action Request to terminate an employee that the employee has a compensatory time balance that must be paid.

8.1.4 The department that elects the option of compensatory time accrual will be solely responsible for the internal record keeping, the transmittal of information for the official record, and the payment of an employee’s accrued time.

8.1.5 Approved compensatory time is subject to a maximum of sixty hours (forty actual hours of overtime worked) in one calendar quarter and must be expended by the end of the succeeding calendar quarter. An employee who has accrued the maximum number of compensatory hours shall not be allowed to work any additional overtime. The Director of Human Resources or his/her designee must approve any exception to this deadline in writing.

8.1.6 Employees with accrued comp time should request permission to use comp time with as much advance notice as possible, and the supervisor should approve the use of the comp time unless such approval would cause an undue hardship on the unit. Managers are expected to monitor the comp time of their employees to ensure it is taken in accordance with this policy.

The requirement to work overtime is a condition of employment for all non-exempt classified employees. However, employees are not authorized to work overtime, unless specifically requested by their supervisor. Patient care and pertinent support services may be authorized for overtime by a department director or administrator and therefore not be subject to the case by case approval requirement referenced above.

Supervisors should distribute overtime among employees qualified to perform the work in a fair and equitable manner. Where practicable, supervisors should ask for volunteers before assigning specific individuals to work overtime. Whenever an assignment of overtime is made to an employee, at least twenty-four hours advance notice should be given unless an emergency situation arises, in which case as much notice as possible should be given.

For the purpose of determining eligibility for payment of overtime or accrual of compensatory time, the Medical College of Georgia will abide by the guidelines established under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Sick leave, annual leave, and holiday time are not counted as time worked for overtime computation.  For payroll purposes, the workweek starts on 12:01 a.m. Sunday and ends at midnight Saturday.

Employees in exempt positions are compensated at a monthly salary amount for whatever periods of time are required to discharge their responsibilities and are not eligible for overtime pay.  See Section 9.0 regarding Additional Work for Exempt Employees. 

8.2 Shift Differential
Employees in selected classifications who work half or more of their scheduled workday between 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. should receive a shift differential for each hour worked during the 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. period.  The differential is only applied to hours worked and which fall between 3 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

8.3 Weekend Premium
Employees in selected classifications whose regular work schedule includes work on Saturdays and/or Sundays should be paid a weekend differential (in addition to a shift differential when applicable) for all hours worked between 11:00 p.m. on Friday and 11:00 p.m. on Sunday.

8.4 On-call Pay
Non-exempt employees in designated positions who are required to be accessible and available for prompt return to work during scheduled time off shall be paid at a designated rate for each hour in on-call status.  Should an employee in on-call status be called back to work, on-call pay will cease and their regular rate of pay along with any applicable shift differential and/or overtime rate will be paid.  A minimum of three hours of call back pay at the employee's regular hourly rate of pay will be guaranteed to employees who are called back to work.  Requests for on-call pay must originate at the department head level and require the endorsement of the appropriate Vice President or Dean, prior to submission to the Director of Human Resources or designee for appropriate action.

8.5 Extra Duty Pay: Prior to working in two different departments, a classified employee should be authorized for extra-duty pay as described in Policy 1.4.02.

9.0 Additional Work – Exempt Employees

9.1 Employees in exempt positions are compensated at a monthly salary amount for whatever periods of time are required to discharge their responsibilities and are not eligible for overtime pay.  However, extra pay may be authorized for work performed by exempt employees in their home departments, which is not part of their regular responsibilities.  The amount of such extra pay will be authorized in writing by the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee upon recommendation by departmental management and budgetary approval authorities.  For payroll purposes, use Attachment A – Exempt Extra Pay Time Recording Sheet, to report the approved days/assignments worked.

9.2 Extra Duty Pay:  Prior to working in two different departments, a classified employee should be authorized for extra-duty pay as described in Policy 1.4.02.

10.0 Addenda
The following supplementary compensation procedures and schedules (published separately and revised for each fiscal year) are official addenda to this policy.

10.1 Alphabetical Index of Classified Position Titles

Date: 1 January 1976 | Rev. No: 06-1| Rev. Date: 7 September 2006 | No. 1.4.14