Classified Employee Pay Changes

Your pay can change for several reasons, including promotion, transfer, demotion, or a change in job duties. Also, the State may increase salaries through general pay scale adjustments approved by the General Assembly and the Governor.

Pay Processes

Once the critical need to make a competitive offer has been determined, the appropriate vice president, in conjunction with the Budget Office and Human Resources, must approve competitive salary offers. The competitive offer can match the outside offer, however, it cannot exceed the maximum of the affected employee's pay band.

Access the Competitive Salary Offer Form.

An in-band adjustment is an adjustment to an employee's base salary due to:

  • a change in job duties and responsibilities
  • application of new job-related skills and competencies from education, certifications, licensures
  • retention (i.e., responding to salary market changes, labor market fluctuations, etc.)
  • internal alignment, salary compression and other internal inequities

The appropriate vice president will determine the review process, timing and frequency of in-band adjustments. In-band adjustments can increase an employee's salary and may not exceed the pay band maximum.

Go to PAPERS to begin the process.

Promotion is the movement of an employee to a different position in a higher pay band. This movement is the result of the employee applying for the position through the recruitment and selection process.

  • Salary is negotiable from the minimum of the pay band and may not exceed the new pay band maximum (salary may not be below the minimum of the new pay band).
  • The hiring department has the flexibility to offer a salary increase up to the amount budgeted for the position as long as it falls within the pay band limits. Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the offer being made.
  • In the event a proposed increase exceeds the budgeted amount for the position, the proposed salary must be approved in advance by the appropriate vice president before an offer is made. The Budget Office will confirm the availability of funding and Human Resources will confirm compliance with the pay guidelines and pay factors justification.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.

A role change occurs when an employee remains in his/her current position but the role changes. The change can be upward, downward, or lateral. The appropriate vice president will determine the approval process for all role changes. The approval process will include a classification analysis by Human Resources.

  • An upward role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in a higher pay band, may result in a salary increase not to exceed the pay band maximum or at least to the minimum of the new higher pay band.
  • lateral role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in the same pay band, may result in any salary increase not to exceed the pay band maximum.
  • downward role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in a lower pay band, will not result in a salary decrease unless the employee's salary is above the maximum of the lower pay band. If the salary is above the pay band maximum, it will be frozen and reduced after six months.

The appropriate vice president will determine the review process, timing and frequency of role changes.

Go to PAPERS to begin the process.

Temporary pay can be provided to an employee who experiences a change in job duties and responsibilities for a specified period of time (i.e., assignment to a special project, reassignment during organizational changes, etc.). Temporary pay is not intended to cover brief recruitment periods, and should not last longer than six months. Extensions to the six month limit due to exceptional circumstances may be granted by the appropriate vice president.

  • When temporary pay is provided for assuming duties in a different role in a higher pay band, salary may be increased but not to exceed pay band or alternate pay band maximum.
  • When temporary pay is provided for assuming duties in the same or different role in the same pay band or being assigned a special project, salary may be increased but not to exceed pay band or alternate pay band maximum.

The appropriate vice president, in conjunction with the Budget Office and Human Resources, must approve requests for temporary pay.

Access the Temporary Pay Form.

A voluntary demotion is when an employee voluntarily moves to a different role in a lower pay band through the recruitment and selection process or through non-competitive means.

  • Salary is negotiable from the minimum of the lower pay band up to the employee's current salary.
  • Additionally, if the employee's current salary exceeds the maximum of the lower pay band, the University has the option of freezing the employee's salary for up to six months. After six months, the employee's salary must be reduced at least to the new pay band maximum.
  • The University must explain the timing and amount of the salary reduction before the employee accepts the demotion.

Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the demotion becoming effective.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.

A voluntary transfer is employee-initiated movement to another position in the same or different role in the same pay band. The employee may seek the transfer through the recruitment and selection process or through a non-competitive process.

  • With a competitive voluntary transfer, and employee completes for a different position in the same Pay Band, the employee's salary is negotiable from the minimum of the assigned Salary Range. The increase may not exceed the assigned Salary Range. There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. The applicable pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary. These will be considered to ensure that an appropriate salary was offered to secure job acceptance.
  • With a non-competitive voluntary transfer, an employee requests a transfer to a different position in the same Pay Band, the employee's salary is negotiable from the minimum of the assigned Salary Range. The increase may not exceed the assigned Salary Range. There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a non-competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. The applicable pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary. These will be considered to ensure that an appropriate salary was offered to secure job acceptance.

There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a non-competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. Pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary.

The hiring department has the flexibility to offer a salary increase up to the amount budgeted for the position. Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the offer being made.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.

Once the critical need to make a competitive offer has been determined, the appropriate vice president, in conjunction with the Budget Office and Human Resources, must approve competitive salary offers. The competitive offer can match the outside offer, however, it cannot exceed the maximum of the affected employee's pay band.

Access the Competitive Salary Offer Form.

An in-band adjustment is an adjustment to an employee's base salary due to:

  • a change in job duties and responsibilities
  • application of new job-related skills and competencies from education, certifications, licensures
  • retention (i.e., responding to salary market changes, labor market fluctuations, etc.)
  • internal alignment, salary compression and other internal inequities

The appropriate vice president will determine the review process, timing and frequency of in-band adjustments. In-band adjustments can increase an employee's salary and may not exceed the pay band maximum.

Go to PAPERS to begin the process.

Promotion is the movement of an employee to a different position in a higher pay band. This movement is the result of the employee applying for the position through the recruitment and selection process.

  • Salary is negotiable from the minimum of the pay band and may not exceed the new pay band maximum (salary may not be below the minimum of the new pay band).
  • The hiring department has the flexibility to offer a salary increase up to the amount budgeted for the position as long as it falls within the pay band limits. Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the offer being made.
  • In the event a proposed increase exceeds the budgeted amount for the position, the proposed salary must be approved in advance by the appropriate vice president before an offer is made. The Budget Office will confirm the availability of funding and Human Resources will confirm compliance with the pay guidelines and pay factors justification.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.

A role change occurs when an employee remains in his/her current position but the role changes. The change can be upward, downward, or lateral. The appropriate vice president will determine the approval process for all role changes. The approval process will include a classification analysis by Human Resources.

  • An upward role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in a higher pay band, may result in a salary increase not to exceed the pay band maximum or at least to the minimum of the new higher pay band.
  • lateral role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in the same pay band, may result in any salary increase not to exceed the pay band maximum.
  • downward role change, which is defined as movement to a different role in a lower pay band, will not result in a salary decrease unless the employee's salary is above the maximum of the lower pay band. If the salary is above the pay band maximum, it will be frozen and reduced after six months.

The appropriate vice president will determine the review process, timing and frequency of role changes.

Go to PAPERS to begin the process.

Temporary pay can be provided to an employee who experiences a change in job duties and responsibilities for a specified period of time (i.e., assignment to a special project, reassignment during organizational changes, etc.). Temporary pay is not intended to cover brief recruitment periods, and should not last longer than six months. Extensions to the six month limit due to exceptional circumstances may be granted by the appropriate vice president.

  • When temporary pay is provided for assuming duties in a different role in a higher pay band, salary may be increased but not to exceed pay band or alternate pay band maximum.
  • When temporary pay is provided for assuming duties in the same or different role in the same pay band or being assigned a special project, salary may be increased but not to exceed pay band or alternate pay band maximum.

The appropriate vice president, in conjunction with the Budget Office and Human Resources, must approve requests for temporary pay.

Access the Temporary Pay Form.

A voluntary demotion is when an employee voluntarily moves to a different role in a lower pay band through the recruitment and selection process or through non-competitive means.

  • Salary is negotiable from the minimum of the lower pay band up to the employee's current salary.
  • Additionally, if the employee's current salary exceeds the maximum of the lower pay band, the University has the option of freezing the employee's salary for up to six months. After six months, the employee's salary must be reduced at least to the new pay band maximum.
  • The University must explain the timing and amount of the salary reduction before the employee accepts the demotion.

Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the demotion becoming effective.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.

A voluntary transfer is employee-initiated movement to another position in the same or different role in the same pay band. The employee may seek the transfer through the recruitment and selection process or through a non-competitive process.

  • With a competitive voluntary transfer, and employee completes for a different position in the same Pay Band, the employee's salary is negotiable from the minimum of the assigned Salary Range. The increase may not exceed the assigned Salary Range. There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. The applicable pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary. These will be considered to ensure that an appropriate salary was offered to secure job acceptance.
  • With a non-competitive voluntary transfer, an employee requests a transfer to a different position in the same Pay Band, the employee's salary is negotiable from the minimum of the assigned Salary Range. The increase may not exceed the assigned Salary Range. There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a non-competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. The applicable pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary. These will be considered to ensure that an appropriate salary was offered to secure job acceptance.

There may be circumstances where the negotiated salary for a non-competitive voluntary transfer is the same or less than the employee's current salary. Pay factors, comparison of the positions in terms of complexity, results and accountability, and budgeted salary are some factors which may affect negotiated salary.

The hiring department has the flexibility to offer a salary increase up to the amount budgeted for the position. Human Resources will confirm the pay factors justification prior to the offer being made.

The Pay Action Form may be typed into, saved, and printed for signature.