HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.02.022_Equity Pay AdjustmentsCITY OF ROHNERT PARK
CITY MANAGER ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
SUBJECT/TITLE: POLICY NO: APPROVAL DATE:
EQUITY PAY ADJUSTMENTS 3.02.022 8.29.2018
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1. PURPOSE
This policy establishes the process for requesting a salary equity review, assures procedures and criteria
for awarding equity pay adjustments are applied consistently for all City employees, and allows the City
Manager to approve equity pay adjustments where necessary to remedy internal and external salary
inequities and address critical retention issues.
2. SCOPE
This policy applies to all regular represented and non-represented full time and part time employees.
3. BACKGROUND
Pursuant to the City Manager’s Administrative Policy No. 1: Personnel Rules and Regulations, the City
Manager is designated as the Personnel Officer, unless s/he designates this authority. The Personnel Officer
is charged with establishing equitable and uniform procedures for dealing with personnel matters;
attracting and retaining the best and most competent persons available; assuring that appointment and
promotion of persons will be based on merit and fitness; and providing a reasonable degree of security
for qualified employees.
It is the City’s practice to award salary increases through the regular annual step increase process. As with
all practices, however, some flexibility is needed to respond to exceptional circumstances. The goal of this
policy is to provide guidance on critical and/or unusual pay administration issues that are not addressed in
the Personnel Rules and Regulations. A compelling argument must be made to justify additional
adjustments to an employee’s base salary. Reasons for equity pay adjustments outside of the normal salary
programs may include issues such as internal salary compaction, external market inequity, compliance
with state and federal laws to ensure pay equality, and/or retention considerations. In these instances, equity
adjustments may be approved by the City Manager to remedy salary inequities. Equity adjustments are not
granted to reward an employee’s performance.
In addition, current labor agreements do not specifically address equity adjustments. Equity adjustments
for represented staff should be carefully considered ensuring they do not conflict with the bargaining
process. Notice to bargaining unit representatives is required prior to the City Manager approving and
implementing equity adjustments for represented staff.
4. PROVISIONS
A. Criteria
To be eligible for an equity adjustment, an employee must be actively working (i.e., not on leave).
Requests will be evaluated considering the following criteria:
1. When internal salary inequity, defined as a significant disparity between employees in the
same job title, or between new hires and current employees in the same job title, exists.
2. When external market inequity, as evidenced by valid market data showing that our
competition pays higher salaries for similar work, recruitment difficulties, and sharp increases
in turnover, exists.
CITY OF ROHNERT PARK
CITY MANAGER ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY
SUBJECT/TITLE: POLICY NO: APPROVAL DATE:
EQUITY PAY ADJUSTMENTS 3.02.022 8.29.2018
Page 2 of 2
3. To comply with state and federal laws to ensure equal pay for equal work.
4. To address immediate retention concerns, such as an external job offer made to an employee
for the same or similar job.
B. Process
1. To ensure consistency in the application of this policy, all equity adjustment requests will be
reviewed by the Human Resources Director. Following review of the request and justification,
the Human Resources Director will make a recommendation to the City Manager. (Note: If
the request is for an employee who is currently “non-exclusively represented,” the request can
be reviewed and approved by the City Manager.)
2. A formal written request shall be submitted to the Human Resources Director by the
incumbent’s supervisor or the department head. The request should include the following
information:
a. The reason for the request (e.g., retention, remedy internal salary inequity, etc.);
b. An outline of the employment and salary history of the incumbent for whom the
request is made;
c. The dollar amount and percentage of adjustment recommended by the supervisor or
department head;
d. Justification, including specific outside salary offers in cases of retention, or a specific
analysis of salary relationships in cases of correcting salary inequities.
3. If approved, the effective date of the equity adjustment will typically be the start of the next
pay period following the date the request was approved. If another effective date is requested,
that request and reason(s) for a different effective date are to be included in the formal request.
The City Manager, at his/her discretion, may make any equity adjustment retroactive to the
extent necessary to remedy the salary inequity.
REVISION HISTORY: