Policy

The Salary Administration policy ensures that all Metropolitan Library System  ("Library") employees are classified and compensated appropriately according to an established system.

Philosophy

The Library seeks to provide competitive and equitable compensation to all positions and to lead the market in Oklahoma for professional-level staff within our identified markets by offering pay, benefits, professional development, and other rewards designed to attract and retain talented and motivated employees dedicated to providing exemplary service to our guests. 

Identified markets for employees and job candidates are comprised of:

• local and regional public libraries and library systems;
• local governments and government employers, public school districts and institutions of higher education; and
• other local employers, particularly private sector firms to whom the Library might lose talent or from whom the Library recruits employees.

A broader geographic market will be considered for professional-level staff, managers, and executives.

The Library recognizes that pay is only one of several factors involved in successful recruitment and retention. The Library also considers the value of other indirect components of compensation including a comprehensive benefits package, the importance of work/life balance (providing the opportunity for both work and personal pursuits), professional development, and a pleasant and positive work environment, among other workplace attributes and opportunities.

The goals of the compensation plan are to:

• Recruit, develop, and retain creative, flexible, engaged, and high-performing employees to provide contemporary library services and outstanding public service to best meet the needs of our guests;
• Establish and maintain a compensation program that is competitive with or leads the identified market, particularly in the State of Oklahoma;
• Establish and maintain internal and external equity among positions; and
• Maintain a workplace that respects and appreciates the efforts of all employees.

To achieve these goals the Library will strive to:

• Be competitive with the identified markets given the funding allocation for salary budgets.
• Provide appropriate training, development, and career opportunities to enhance employee and organizational development as well as succession planning, recruitment, and retention efforts.
• Adjust pay and pay ranges as appropriate and when warranted by changing economic and competitive factors, subject to budgetary considerations.
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and contracts.
• Review the classification and compensation plan no less than every three to five years. Individual positions deemed critical or strategic by the Chief People Officer, with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer, may be reviewed more frequently to ensure external competitiveness with the market.
• Communicate compensation and classification policies and actions clearly and transparently; educate all employees about how decisions are made.
• Establish, implement, and maintain a successful and effective succession planning effort to ensure that employees are developed and prepared for key positions.

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief People Officer assume responsibility for the ongoing administration, updating, and revision of the compensation and classification plans. Library leadership will also ensure that employees are informed about changes to the compensation policy and any associated compensation and classification plans.

Purpose

Purpose of Salary Administration Program

The salary administration program is the formal system for classifying and compensating Library employees. It is divided into two distinct programs or plans.

1. The Classification Plan [6], which is the categorization of job positions, duties and necessary qualifications.
2. The Compensation Plan [7], which provides a salary structure.

Amendment of Salary Administration Program

The Chief People Officer, when necessary or when requested by the library system's Chief Executive Officer, shall cause the salary administration program to be examined for the purpose of amendment. Based on conclusions reached through this examination, the Chief Executive Officer will present recommendations for revisions in the salary administration program to the Metropolitan Library Commission (“Commission”) for appropriate action. The salary administration program shall constitute the pay schedule for positions and shall be effective for the ensuing fiscal year (or at such time as the Commission may designate) and thereafter until amended or a new salary administration program is adopted by the Commission.

Classification Plan

The position Classification Plan provides a systematic arrangement and inventory of the positions within the library system. Each job description lists the minimum requirements or qualifications needed to perform the job such as education, work experience, and other qualifications. By describing essential job functions, job duties, responsibilities, and qualifications, the Classification Plan provides guidelines for establishing a pay plan based on these relationships.

Job Descriptions

1. Job descriptions are descriptive and explanatory and are not necessarily inclusive of all duties performed. They are designed to indicate the types of duties and levels of responsibilities assigned to the class. The use of a particular description as to duties, qualifications, or other factors should not be held to exclude others of similar kind or quality.
2. Official Copy of Job Descriptions

a. The Chief People Officer shall maintain a master set of all approved job descriptions which shall constitute the official Classification Plan. The copies of the descriptions may include the date of adoption and/or the last revision of the job description.

b.  The Chief People Officer shall publish current job descriptions on the Library’s intranet and make available to each department head a set of job descriptions of those positions in their department and other positions as necessary. Job descriptions maintained in Human Resources shall be open for inspection by employees and the public under reasonable conditions during business hours.

      3. Titles of Positions

a.  The title of a position shall be used to designate the position in all budget estimates, payrolls and other official records, documents, vouchers, and communications in connection with all personnel processes.

      4. Minimum Qualifications

a.  The listed required education, experience, and other qualifications will serve as the minimum indication of an employee's ability to work proficiently. Reasonable accommodation of all disabilities qualifying under the Americans with Disabilities Act will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Procedures for the Classification of New Positions

1. The Chief People Officer shall create new job descriptions for positions upon receipt of the prescribed forms indicating a statement of duties, responsibilities, and requirements of such position from the Advisory Council representative. Whenever a new position is created, a completed Job Analysis Questionnaire must be submitted to the Chief People Officer. After a new position is created and occupied, the Chief People Officer may conduct a desk audit and/or interview the incumbent, Advisory Council representative, and/or manager/supervisor to verify that the position has been appropriately allocated.
2. The Chief People Officer reviews and recommends approval or disapproval of all Chief Executive Officer proposed position creations, allocations, reallocations, and position eliminations to the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall review and approve or disapprove the recommendations.

Procedures for the Reclassification of Positions

The Chief People Officer shall recommend changing the classification of existing positions when it is determined that the position is incorrectly classified. Such an action is called reclassification and must be reviewed and approved by the Chief Executive Officer. If an employee has facts that indicate that their position is improperly classified, the employee may request a review of the classification of the position. Such a request shall be submitted in writing to the employee’s manager/supervisor and Advisory Council representative and shall contain a statement of justification. For this or any other type of request for reclassification from any source, the Chief People Officer shall thereupon investigate actual or suggested duties of the position and, if warranted, recommend the Chief Executive Officer approve reclassification of the position to its appropriate grade. Reclassification may occur as a result of the conditions described below.

1. The position was incorrectly classified and there has been no substantial change in duties from those in effect when the position was originally categorized.

If the position is occupied at the time of reclassification, the employee shall be entitled to serve therein and retain the corresponding status after the position is reclassified

       2. There has been a substantial change in the duties and responsibilities associated with a               position since it was classified to a particular grade.

1. If the position is assigned a higher pay grade than the current position, such action is considered an upgrade for the position. If the position is occupied at the time of an upgrade, the incumbent may be reclassified but does have to meet the minimum qualifications of the new position if they are changed. In the case of an upgrade resulting from a reclassification, if the employee's salary falls within the range for the higher pay grade, the Promotional Increase Policy will apply.
2. If the position is assigned to a lower grade, the change is called a downgrade of the position. If the position is occupied, the incumbent will continue at the same pay and may receive increases to the maximum of the range of the lower grade. If the current salary is above the maximum for the lower grade, the employee shall be permitted to continue at the present rate of pay but will not be entitled to future salary increases until salary structure adjustments have extended the maximum of the range beyond the employee's salary.
3. In all cases of reclassification, if the position is vacant, it shall be filed in the prescribed manner. In all cases of reclassification of an occupied position, the incumbent is reclassified consistent with the new classification. Any employee affected by reclassification of their position may file with the Chief People Officer a written request for reconsideration thereof in such manner and form as the Chief People Officer may prescribe and shall be given a reasonable opportunity to be heard thereon.

Position Elimination 

Whenever there is justification for a position elimination such as lack of work, reorganization, lack of funds, or other reasons, the Advisory Council representative shall make such a recommendation to the Chief People Officer. The Chief People Officer shall review and present such recommendations for approval to the Chief Executive Officer. In no case will a position be eliminated solely as a means of terminating an employee.

Maintenance of the Classification

1. Each time a group or department is substantially reorganized, the Advisory Council representative will submit new Job Analysis Questionnaires for all affected positions to the Chief People Officer.
2. The Chief People Officer may require the Advisory Council representative to submit Job Analysis Questionnaires at any time when there is reason to believe there has been a change in duties and responsibilities of one or more positions.
3. Any change in the Classification Plan, such as establishing new positions, position eliminations, reclassifying positions, or pay grade changes for positions, requires prior review by the Chief People Officer and the approval of the Chief Executive Officer.
4. Periodically, the Chief People Officer shall review the Classification Plan to determine if changes need to be made.

Compensation Plan

The Compensation Plan is designed as a fair and equitable method for payment of employees in the Library. The plan establishes a basic salary schedule as approved by the Commission. The salary ranges shall include minimum and maximum rates of pay for all positions included in the Classification Plan. In addition to the basic salary schedule, the Compensation Plan consists of salary components that are used to adjust employee compensation.

1. Components of the Compensation Plan

The compensation for each employee is the product of the basic salary structure and the components of the Compensation Plan that shall be used to adjust employee compensation. These components are discussed in detail in the following sections.

a. Salary Structure Adjustment

• The salary structure adjustment is the component that is used to ensure that the pay ranges are adjusted to reflect changes in the wage index. Two considerations dictate whether or not a salary structure adjustment will be administered: changes in the wage index based upon references such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the budgetary constraints of the Library. Each year, the Commission shall vote on the applicability and the ability to apply a salary structure adjustment. When applicable and when funds are available, a percentage increase will be determined for each range and applied

b. Performance Awards

• The performance award component is designed to reward job performance, therefore, serving as an incentive system. Increases are awarded to employees whose performance is evaluated as consistently meeting and/or exceeding expectations. The performance appraisal is essential to the effective utilization of this component. The performance system is based upon the principle that meeting or exceeding performance expectations should be rewarded because such performance is a greater contribution to the Library than substandard performance. The performance award is strictly used to monetarily reward employees meeting or exceeding performance expectations. Employee performance will be evaluated in accordance with the Library’s Performance Development Policy. Employees whose performance is evaluated in accordance with the development policy may receive performance increases based on the Merit Increase Guide. Performance award increase percentages in this guide are set annually as a part of the budget process based upon the financial ability of the Library to offer them.
• Employees at the maximum of their salary range are not eligible for performance increases. However, they are eligible for performance bonuses, which shall be paid in the form of lump sum bonuses. These bonuses are earned at the rate of 100% of the applicable performance award increase percentage of annual base pay.

c. General Increase

• A general increase adjustment is typically administered as an across-theboard salary increase to the entire workforce or portions of the workforce. This type of adjustment would be determined by the Chief People Officer and recommended to the Commission for approval by the Chief Executive Officer. This type of increase adjustment would not be tied to performance or position movement (i.e., promotion or demotion, etc.).

        2. Starting Rates for New Employees

New hires will be placed in the salary grade based on the relevant experience they have for the job in which they are being hired. For new and inexperienced hires who meet the requirements of a position, but do not have significant additional experience qualifications, they will generally be placed between the minimum and the midpoint of the salary grade, typically at the minimum rate of pay for the position.

The determination of the new hire’s pay rate will consider factors such as (but not limited to) the labor market supply, the difficulty of recruitment efforts, the nature of the job, and the required qualifications and compensation expectations of the best candidate, salaries of current and recently hired employees in similar positions, and available funds. Salary considerations will always begin at the minimum of the salary grade and can be adjusted upwards for the specific instances listed below.

Exceptions may be granted upon the recommendation of the Chief People Officer and approval of the Chief Executive Officer. Exceptions may be made in the following cases.

a. The minimum rate for each position is based upon the assumption that a new employee meets the minimum qualifications stated in the job description. If qualified applicants cannot be located for a given position, consideration should be given to establishing a new position at a lower grade which will reflect lowerlevel duties and corresponding lower entrance requirements.

b. If a selected candidate exceeds the minimum qualifications stated in the job description and will not accept an appointment at the minimum rate for the position, the candidate may be appointed at a higher rate. These cases should be thoroughly analyzed and measured against objective qualification standards.

Consideration should be given to internal equity by reviewing and comparing the salaries of employees in similar positions. In addition, every effort should first be made to recruit a qualified employee who will accept an appointment at the minimum rate for the position.

c. Difficulty of recruitment may require payment of a higher rate. If the difficulty of recruitment at the minimum rate in the salary range persists, consideration should be given to assigning a higher hiring rate or reevaluation of the position to determine if a higher pay grade is indicated.

d. For positions deemed as critical or strategic by the Chief People Officer, with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer, additional consideration may be given to bring salary offers up to a predetermined amount. For difficult-to-fill positions (open for an extended time), and those with a very limited candidate pool, the Chief People Officer may be authorized to increase the salary offer to successfully fill the vacant position but must be certain that all necessary and appropriate recruiting efforts have been utilized and documented.

       3. Reinstate Employees

1. A reinstated employee shall be paid at a salary rate within the approved salary range for the position in which the employee is reinstated. The salary level in the range will be related to, but not limited to, such factors as performance, experience, and length of previous Library service and shall be set by the Chief People Officer with the approval of the Chief Executive Officer.

      4. Employee Transfers

1. An employee may be transferred to another department or location in a similar position, and such a transfer shall not change the employee's pay grade.

      5. Temporary Work at a Higher Classification

1. An employee may be required to work at a higher classification on a temporary, incidental, or emergency basis with the approval of the Chief People Officer or Chief Executive Officer and may do so for thirty (30) days or less at no increase in pay. If the employee is required to perform the duties for a period exceeding thirty (30) days, the employee may be given an emergency appointment (or provisional appointment) to the higher position and be paid the appropriate rate for the higher classification. At the conclusion of the assignment, the employee's pay will revert to the authorized rate established for the employee's regular position. Any such temporary increase granted will not affect the employees’ eligibility for normal merit increases. Temporary assignments may not exceed six (6) months without written approval for extension by the Chief People Officer and approval by the Chief Executive Officer.

Promotional Increase Policy

When an employee is promoted to a position in a higher grade, the employee's salary will increase at least to the minimum starting pay rate or hiring salary of the new grade. The increase in amount will be determined by examining the interval difference between the previous and new grade level but should not exceed more than fifteen percent (15%). In no situation should the increase be more than the maximum of the new range.

The Chief People Officer will determine the amount of the promotional increase within the standards stated in this policy. The decision regarding a promotional increase will reflect the promoted employee's experience and qualifications in comparison with other employees' backgrounds in the same job.

Effects of Demotion

When an employee is demoted to a lower position, the employee will be paid at a rate that is within the approved range for the lower position. The rate of pay will be recommended by the Chief People Officer and approved by the Chief Executive Officer taking into consideration the circumstances and reasons for the demotion. An employee who has not completed six months in the previous position before demotion will be required to serve six months in the position to which they were demoted before being eligible for further promotion.

When an employee requests a demotion to a lower position and performance is not an issue in the request, the employee will be paid at a rate that is within the approved range for the lower position. In no case can the rate be higher than the employee was making before the demotion. In considering the appropriate salary level for a requested demotion, a suggestion, but not a requirement, would be that the amount of decrease would be the percentage interval difference between the old and new grades. The rate of pay will be recommended by the Chief People Officer and approved by the Chief Executive Officer.